Lynn Kistler

Lynn Kistler is a Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of New Hampshire (UNH), part of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. Her research focuses on plasma physics, space weather, and magnetospheric dynamics, particularly investigating the interactions between the solar wind and Earth's magnetosphere-ionosphere system. She holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Maryland, along with a B.S. from Harvey Mudd College.

Dr. Kistler's work emphasizes understanding plasma processes such as ion outflow from the ionosphere, magnetic reconnection, and storm-time magnetospheric evolution. She has led studies using data from missions like the Van Allen Probes, Solar Orbiter, and Cluster, contributing to advancements in instrumentation (e.g., the SWA suite) and computational modeling. Her research bridges observational analysis, theoretical frameworks, and machine learning to address challenges in space weather prediction and plasma dynamics.

Key areas of her research include the role of ionospheric ions (O⁺, H⁺) in plasma sheet dynamics, the effects of geomagnetic storms on ring current formation, and the behavior of heavy ions in near-Earth space. She has authored or co-authored over 260 publications, spanning journals like Nature Communications, Geophysical Research Letters, and Journal of Geophysical Research.

Dr. Kistler has secured grants and collaborations through initiatives like the NASA Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) and has served as a co-investigator on multiple missions. Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, combining spacecraft observations with ground-based data and numerical simulations to unravel the complexities of Earth's space environment.