The Space Environment Computational Laboratory
The Space Environment Computational Laboratory is devoted to simulating the atmosphere and space environments around planets.
The Space Environment Computational Laboratory (SECL) investigates the role that space weather plays on the space environment near Earth and Mars using state-of-the-art computer modeling techniques. Professor Dave Pawlowski runs the lab with the aid of funding from various NASA and Air Force Office programs. In the lab, students have the opportunity to develop their computational skills while working with sophisticated modeling tools and data from several NASA and European Space Agency missions.
The main goal of SECL is to better understand the fundamental physics that shapes the Mars and Earth atmosphere and space environment and to develop software tools to better model these regimes. This includes helping to prepare future space missions for the adverse effects of space weather by predicting atmospheric drag effects on spacecraft as well as the degretation of communications and navigation systems. By better characterizing the space around Earth and Mars, the work performed in SECL is relevant for many of NASA's primary scientific objectives.
Notice: Dr. Pawlowski is actively looking for both undergraduate and graduate students that are interested in doing space physics research. Please contact him if you are interested!