Information
Postion: Professor (Director – Research)
Email: sushil.kumar@usp.ac.fj
Phone: (+679) 323 2247
Fax: (+679) 323 1504
Postion: Professor (Director – Research)
Email: sushil.kumar@usp.ac.fj
Phone: (+679) 323 2247
Fax: (+679) 323 1504
Prof. Sushil Kumar has more than 25 years of experience in research (Atmospheric and Space Physics) and teaching at various universities and Institutes. Kumar has carried out collaborative work with several international research institutes and universities and has published jointly in high rank journals. Prof. Kumar, at the USP initiated the research in the area of Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) and Very low frequency (VLF) under research grant from USP in collaboration with World-Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN), University of Washington, USA (pls visit http://webflash.ess.washington.edu/), and later in the areas of Atmospheric electricity, GPS, and terrestrial and Space Weather Hazards such as Tropical Cyclones, Earthquakes, Geomagnetic storms , Solar flares. His research was supported by Space, Telecommunications and Radio Science (STAR) laboratory, Stanford University, USA under the International Heliophysical Year 2007 (IHY 2007) project supported by UN/NASA. His recent research has been supported by GNSS Center, Wuhan University, China, Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development, Japan, etc and through the university Strategic Research Theme funding of USP. The technical, scientific & instrumental support has been provided by collaborators.
Kumar graduated with MSc Physics with Electronics from St. John’s College (Agra University), India, in 1989. He then completed PG Diploma in Space Science and Applications from Gujarat University, India, and Ph.D. in Physics (Space Physics) from Barkatullah University, Bhopal, India. His PhD work dealt with Experimental study of VHF ionospheric scintillations, experimental and theoretical study of whistler and related phenomena at low latitudes. The PhD work was carried out under the All India Coordinated Program on Ionospheric Thermospheric Studies (AICPITS) sponsored by Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India. He had participated in the XVIIIth Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica, during December 1998 to March 1999, during his post-doctoral fellowship.
The teaching interest includes mainly; Electromagnetism, Electronics, Radio Wave Propagation & Applications, Signals and Systems, Electronic Communication Systems along with other wider Physics areas . Before joining USP in 2002, Prof. Kumar had taught several courses on Electrodynamics, Signals and Systems, Communications, Fortran Programming, Statistical Physics and Thermodynamics, Electronics, Modern Physics, Advanced Quantum Mechanics, Radio Wave Communication.
At USP Prof. Kumar has been involved with the teaching of several UG and PG courses: PH101: Quantum and Electrical Physics, PH102; Classical Physics, PH105: Physics for Today’s World, PH106: Physics for other Sciences, PH203: Electromagnetism, PH205: Electronics, PH302: Electrical Communication & Instrumentation, PH306: Measurement and Control of Physical Systems, PH400: Research Projects in Physics, PH402: Radio Wave Propagation & Applications, PH421: Electronics, Active device. PH422: Modulation Methods and Information Theory, EV405: Field and Laboratory Techniques in Environmental studies: SC400: Research Methods.
Current areas of research interest are;
Remote sensing of upper atmosphere using ELF/VLF and SHF radio wave technique
Lightning discharges are natural powerful transmitters of a wide electromagnetic spectrum with maximum energy in the Very Low Frequency (VLF) and Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) bands. The energy contained in impulse-like signals called radio atmospheric or sferics is guided for long distances by multiple reflections from the ground/ocean and lower ionosphere. A part of energy sometimes propagates along the Earth’s magnetic field lines in the ionosphere and magnetosphere and is received as ‘whistlers’. The received signals at long distances contain a great deal of information about the state of the ionosphere and magnetosphere along the path and form a novel tool for research and navigational communication. A facility called “SoftPAL” software base Amplitude and Phase recording of VLF transmitters was established in Sept. 2006 that is used to study the perturbations of VLF propagation due to strong lightnings, solar flares and earthquakes. A new state of art ELF-VLF data recording and analysis System called Atmospheric Weather Electromagnetic System for Observation Modeling and Education (AWESOME) was installed in July 2009 and GNSS receiver systems were installed for the upper atmospheric studies during no
Space Weather and its Technological Impacts
The Space Weather (http://www.spaceweather.com) is related to the change in the upper atmosphere due to solar disturbances. Southward Interplanetary Magnetic field (IMF BS) interconnects with the northward Earth’s magnetic field and permits solar wind energy transport into the Earth’s magnetosphere forming geomagnetic storms which cause severe amplitude and phase scintillations/perturbations on signals used in satellite communications and Global Positioning System (GPS). The depression in the horizontal component (H) of the Earth’s magnetic field lasting over several hours is the characteristic signature of a geomagnetic storm. A geomagnetic storm is caused by the ring current encircling the Earth in the westward direction and can be monitored by the geomagnetic index ‘Dst’. F2-region response of a geomagnetic storm is called an ionospheric storm. The GPS- GSV4004B was established to study the Space weather impacts on Ionospheric electron content and L band scintillation in the South Pacific Region. A clear understanding of interplanetary causes of geomagnetic storms and ionospheric storms should help better in understanding the so called Space Weather Research and Forecasting.
Natural Hazards (Upper and Lower Atmosphere): Severe Terrestial Hazards Events
The rising concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are considered to produce the global warming of the lower atmosphere and the cooling of the upper atmosphere (ionosphere) starting from 50 km or so. The study of natural hazards is of great scientific interest and is important to reduce the damages caused by extreme natural events. The threats from these events are increasing due to increases in different sectors like population, economy and infrastructure development etc. Their costs are also likely to be huge. The global climate models indicate relatively more frequent severe weather events such as tropical cyclones and resulting floods. The South Pacific Region, in particular, is highly vulnerable to natural hazards such as severe earthquakes that may result in tsunamis and cyclones which in turn may cause severe floods etc. It is essential to prevent hazards from becoming disasters. Research is carried out on the changes in the propagation characteristics of ELF/VLF/SHF radio signals due to changes in lower and upper ionospheric parameters under natural hazards.
Ocean-Atmosphere Interaction and Climate-Ocean Nexus
Most solar radiation absorption on the Earth’s surface is by oceans. The ocean stores large amounts of heat, transporting heat from warm to cold regions, and regulate heat and moisture to the lower part of the atmosphere and hence plays a fundamentally important role in the Earth’s climate system. The ocean acts as a global climate control system by regulating the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere by absorbing, storing, and releasing it in a variety of ways and places. Research is carried out on the long duration oceanic changes due to climate change and interaction with the atmosphere during El Niño and La Nina cycles and severe terrestrial natural Hazard conditions such as severe earthquakes and cyclones.
Service to the Profession
Selected
Selected Recent
Administrative Experience
Publications
Journals (80), Book chapter (02), Tech. Pub (01), Edited/Refereed Proceedings (10), Conference Presentations (65).
Attended several international and national conferences, symposia, summer schools, and presented more than 65 research papers in conferences.
Recent and Some Sleeted Presentations
01 PhD, 11 Masters by Research, and Several PG and UG research projects.