Faun Watson
Faun's PhD research focuses on charged aerodynamic deorbiting devices, space science and ionospheric physics.
Physics PhD student
School of Chemical and Physical Sciences
Profile
Faun completed their undergraduate study at Victoria University in 2020, before undertaking a Master's degree in conjunction with Paihau—Robinson Research Institute at the start of 2021. During this research, they investigated novel sources of aerodynamic drag on satellites, and ways of predicting these effects.
This degree formed the foundation of the research they continue today with a PhD, where they work to take advantage of these charged drag effects to design devices with which satellites can control the level of plasma drag they experience. These can then be used to avoid impacts with other satellites, or deorbit satellites at the end of life, reducing the space junk in low Earth orbit.
Qualifications
Bachelor of Science in Physics (minor in Mathematics)
Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Physics
Master of Science in Physics
Research interests
Rarified gas dynamics, aerodynamics, plasma physics, space science, satellite design, orbital monitoring, and ionospheric physics.
PhD topic
Charged aerodynamic deorbiting devices
Supervisors
Dr Tulasi Parashar, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences
Dr Jakub Glowacki, Robinson Research Institute
Associated Labs
Robinson Research Institute space team
Publications
Mixed species ionospheric aerodynamics: Effects of charge and mass density variations (Physics of plasmas) DOI: 10.1063/5.0244922
Mixed flow ionospheric aerodynamics (AIP conference proceedings) DOI: 10.1063/5.0187599