School of Physics Faculty Search Colloquium Series- Dr. Leonid Olifer

Speaker: Dr. Leonid Olifer

Title: Quantifying extreme space weather hazards: space radiation and its impact on our planet

Abstract:  Space radiation poses significant challenges for space exploration and influences Earth's weather and climate. In this talk, I will delve into the physics of high-energy particles that dominate the space environment and examine the worst-case radiation levels that could be encountered during space flights. Specifically, I will discuss natural, self-limiting plasma processes that can cap extreme radiation levels around Earth—phenomena first theorized by Kennel and Petschek in 1966 and confirmed by our recent findings. Additionally, I will highlight ongoing space-borne experiments, led by my research group, to enhance our understanding of space weather.

Bio: Dr. Leon Olifer is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Physics at the University of Alberta, where he studies space physics and radiation belt dynamics. He earned his Bachelor of Applied Physics at Kyiv Polytechnic Institute in Ukraine, graduating first in class. He spent a year working at CERN in Switzerland and later moved to Canada, where he got his PhD in Physics at the University of Alberta, focusing on space weather and geomagnetic storms. Leon has played key roles in multiple Canadian and international space missions. For example, he is a deputy mission scientist for RADICALS satellite and a PI of a balloon-borne experiment SPRINT.