Dr Peter Levens

PhD Student

I am working with Dr. Nicolas Labrosse and Prof. Lyndsay Fletcher on solar tornado-like prominences – these features appear to be the rotating legs of prominences.

My research has mostly been using UV and EUV observations from the Hinode and IRIS satellites and the ground-based THEMIS telescope in the Canary Islands. In 2014 and 2015 I was part of an international team that coordinated and performed observations with Hinode, IRIS, and THEMIS. I had the opportunity to spend four weeks making observations of prominences at THEMIS as part of that campaign. I also spent four months at the Observatoire de Paris in Meudon, working with Dr. Brigitte Schmieder on analysing IRIS data that we gathered in 2014.

I have also spent some time developing a radiative transfer code that simulates the emission of ionised magnesium (Mg II) lines in prominences. This work has built upon the already-substantial code for modelling hydrogen, helium, and calcium in prominences, provided to me by Dr. Nicolas Labrosse. The aim of this work was to extend previous prominence Mg II models to explain recent IRIS observations.

I am currently at the end of my PhD, writing my thesis.

Publications:

“Comparing UV/EUV line parameters and magnetic field in a quiescent prominence with tornadoes” — P. J. Levens, N. Labrosse, B. Schmieder, A. López Ariste, L.Fletcher. 2017, Astronomy and Astrophysics, (accepted, awaiting publication) [doi] [arXiv]

“Reconstruction of a helical prominence in 3D from IRIS spectra and images” — B. Schmieder, M. Zapiór, A. López Ariste, P. J. Levens, N. Labrosse, R. Gravet. 2017, Astronomy and Astrophysics, (accepted, awaiting publication) [doi] [arXiv]

“Halpha Doppler shifts in a tornado in the solar corona” — B. Schmieder, P. Mein, N. Mein P. J. Levens, N. Labrosse, L. Ofman. 2017, Astronomy and Astrophysics, 597, A109 [doi] [arXiv]

“Magnetic Field in Atypical Prominence Structures: Bubble, Tornado, and Eruption”P. J. Levens, B. Schmieder, A. López Ariste, N. Labrosse, K. Dalmasse, B. Gelly. 2016, The Astrophysical Journal, 826, 164L [doi] [arXiv]

“Structure of Prominence Legs: Plasma and Magnetic Field”P. J. Levens, B. Schmieder, N. Labrosse, A. López Ariste. 2016, The Astrophysical Journal, 818, 31L [doi] [arXiv]

“A solar tornado observed by EIS: Plasma diagnostics”P. J. Levens, N. Labrosse, L.Fletcher, B. Schmieder. 2015, Astronomy and Astrophysics, 582, A27 [doi] [arXiv]

Conference proceedings:

“Prominence and tornado dynamics observed with IRIS and THEMIS” — B. Schmieder, P. J. Levens, N. Labrosse, P. Mein, A. López Ariste, M. Zapiór. 2017, American Astronomical Society, SPD meeting No. 48

“Prominence plasma and magnetic field structure – A coordinated observation with IRIS, Hinode and THEMIS” — B. Schmieder, N. Labrosse, P. J. Levens, A. López Ariste. 2016, 41st COSPAR Scientific Assembly

“Magnetic Field and Plasma Diagnostics from Coordinated Prominence Observations” — B. Schmieder, P. J. Levens, K. Dalmasse, N. Mein, P. Mein, A. López Ariste, N. Labrosse, P. Heinzel. 2016, Astronomical Society of the Pacific, ASP Conference Series, Vol. 504

“Polarimetric measurements in prominences and “tornadoes” observed by THEMIS” — B. Schmieder, A. López Ariste, P. J. Levens, N. Labrosse, K. Dalmasse. 2014, Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, IAU Symposium No. 305

Contact information:

Room 604
School of Physics and Astronomy
Kelvin Building
University of Glasgow
G12 8QQ
Scotland

Email: p.levens.1@research.gla.ac.uk

Tel: +44 141 330 2960