Fatima Ebrahimi Explained

Fatima Ebrahimi is an Iranian-American physicist and inventor. She carries out theoretical and computational plasma physics research for applications including fusion energy and space and astrophysical plasmas.[1]

Biography

Ebrahimi received BSc and MSc degrees in physics from Tehran Polytechnic in 1993 and 1996, respectively, and a PhD in plasma physics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2003 under the supervision of Stewart Prager.[2] Her approach to plasma physics has been characterized as "applying knowledge from her fusion research in the laboratory to astrophysics and vice versa".[3] She is a principal research physicist at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Theory Department and an affiliated research scholar at the Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University.[4]

Ebrahimi's most notable contribution to science has been her research on how plasmoids (plasma objects enclosed by magnetic fields) can be used to create the initial plasma current in compact spherical tokamaks[5] [6] and produce thrust for space propulsion.[7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] Her proposed electromagnetic plasma thruster utilizes magnetic reconnection for magnetic-to-kinetic energy conversion, emulating the physical mechanism that generates solar flares. Simulations on NERSC supercomputers[13] demonstrated that thrust is generated by expulsion of continuously created plasmoids, when magnetic helicity is injected into an annular thruster channel.[14]

Princeton University has a patent pending on the thruster technology,[15] which "may come to be known as the Ebrahimi Drive – an engine inspired by fusion reactors and the incredible power of solar Coronal Mass Ejections". Ebrahimi has also done research on the magnetorotational instability and demonstrated in global simulations its importance for the dynamo of astrophysical disks[16] and for plasmoid reconnection.[17]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pandika . Melissa . October 30, 2017 . Could this young physicist finally crack the code to nuclear fusion? . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211004171542/https://www.ozy.com/the-new-and-the-next/could-this-young-physicist-finally-crack-the-code-to-nuclear-fusion/81595/ . October 4, 2021 . April 5, 2022 . OZY Magazine.
  2. Web site: April 5, 2022 . Fatima Ebrahimi . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210613071159/https://www.physics.wisc.edu/directory/ebrahimi-fatima/ . June 13, 2021 . April 5, 2022 . UW Department of Physics.
  3. Web site: Awe . Stephanie . April 5, 2022 . A Future for Nuclear Fusion . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210613193823/https://onwisconsin.uwalumni.com/features/a-future-for-nuclear-fusion/ . June 13, 2021 . April 5, 2022 . On Wisconsin Magazine.
  4. Web site: April 5, 2022 . Fatima Ebrahimi . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211115061246/https://theory.pppl.gov/people/profile.php?pid=58&n=Fatima-Ebrahimi . November 15, 2021 . April 5, 2022 . PPPL Theory Department.
  5. Web site: Rosen . Raphael . June 1, 2015 . Giant structures called plasmoids could simplify design of future tokamaks . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190407210419/https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150601172838.htm . April 7, 2019 . April 7, 2022 . Science Daily.
  6. Web site: May 31, 2016 . Physicists conduct experiments indicating efficiency of fusion start-up technique . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201129175719/https://phys.org/news/2016-05-physicists-indicating-efficiency-fusion-start-up.html . November 29, 2020 . April 7, 2022 . phys.org.
  7. Web site: Delbert . Caroline . February 2, 2021 . The Unusual Rocket Thruster That Will Send Humans to Mars . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220402100213/https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/rockets/a35393411/magnetic-rocket-thruster-spaceflight-mars/ . April 2, 2022 . April 7, 2022 . Popular Mechanics.
  8. Web site: Cimone . Matthew . February 9, 2021 . Plasma Thruster Could Dramatically Cut Down Flight Times to the Outer Solar System . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211115061246/https://www.universetoday.com/150066/plasma-thruster-could-dramatically-cut-down-flight-times-to-the-outer-solar-system/ . November 15, 2021 . April 7, 2022 . Universe Today.
  9. Web site: Szondy . David . January 31, 2021 . New magnetic rocket thruster concept could propel astronauts to Mars . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210512153722/https://newatlas.com/space/magnetic-reconnection-rocket-thruster-concept-spaceflight-mars/ . May 12, 2021 . April 7, 2022 . New Atlas.
  10. Web site: Banerjee . Krishnendu . January 30, 2021 . Scientist Develops New Fusion Rocket that Could Take Humans to Mars in Short Time . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210630064858/https://www.ibtimes.sg/scientist-develop-new-fusion-rocket-that-could-take-humans-mars-short-time-55247 . June 30, 2021 . April 7, 2022 . International Business Times.
  11. Web site: Houser . Kristin . February 3, 2021 . Nuclear fusion inspires new rocket thruster design . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210710115111/https://www.freethink.com/space/rocket-thruster . July 10, 2021 . April 7, 2022 . Freethink.
  12. Web site: February 11, 2021 . How Dr. Fatima Ebrahimi is Geting Humans a Faster Ticket to Mars . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210311060534/https://www.energy.gov/articles/how-dr-fatima-ebrahimi-geting-humans-faster-ticket-mars . March 11, 2021 . April 7, 2022 . Energy.gov.
  13. Web site: March 30, 2021 . NERSC Aids Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory in Plasma Rocket Breakthrough . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210331120754/https://www.hpcwire.com/off-the-wire/nersc-aids-princeton-plasma-physics-laboratory-in-plasma-rocket-breakthrough/ . March 31, 2021 . April 7, 2022 . HPCwire.
  14. Ebrahimi . Fatima . December 21, 2020 . An Alfvenic reconnecting plasmoid thruster . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211116071801/https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-plasma-physics/article/an-alfvenic-reconnecting-plasmoid-thruster/F296E45CC504E8FF2586EA79117E2514 . November 16, 2021 . April 7, 2022 . Journal of Plasma Physics. 86 . 6 . 10.1017/S0022377820001476 . 226281913 . 2011.04192 .
  15. Web site: November 2, 2021 . Fatima Ebrahimi: A rocket thruster that could take humans to Mars and beyond . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211216155722/https://innovation.princeton.edu/news/2021/fatima-ebrahimi-rocket-thruster-could-take-humans-mars-and-beyond . December 16, 2021 . April 7, 2022 . Princeton Innovation.
  16. Ebrahimi . Fatima . May 19, 2009 . Saturation Of Magnetorotational Instability Through Magnetic Field Generation . April 7, 2022 . The Astrophysical Journal. 698 . 1 . 233–241 . 10.1088/0004-637X/698/1/233 . 0904.2941 . 2009ApJ...698..233E . 14642487 .
  17. Rosenberg . Jarrett . October 14, 2021 . Onset of Plasmoid Reconnection during Magnetorotational Instability . The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 920 . 2 . L29 . 10.3847/2041-8213/ac2b2e . 2110.00850 . 2021ApJ...920L..29R . 238259006 . free .

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