Susan Lepri

Research Interests:

My research centers around topics in heliosphyics which include tracing charged particles in the heliosphere to their sources.  In particular, I use heavy ion measurements to study sources of the solar wind, unraveling the physics of coronal mass ejections, and tracing dust and gas particles to their sources and acceleration mechanisms in the heliosphere.  In addition to conducting research and maximizing the scientific return of data sets from operational spacecraft including ACE and WIND, I also develop space based ion mass spectrometers, working with a team of scientists and engineers at the University of Michigan.  Our most recent project involved the development of portions of the Heavy Ion Sensor (HIS) which will be launched onboard the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter mission in the early 2020s.  HIS will measure the chemical composition of the solar wind in the inner heliosphere for the first time. We are also developing innovative new instruments for future missions, including for the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP).

• Statistical, trend, error analysis, and interpretation of solar wind composition data and magnetic field data
• Magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) model validation of space plasmas with observational data
• Co-Investigator: Constraining Solar Wind
• Co-Investigator: Ionic Charge States

Biography: 

I was born and raised in Michigan and came to the University of Michigan as an undergraduate.  I became involved in astrophysics research as an undergraduate and continue to remain actively involved in heliophysics research at the University.   In addition to teaching and conducting research, I enjoy outdoor activities and spending time with my family.

Professional Service: 

Outreach directly related to teaching

3/2018 STEAM Fair, Rochester Hills, MI
4/2016 Astronomy on Tap presentation, Ann Arbor, MI
3/2016 Seminar at Eastern Michigan University
2/2014 Saturday Morning Physics public lecture: Where the Solar Wind Blows
2013    Worked with high school student Andrew Carek to involve him in research
2011    Worked with high school student Faith Vowler to involve her in research
2007-2011       Space Weather Exhibit at the Detroit Science Center

Outreach directly related to research

Participation in the NextProf Workshop, September 2014, 2015, 2016.
Maintaining Research Group’s facebook page, disseminating publications, videos created by group members, advertising research, etc.
Attending NSF National Hazards Exhibition on Capital Hill in September 2011 to support research into Space Weather.
Worked with the Detroit Science Center on existing and future exhibits; in particular advising them on development of Starstruck IMAX movie (2007 – 2010).
Developed several MConnex videos, CoE Videos and contributed to related articles (2013 – 2016)
Outreach to local schools involving presentations and demonstrations.

Other

News media coverage of 2014 Nature paper:
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/local-hot-bubble-07282014/ http://www.miami.edu/index.php/news/releases/rocket_research_confirms_x-ray_glow_emanates_from_galactic_hot_bubble/ http://www.nature.com/nphys/journal/v10/n8/full/nphys3066.html
http://www.livescience.com/47043-mysterious-xray-sky-glow-explained.html
http://www.universetoday.com/113550/x-ray-glow-evidence-of-a-local-hot-bubble-carved-by-a-supernova/
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2014/26aug_localbubble/

Outreach that is not part of service, teaching, or entrepreneurship
 

Outreach with Rochester Adams High School STEAM fair, March 2018.
Outreach activity with elementary school girls, Cromaine Public Library, Hartland, MI, July 2016.
Presentation at the Detroit Tigers Space Day in April, 2015 at Comerica Park.
Coordinator of K-12 Outreach Program for the Michigan Space Grant Consortium. (2001 – 2004)
Coordinator for the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program for underrepresented students, grades 6-8. (2001- 2004)
Coordinator of Future Science, Future Engineering Program sponsored by the Women in Science and Engineering Program. (2001-2004)
Speaker for Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program seminars, panels and events (2003-present, on request).

Organizing Committees:

1. TESS Scientific Organizing Committee, 2017-2018.
2. Co-Convener for AGU session on slow solar wind, Dec 2012.
3. Co-organizer of 1 AU Signatures of Particle Acceleration and Heating session at the Joint ACE/WIND/STEREO/SOHO meeting in Kennebunkport, ME 2010.
4. Student Member of the SHINE Steering Committee for 2003 SHINE Meeting
5. Session Organizer (ACE/SOHO/WIND/STEREO Workshop in June 2010)
6. Session Organizer (Poster Session SH23B, AGU, December 2010)

Awards:

National

2008                Editors’ Citation for Excellence in Refereeing for Journal of Geophysical Research – Space Physics

2001-2003       NASA Graduate Student Researcher Program Fellowship

2001                Outstanding Student Paper Award, American Geophysical Union Conference

1997-1999       GE Fellowship for Undergraduate Research

Institutional

2018                University of Michigan Willie Hobbs Moore Award: Claudia Joan Alexander Trailblazer Award

2012-2013       University of Michigan College of Engineering Kenneth M. Reese Outstanding Research Scientist Award

2003                University of Michigan College of Engineering Distinguished Achievement Award

Publications:

Full articles in refereed publications

1. Kocher, M., Landi, E., and S. T. Lepri, Tracking Filament Evolution in the Low Solar Corona using Remote-Sensing and In-situ Observations, The Astrophysical Journal, submitted 2017.
2. Zhao,L., Landi, E., Lepri, S. T., Gilbert, J. A., Zurbuchen, T.H., Fisk, L.A. and J.M. Raines, On the Relation between the In Situ Properties and the Coronal Sources of the Solar Wind, The Astrophysical Journal 846 (2), 2017.
3. Lepri, S.T., Raines, J.M., Gilbert, J.A., Cutler, J., Panning, M., and T. H. Zurbuchen, Detecting negative ions on board small satellites, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics 122 (4), 3961-3971, 2017
4. Kocher, M., Lepri, S. T., Landi,E., Zhao, L.,, and W. B. Manchester IV, Anatomy of Depleted Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections, The Astrophysical Journal 834 (2), 147, 2017
5. Zhao, L., Landi, E., Lepri, S. T., Kocher, M., Fisk, L. A., and T.H. Zurbuchen, Anomalous Composition in Slow Solar Wind as a Signature of Magnetic Reconnection in its Source Region, The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series 228 (1), 4, 2017.
6. Uprety, Y., M Chiao, MR Collier, T Cravens, M Galeazzi, D Koutroumpa, KD Kuntz, R Lallement, ST Lepri, W Liu, D McCammon, K Morgan, FS Porter, K Prasai, SL Snowden, NE Thomas, E Ursino, BM Walsh, Solar Wind Charge Exchange contribution to the ROSAT All Sky Survey Maps, Astrophysical Journal, 829,83, 2016.
7. Stakhiv, M., Lepri, S. T., Landi, E., Tracy, P., Zurbuchen, T. H., On Solar Wind Origin and Acceleration:  Measurements from ACE, Astrophysical Journal, 829 (2),117, DOI: 10.3847/0004-637X/829/2/117, 2016.
8. Kepko, L. N Viall, SK Antiochos, ST Lepri, JC Kasper, M Weberg, Implications of L1 observations for slow solar wind formation by solar reconnection, Geophysical Research Letters, DOI: 10.1002/2016GL068607, 2016.
9. Zurbuchen, T. H., Weberg, M., von Steiger, R., Mewaldt, R. A., Lepri, S. T., & Antiochos, S. K., Composition of coronal mass ejections, Astrophysical Journal, 826 (1), doi: 10.3847/004-637X/826/1/10, 2016.
10. Gilbert, J. A., Lepri, S. T., Rubin, M., Combi, M., & Zurbuchen, T. H., In situ plasma measurements of fragmented Comet 73P Schwassmann–Wachmann, Astrophysical Journal, 815, 12, 2015.
11. Landi, E., Lepri, S. T., Photoionization in the solar wind, Astrophysical Journal, 812, L28, 2015.
12. Pilleri, P., Reisenfeld, D. B., Zurbuchen, T. H., Lepri, S. T., Shearer, P., Gilbert, J. A., von Steiger, R., & Wiens, R. C., Variations in solar wind fractionation as seen by ACE/SWICS and the implications for Genesis mission results, Astrophysical Journal, 812, 1, 2015.
13. Oran, R., Landi, E., van der Holst, B., Lepri, S. T., Vasquez, A. M., Nuevo, F. A., Frazin, R., Manchester, W., Sokolov, I., & Gombosi, T. I., A steady-state picture of solar wind acceleration and charge state composition derived from a global wave-driven MHD model, Astrophysical Journal, 806, 55, 2015.
14. Stakhiv, M., Landi, E., Lepri, S. T., Oran, R., & Zurbuchen, T. H., On the origin of mid-latitude fast wind: Challenging the two-state solar wind paradigm, Astrophysical Journal, 801, 100, 2015.
15. Weberg, M., Lepri, S. T., & Zurbuchen, T. H., Coronal sources, elemental fractionation, and release mechanisms of heavy ion dropouts in the solar wind, Astrophysical Journal, 801 (2), 99, 2015.
16. Gruesbeck, J. R., Lepri, S. T., Zurbuchen, T. H., & Christian, E. R., Evidence for local acceleration of suprathermal heavy ion observations during interplanetary coronal mass ejections, Astrophysical Journal, 799, 57, 2015.
17. Galeazzi, M., Chiao, M., Collier, M. R., Cravens, T., Koutroumpa, D., Kuntz, K. D., Lallement, R., Lepri, S. T., McCammon, D., Morgan, K., Porter, F. S., Robertson, I. P., Snowden, S. L., Thomas, N. E., Uprety, Y., Ursino, E., & Walsh, B. M., The origin of the local 1/4-keV X-ray flux in both charge exchange and a hot bubble, Nature, 512, 171, 2014.
18. Zhao, L., Landi, E., Zurbuchen, T. H., Fisk, L. A., & Lepri, S. T., The evolution of 1 AU equatorial solar wind and its association with the morphology of the heliospheric current sheet from solar cycles 23 to 24, Astrophysical Journal, 793, 44, 2014.
19. Snowden, S. L., Chiao, M., Collier, M. R., Porter, F. S., Thomas, N. E., Cravens, T., Robertson, I. P., Galeazzi, M., Uprety, Y., Ursino, E., Koutroumpa, D., Kuntz, K. D., Lallement, R., Puspitarini, L., Lepri, S. T., McCammon, D., Morgan, K., & Walsh, B. M., Pressure equilibrium between the local interstellar clouds and the local hot bubble, Astrophysical Journal, 791, LL14, 2014.
20. Landi, E., Oran, R., Lepri, S. T., Zurbuchen, T. H., Fisk, L. A., & van der Holst, B., Charge state evolution in the solar wind. III. Model comparison with observations, Astrophysical Journal, 790, 111, 2014.
21. Manchester, W. B., Kozyra, J. U., Lepri, S. T., & Lavraud, B., Simulation of magnetic cloud erosion during propagation, Journal of Geophysical Research (Space Physics), 119, 5449, 2014.
22. Shearer, P., von Steiger, R., Raines, J. M., Lepri, S. T., Thomas, J. W., Gilbert, J. A., Landi, E., & Zurbuchen, T. H., The solar wind neon abundance observed with ACE/SWICS and Ulysses/SWICS, Astrophysical Journal, 789, 60, 2014.
23. Ko, Y.-K., Muglach, K., Wang, Y.-M., Young, P. R., & Lepri, S. T., Temporal evolution of solar wind ion composition and their source coronal holes during the declining phase of Cycle 23. I. Low-latitude extension of polar coronal holes, Astrophysical Journal, 787, 121, 2014.
24. Schwadron, N. A., Goelzer, M. L., Smith, C. W., Kasper, J. C., Korreck, K., Leamon, R. J., Lepri, S. T., Maruca, B. A., McComas, D., & Steven, M. L., Coronal electron temperature in the protracted solar minimum, the cycle 24 mini maximum, and over centuries, Journal of Geophysical Research (Space Physics), 119, 1486, 2014.
25. Edmondson, J. K., Lynch, B. J., Lepri, S. T., & Zurbuchen, T. H., Analysis of high cadence in situ solar wind ionic composition data using wavelet power spectra confidence levels, Astrophysical Journal Supplement, 209, 35, 2013.
26. Milillo, A., Orsini, S., Plainaki, C., Fierro, D., Argan, A., Vertolli, N., Dandouras, I., Leoni, R., Liemohn, M. W., Scheer, J., Selci, S., Soffitta, P., Baragiola, R. A., Brienza, D., Cassidy, T. A., Chassela, O., Colasanti, L., D’Alessandro, M., Daglis, I., De Angelis, E., Del Monte, E., Di Lellis, A. M., Di Persio, G., Fabiani, S., Gaggero, A., Ganushkina, N., Garnier, P., Gilbert, J. A., Hansen, K. C., Hsieh, K. C., Lazzarotto, F., Lepri, S. T., Mangano, V., Massetti, S., Mattioli, F., Mura, A., Palumbo, M. E., Rispoli, R., Rossi, M., Rubini, A., Teolis, B., Tosi, F., Tosti, D. & Toublanc, D., Energetic neutral particles detection in the environment of Jupiter’s Icy Moons: Ganymede’s and Europa’s Neutral Imaging Experiment (GENIE), Planetary and Space Science, 88, 53, 2013.
27. Lisse, C. M., Wolk, S. J., Christian, D. J., Lisse, C. M., Wolk, S. J., Christian, D. J., Dennerl, K., Bodewits, D., Combi, M. R., Lepri, S. T., Zurbuchen, T. H., Geophys, J., Opitom, C., Jehin, E., Manfroid, J., Gillon, M., Souza, W., Baroni, S., Granslo, B. H., Cernis, K., Paradowski, M. L., Chambo, J. J., Yoshimoto, K., Gonzalez, J. J., & Bortle, J. E., Comet C/2012 S1 (Ison), Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams, 3719, 1, 2013.
28. Edmondson, J. K., Lynch, B. J., Lepri, S. T., & Zurbuchen, T. H., Analysis of high cadence in situ solar wind ionic composition data using wavelet power spectra confidence levels, Astrophysical Journal, 778, 44, 2013.
29. Kozyra, J. U., Manchester, W. B., Escoubet, C. P., Lepri, S. T., Liemohn, M. W., Gonzalez, W. D., Thomsen, M. W., & Tsurutani, B. T., Earth’s collision with a solar filament on 21 January 2005: Overview, Journal of Geophysical Research (Space Physics), 118, 5967, 2013.
30. Lepri, S. T., Landi, E., & Zurbuchen, T. H., Solar wind heavy ions over Solar Cycle 23: ACE/SWICS measurements, Astrophysical Journal, 768, 94, 2013.
31. Lisse, C. M., Christian, D. J., Wolk, S. J., Dennerl, K., Bodewits, D., Combi, M. R., Lepri, S. T., Zurbuchen, T. H., Li, J. Y., Dello-Russo, N., Belton, M. J. S., & Knight, M. M., Chandra ACIS-S imaging spectroscopy of anomalously faint X-ray emission from Comet 103P/Hartley 2 during the EPOXI encounter, Icarus, 222, 752, 2013.
32. Lepri, S. T., Laming, J. M., Rakowski, C. E., & von Steiger, R., Spatially dependent heating and ionization in an ICME observed by both ACE and Ulysses, Astrophysical Journal, 760, 105, 2012.
33. Gruesbeck, J. R., Lepri, S. T., & Zurbuchen, T. H., Two plasma model for low charge state ICME observations, Astrophysical Journal, 760, 141, 2012.
34. Weberg, M., Zurbuchen, T. H., & Lepri, S. T., ACE SWICS observations of heavy ion dropouts near slow-fast stream interfaces, Astrophysical Journal, 760, 30, 2012.
35. Landi, E., Gruesbeck, J. R., Lepri, S. T., & Zurbuchen, T. H., New solar wind diagnostic using both in situ and mpectroscopic Measurements, Astrophysical Journal, 750, 159, 2012.
36. Landi, E., Alexander, R. L., Gruesbeck, J. R., Gilbert, J. A., Lepri, S. T., Manchester, W. B., & Zurbuchen, T. H., Carbon ionization stages as a diagnostic of the solar wind, Astrophysical Journal, 744, 100, 2012.
37. Landi, E., Gruesbeck, J. R., Lepri, S. T., Zurbuchen, T. H.  & Fisk, L. A., Charge state evolution in the solar wind. II. Plasma charge state composition in the inner corona and accelerating fast solar wind, Astrophysical Journal Letters, 761, 48, 2012.
38. Landi, E., Gruesbeck, J. R., Lepri, S. T., & Zurbuchen, T. H., Charge state evolution in the solar wind:  Radiative losses in fast solar wind plasmas, Astrophysical Journal Letters, 758, L21, 2012.
39. Galeazzi, M., Collier, M. R., Cravens, T., Koutroumpa, D., Kuntz, K. D., Lepri, S., McCammon, D., Porter, F. S., Prasai, K., Robertson, I., Snowden, S., Thomas, N. E., & Uprety, Y., Solar wind charge exchange and local hot bubble X-ray emission with the DXL sounding rocket experiment, Astronomische Nachrichten, 333, 383, 2012.
40. Dennerl, K., Lisse, C. M., Bhardwaj, A., Christian, D. J., Wolk, S. J., Bodewits, D., Zurbuchen, T. H., Combi, M., & Lepri, S., Solar system X-rays from charge exchange processes, Astronomische Nachrichten, 333, 324, 2012
41. Zurbuchen, T. H., von Steiger, R., Gruesbeck, J. R., Landi, E., Lepri, S. T., Zhao, L., & Hansteen, V., Sources of solar wind at solar minimum: Constraints from composition data, Space Sci. Rev., 172, 41, 2012.
42. Kaspar, J. C., Steven, M. L., Kiefer, K. K., Korreck, K., Maruca, B. A., Schwadron, N. A., & Lepri, S. T., Evolution of the relationships between helium abundance, minor ion charge state, and solar wind speed over the solar cycle, Astrophysical Journal, 745, 10.1088/0004-637X/745/2/162, 2012.
43. Gilbert, J. A., Lepri, S. T., Landi, E., & Zurbuchen, T. H., The first complete charge state distributions of heavy ions observed in conjunction with interplanetary coronal mass ejections, Astrophysical Journal, 751, 20, 2012.
44. Bodewits, D., Christian, D. J., Carter, J. A., Dennerl, K., Ewing, I., Hoekstra, R., Lepri, S. T., Lisse, C. M., & Wolk, S. J., Cometary charge exchange diagnostics in UV and X-ray, Astronomische Nachrichten, 333, 4, 335, 2012.
45. Schwadron, N. A., Smith, C. W., Spence, H. E., Kasper, J. C., Korreck, K., Stevens, M. L., Maruca, B. A., Kiefer, K. K., Lepri, S. T., & McComas, D., Coronal electron temperature from the solar wind scaling law throughout the Space Age, Astrophysical Journal, 739, 10.1088/0004-637X/739/1/9, 9S, 2011.
46. Galeazzi, M., Chiao, M., Collier, M. R., Cravens, T., Koutroumpa, D., Kuntz, K. D., Lepri, S., McCammon, D., Porter, F. S., Prasai, K., Robertson, I., Snowden, S., & Uprety, Y., DXL: A sounding rocket mission for the study of solar wind charge exchange and local hot bubble X-ray emission, Experimental Astronomy, 32, 83, 2011.
47. Gruesbeck, J. R., Lepri, S. T., Zurbuchen, T. H., & Antiochos, S. K., Constraints on CME evolution from in situ observations of ionic charge states, Astrophysical Journal, 730, 103, 2011.
48. Lepri, S. T., & Zurbuchen, T. H., Direct observational evidence of filament material within interplanetary coronal mass ejections, Astrophysical Journal Letters, 723, L22, 2010.
49. Papaioannou, A., Malandraki, O., Belov, A., Skoug, R., Mavromichalaki, H., Eroshenko, E., Abunin, A., & Lepri, S., On the analysis of the complex Forbush decreases of January 2005, Solar Physics, 266, 181, 2010.
50. Snowden, S. L., Collier, M. R., Cravens, T., Kuntz, K. D., Lepri, S. T., Robertson, I., & Tomas, L., Observation of solar wind charge exchange emission from exospheric material in and outside Earth’s magnetosheath, Astrophysical Journal, 691, 372, 2009.
51. Drake, J. F., Swisdak, M., Phan, T. D., Cassak, P. A., Shay, M. A., Lepri, S., Lin, R. P., Quataert, E., & Zurbuchen, T. H., Ion heating resulting from pickup in magnetic reconnection exhausts, Journal of Geophysical Research, 114, A05111, 2009.
52. Lepri, S. T., Antiochos, S. K., Riley, P., Zurbuchen, T. H., & Zhao, L., A study of the heliospheric magnetic flux using in-situ data and the SAIC MHD model, Astrophysical Journal, 674, 1158, 2008.
53. Laming, J. M., & Lepri, S. T., Ion charge states in the fast solar wind: New data analysis and theoretical refinements, Astrophysical Journal, 660, 1642, 2007.
54. Rakowski, C. E., Laming, J. M., & Lepri, S. T., Ion charge states in halo coronal mass ejections: What can we learn about the explosion?, Astrophysical Journal, 667, 602, 2007.
55. Korreck, K. E., Zurbuchen, T. H., Lepri, S. T., & Raines, J., Heating of heavy ions by coronal mass ejection driven collisionless shocks, Astrophysical Journal, 659, 773, 2007.
56. Lepri, S. T., Nikzad, S., Jones, T., Blacksberg, J., & Zurbuchen, T. H., The response of a delta-doped CCD to low energy protons and nitrogen ions, Reviews of Scientific Instruments, 5, 053301, 2006.
57. Xie, H., Gopalswamy, N., Manoharan, P. K., Lara, K., Yashiro, S., & Lepri, S., Long-lived geomagnetic storms and coronal mass ejections, Journal of Geophysical Research, 111, A01103, 2006.
58. Lepri, S. T., & Zurbuchen, T. H., Iron charge state distributions as an indicator of ICMEs: Possible sources and temporal and spatial variations during solar maximum, Journal of Geophysical Research, 109 (A1), 112, 10.1029/2003JA009954, 2004.
59. Lepri, S. T., & Zurbuchen, T. H., Correction to “Iron charge state distributions as an indicator of hot ICMEs: Possible sources and temporal and spatial variations during solar maximum”, Journal of Geophysical Research, 109 (A6), A06101, 2004.
60. Farrugia, C. J., Popecki, M., Möbius, E., Jordanova, V. K, Desai, M. I., Fitzenreiter, R. J., Ogilvie, K. W, Matsui, H., Lepri, S., Zurbuchen, T., Mason, G. M., Lawrence, G. R., Burlaga, L. F., Lepping, R. P., Dwyer, J. R., & McComas, D., Wind and ACE observations during the great flow of 1–4 May 1998:  Relation to solar activity and implications for the magnetosphere, Journal of Geophysical Research, 107, 1240, 2002.
61. Lepri, S. T., Zurbuchen, T. H., Fisk, L. A., Richardson, I. G., Cane, H. V., & Gloeckler, G., Iron charge distributions as an identifier of interplanetary coronal mass ejections, Journal of Geophysical Research, 106, 29,231, 2001