Nils Janitzek - Personal Profiles

Main Research Fields

I am investigating kinetic processes of heliospheric ion populations using in-situ particle measurements over a wide energy range from solar wind to solar energetic particles.

During my PhD, I studied nonthermal signatures of heavy ion velocity distributions in the undisturbed solar wind that provide unique information on solar wind acceleration, heating, transport and thermalization.

My current work at ESA aims to improve our understanding of ion acceleration at heliospheric shocks driven by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and corotating interaction regions (CIRs). The recently launched Solar Orbiter mission will make unprecedented measurements of heavy ions in the inner heliosphere by approachng the Sun as close as 0.3 AU. At such small solar distances we expect to observe the shock acceleration of solar particles “at work”, so that one can relate the local shock properties to the kinetic signatures of the accelerated particle populations. These studies will provide us with deeper insights into ion shock acceleration throughout the universe but also aim to enable a better estimate of the space weather impact of CIR and CME related shocks, potentially allowing more accurate forecasts at Earth.