Marco Velli

Biography

Education 1980-1985 "Degree Course" in Physics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Natural Sciences University of Pisa, Italy 1980-1985 Fellowship in the Class of Sciences, Upper Normale School, Pisa, Italy 1985 Bachelor's Degree: Doctor in Physics, University of Pisa (110/110 cum laude) and Diploma in Physics, Upper Normal School Thesis subject: plasma physics. The thesis developed a model for the "fishbone" instabilities observed in nuclear fusion experiments of the tokamak type when an energetic neutral particle beam is used as an auxiliary heating source in addition to standard Ohmic heating. Post-doctoral Experience 1985-1989 Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Solar Physics Group, Department of Mathematics, University of St. Andrews, Scotland (Research Directors: Eric Priest, Alan Hood) Research topics: small and large-scale instabilities of solar flux tubes and coronal loops, with the aim of understanding energy storage and release in solar flares. I calculated growth rates for the tearing and kink-mode instabilities taking into account the photospheric line-tying effect on the coronal magnetic field. 1989-1991 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, European Space Agency, Department of Recherche Spatial, Observatoire de Paris 1991-1992 NATO Advanced Research Fellow, Department of Recherche Spatiale, Observatoire but Paris 1992-1993 Minister Recherche et Tecnologie Fellow, Departement de Recherche Spatiale, Observatoire de Paris (Research Director '89 -'93: André Mangeney)

Research Interest

Research topics: propagation of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves in the solar corona and wind, MHD turbulence in an expanding medium. I studied the effects of the large-scale spatial gradients, due to the solar wind expansion, on the development of MHD turbulence in the solar wind and its relation with the stream structure and the thermodynamic properties of the wind. Developed the first model of reflection-driven turbulence for the solar corona and wind.