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Staff Profile

Dr Alex Hindle

Research Associate, Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics

Background

Research Associate in Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics




Research

Research interests

I am interested in the general area of astrophysical fluid dynamics and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD).

My areas of academic expertise are

  • Astrophysical & Geophysical Fluid Dynamics
  • Exoplanetary Astmospheres
  • Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD)
  • Shallow-water MHD (SWMHD) modelling

Current work

I am currently working with Prof. Tami Rogers and Dr Paul Bushby on understanding the role of MHD in the atmospheric dynamics of hot Jupiter exoplanets.


Hot Jupiters
Hot Jupiters are near-Jupiter-mass exoplanets found in close-in orbits to their host stars. Due to these properties providing favourable observing conditions, hot Jupiters are the most well understood type of exoplanet and are objects of significant observational interest.

Hot Jupiter atmospheres -- Extreme day-night temperature differences 
Hot Jupiter atmospheres -- Extreme day-night temperature differences
Hot Jupiters have vastly different atmospheres to Jupiter in our own solar system. Their close proximity to their host stars mean that they are subjected to high levels of stellar irradiance. It is also believed to tidally-lock them into synchronous orbits about their host stars, meaning that they have permanent day and night sides. Together, extreme heating and tidal locking mean that hot Jupiters have extreme day-night temperature differentials, ranging between ~200-1000K.

MHD in hot Jupiters
The high temperatures found in hot Jupiter atmospheres allow thermal ionisation of some alkali metals, meaning that their atmospheres are electrically-conducting. This means that the dynamics in hot Jupiter atmospheres interacts with their planetary magnetic field. In my work, I study the mechanics of these interactions and attempt to relate the fundamental fluid dynamics to observations of hot Jupiter atmospheres. The interaction of flows with magnetic field in hot Jupiter atmospheres is thought to cause
- Strong atmospheric toroidal magnetic fields
- Observable fluctations in wind speed and direction, caused by the planets' strong atmospheric toroidal fields
- A self-sustaining natural dynamo in the radiative atmosphere, driven by conductivity gradients

Teaching

Supervision experience 

I co-supervised two students in the accademic year 2020-21: one MPhys project and one BSC project.


Teaching experience and responsibilities

Advanced Astrophysics, Semester 1, 2020-21
Stage 3, Undergraduate module (6 weeks, class size 41)
Lead Demonstrator, providing long-term emergency teaching and module managment cover for Module Leader.
Wrote the module's syllabus, course materials, assignments and major examinations, delivered the material over Zoom and recorded lectures, and was responsible for module assessment and evaluation

Computational Fluid Dynamics mini-module, Semester 1, 2019-2020
Lead Demonstrator
Component of a PhD/MRes module (28 hours, class size 9)
Designed the syllabus, course materials and assessments, including an extended project. Also responsible for student assessment.


Small group tutorials, Semester 1, 2019-2020

Tutor and Lead Demonstrator
Stage 1, Undergraduate module (11 hours, class size 5)


PARTNERS Scheme, Summer 2019

Taught a component of a short course for A-level students (2 hours, class size 30)


Fluid Dynamics, Semester 2, 2018-2019

Lead Demonstrator, cover for Module Leader
Stage 2, Undergraduate module (2 hours, class size 30)


MathsAid, Semester 1, 2018-2019
Tutor
One-to-one undergraduate tutoring, provided by the School of Mathmatics, Statistics and Physics to other schools (30 hours)


Teaching Assistant experience

Modules: Computing for physics (Stage 1, UG); Differential equations, transforms and waves (Stage 2, UG); Advanced astrophysics (Stage 3, UG); Computing for mathematics and statistics (Stage 2, UG)


Responsibilities: Leading problem classes, tutorials, and presentations on computaional topics; Computing lab assistance in Python, MATLAB, R, and the MESA stellar evolution code.
~ 50 hours, 2016-19

Publications