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 Robert McPherron, Professor of Space Physics and Geophysics


Robert McPherron 
Mailing Address:

Department of Earth and Space Sciences
University of California, Los Angeles
595 Charles Young Drive East,
Box 951567
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567

Office:Geology 6711
Telephone:(310) 825-1882
Fax:(310) 206-8042
E-mail:rmcpherron@igpp.ucla.edu
Quick Links

 Current Research Interest

 Interests include: Physical processes producing aurora and geomagnetic activity within the earth’s magnetosphere including solar wind-magnetosphere coupling, magnetic storms, magnetospheric substorms and magnetic micropulsations (ULF waves); Relation of substorms to magnetic storms; Role of substorms in storm development; Empirical methods of space weather forecasting as applied to magnetic activity and relativistic electron fluxes. Current projects include real time calculation of magnetic indices, statistical properties of substorms in the magnetotail, parameterization of the ring current response to solar wind, precision timing of substorm onset, prediction or relativistic electron fluxes at synchronous orbit.

 Education

 

B.S. in Physics, 1959, University of Washington
M.A. in Physics, 1961, University of Southern California
Ph.D. in Physics, 1968, University of Califrnia, Berkeley

 Courses Taught

 
Mineral Methods of Geophysical ExplorationESS 136B
Introduction to Space PhysicsESS 200C
Advanced Topics in Magnetospheric PhysicsESS 261
Instrumentation in Space PhysicsESS 265
Seminar in Space PhysicsESS 288

 Selected Publications

 McPherron, R.L., G.K. Parks, F.V. Coroniti, and S.H. Ward, Studies of the magnetospheric substorm, II. Correlated magnetic micropulsations and electron precipitation occurring during auroral substorms, J. Geophys. Res., 73(5), 1697-1713, 1968.
 McPherron, R.L., Growth phase of magnetospheric substorms, J. Geophys. Res., 75(28), 5592-5599, 1970.
 McPherron, R.L., Substorm related changes in the geomagnetic tail, Planet Space Sci., 20(9), 1521-1539, 1972
 McPherron, R.L., C.T. Russell, and M. Aubry, Satellite studies of magnetospheric substorms on August 15, 1968, 9. Phenomenological model for substorms, J. Geophys. Res., 78(16), 3131-3149, 1973.
 McPherron, R.L., The use of ground magnetograms to time the onset of magnetospheric substorms, J. Geomagn. Geoelectr., 30, 149-163, 1978.
 McPherron, R.L., Magnetospheric Substorms, Rev. Geophys. Space Phys., 17(4), 657-681, 1979.
 McPherron, R.L., Substorm associated micropulsations at synchronous orbit, J. Geomagn. Geoelectr., 32(Supplement II), SII 57-73, 1980.
 McPherron, R.L., and R.H. Manka, Dynamics of the 1054 UT, March 22, 1979 substorm event: CDAW-6, J. Geophys. Res., 90(A2), 1175-1190, 1985.
 McPherron, R.L., T. Terasawa, and A. Nishida, Solar wind triggering of substorm expansion onset, J. Geomagn. Geoelectr., 38(11), 1089-1108, 1986.
 McPherron, R.L., The EARTH: Its properties, composition and structure, in Encyclopedia Britannica, pp. 545-558, 1987.
 McPherron, R.L., Magnetospheric Dynamics, in Introduction to Space Physics, edited by M.G. Kivelson, and C.T. Russell, pp. 400-458, Cambridge University Press, 1995.
 McPherron, R.L., Role of substorms in the development of magnetic storms, in Magnetic Storms, edited by B.T. Tsurutani, W.D. Gonzalez, Y. Kamide, and J.K. Arballo, pp. 131-147, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, 1997.
 McPherron, R.L., Physical processes producing magnetospheric substorms and magnetic stroms, Chapter 7, in Geomagnetism, 4, J. Jacobs (ed.), Academic Press Ltd., Landing.

 Graduate Students

 

Tung-Shin Hsu
thsu@igpp.ucla.edu
http://www.igpp.ucla.edu/people/tshin.html

 Paul O'Brien
tpoiii@igpp.ucla.edu
http://www.igpp.ucla.edu/people/pbrien.html

 
595 Charles Young Drive East • 3806 Geology Building • Box 951567 • Los Angeles • CA 90095-1567  
© 2000-08 Department of Earth and Space Sciences