Summary

Candidate has almost 15 years of experience in computational physics and numerical techniques applied to astrophysics and space physics problems. He has developed data assimilation techniques for heliophysics and inner magnetospheric research. He invented a new method of calculating radiation belt drift shells using a neural network technique. The new method is several orders of magnitude faster and has been submitted to the U.S. Patent Office. The applicant is leading the IMPACT project (Integrated Modeling of Perturbations in Atmospheres for Conjunction Tracking) which the goal to develop a physics based upper atmosphere model for satellite drag calculations. The candidate is also leading the data assimilation effort for the DREAM project. He is PI on several NSF and NASA funded project to advance radiation belt forecast models. The candidate has authored and co-authored over 50 scientific publications and served on several review committees for NSF, NASA, LDRD, and the Canadian Space Agency. He has organized and chaired sessions at international conferences including the American Geophysical Union and is currently serving as editor for the Journal of Geoscientific Model Development. He established and is directing the Los Alamos Space Weather Summer School to bring highly qualified graduate students to Los Alamos.

Education                 

Ph.D. in Astrophysics: Rice University, 5/2004

M.Sc. in Physics: University of Innsbruck, 7/2000

M.Sc. in Astronomy: University of Innsbruck, 8/2000

Professional Experience    

            3/2011 – today         Director of the Los Alamos Space Weather Summer School

            10/2005 – today       Staff Scientist, ISR-1

            5/2004 – 10/2005       Postdoctoral Research Associate, ISR-1

            6/2001 – 5/2004         Graduate Research Assistant, X-1

            8/2000 – 5/2004         Graduate Research Assistant, Rice University

            7/1999, 9/1998           Visiting Operations Astronomer, ESO, Chile

Honors and Awards

            9/2011                        LAAP Award for establishing the Space Weather Summer School

            9/2010                        LAAP Award for Contributions to the Space Nuclear Protection Program

            5/2004                        William and Elva Gordon Fellowship, Rice University

            12/2000          Award for Scientific Research, University of Innsbruck

            8/2000                        William Marsh Rice Fellowship, Rice University

            11/1999          Dean’s Fellowship of Natural Sciences, University Innsbruck   

Research Accomplishments

·     Developed data assimilation methods and radiation belt models supporting national security; developed predictive capabilities for space weather and space situational awareness; studied physical processes in the radiation belt; developed new radial diffusion codes with ensemble Kalman filter to estimate physical parameters.

·     Invented new technique replacing time-consuming drift shell integrations. Method is based on a surrogate model using artificial neural networks. Calculation Time Reduction: 5-6 orders of magnitude. Patent application is pending.           

·     PI on NSF funded project “Machine Learning and Data Assimilation for Real-Time Radiation Belt Forecasting” with the goal to provide a new radiation belt forecast module for NOAA – Space Weather Prediction Center.

·     PI on NASA funded project “A New Drift Shell Integration Technique for Inner Magnetospheric Space Weather Models”, Living with a Star – Targeted Research & Technology.

·     PI on LDRD-DR funded project “IMPACT – Integrated Modeling of Perturbations in Atmospheres for Conjunction Tracking”, FY12-14, $5.3 Mio

Selected Publications        

·     J. Koller, S. Zaharia (2011) “LANL* V2.0: global modeling and validation”, GMDD, 4, 575-594

·     J. Koller, G. D. Reeves, R. H. W. Friedel (2009) “Modeling of the Radiation Belt Magnetosphere in Decisional Timeframes”, USPTO patent application

·     J. Koller, G. D. Reeves, R. H. W. Friedel (2009) “LANL* V1.0:  a radiation belt drift shell model suitable for real-time and reanalysis applications”, GMD, 2, 113-122

·     J. Koller, Y. Chen, G.D. Reeves et al (2007) “Identifying the Radiation Belt Source Region by Data Assimilation”, Jour. Geophys. Res., 2007, 112, 6244

·     J Koller, R. Friedel, G. Reeves (2006) „Radiation Belt Data Assimilation with a Kalman Filter“, LA-Report LA-UR-05-6700

·     G. D. Reeves, R. H. W. Friedel, Y. Chen, J. Koller, M. G. Henderson (2008), in Proceedings for the “Advanced Maui Optical & Space Surveillance Technologies Conference”, Maui, HI, Sept 16-19, 2008 “The Los Alamos Dynamic Radiation Environment Assimilation Model (DREAM) for Space Weather Specification and Forecasting”

Synergistic Activities           

·     Director of the Los Alamos Space Weather Summer School

·     Topical editor for the Journal of Geoscientific Model Development

·     Regular reviewer of publications for scientific journals (Space Weather, Geophysics Research, Annalae Geophysicae, Computational Science, Earth Planets and Space)

·     Member of review panels for NASA, NSF, LDRD, Canadian Space Agency

·     Session chair and organizer of several space weather related AGU Fall Meeting sessions in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010