Physical Science Research Scientist 路 W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory 路 Stanford University
"I help scientists, mission teams, and data-driven space-weather researchers turn decades of solar observations into reliable measurements of the Sun's internal flows, magnetic evolution, and flare-producing activity--so models of the solar cycle can be tested against reality and future space-weather forecasting can become more physically grounded."
The solar panels are still being aligned. Please wear metaphorical eclipse glasses.
How do we turn the Sun's hidden internal motions and magnetic-field evolution into measurable, predictive, decision-useful knowledge?
Sushant's research bridges helioseismology, solar magnetism, and data science to answer exactly that.
Time-evolving, observation-grounded measurements of differential rotation, meridional flow, torsional oscillation, and active-region inflows.
High-latitude and polar magnetic-field work that addresses projection artifacts and prepares for future polar-viewing missions.
Model-observation fusion for surface-flux-transport science, including ensemble Kalman filter experiments for inferring solar surface flows.
In The Sun's Large-Scale Flows I, Sushant and collaborators built a comprehensive catalog of variable solar differential rotation using six complementary measurement techniques--creating a detailed picture of near-surface solar flows from long-baseline observations.
Line-of-sight velocity measurements from full-disk observations.
Surface-feature correlation tracking for near-surface flow inference.
Magnetogram-based flow extraction across solar-cycle phases.
Global, time-distance, and ring-diagram seismic inversion methods.
This work directly supports NASA DRIVE/COFFIES efforts to develop time-evolving catalogs of near-surface solar flows that constrain global flow patterns and their solar-cycle variability.
Analysis-ready SDO/HMI SHARP vector-magnetogram time series paired with a cross-checked NOAA flare catalog for reproducible space-weather analytics.
Scientific DataPolar magnetogram and high-latitude structure work connecting HMI observations to the next generation of polar solar science.
SPD AbstractData-assimilation experiments that use model-observation comparison to infer surface flows more cleanly from solar magnetic-field evolution.
ApJ 2024Lectures, interviews, media appearances, and outreach work that translate solar activity into public stakes: satellites, astronauts, aurorae, and eclipse events.
Media PageSolar Physics paper measuring differential rotation and torsional oscillation with complementary techniques across HMI/SDO and related datasets.
Solar PhysicsWith Xudong Sun and Junwei Zhao: active-region inflows extend roughly 30 degrees from centroids, while background meridional-flow variation drops below roughly 2 m/s away from active regions.
ApJRecent ApJ work characterizing a high-latitude solar inertial mode, pushing HMI-based science toward polar and near-polar structure.
ApJScientific Data paper releasing SDO/HMI SHARP vector-magnetogram time series paired with a cross-checked NOAA flare catalog.
Scientific DataCollaborating with computer scientists and the data-mining lab, Sushant applied machine learning to solar-flare prediction--motivated by the practical need to protect astronauts, spacecraft, and satellites from dangerous space-weather events.
His dataset work makes solar-flare prediction studies more reproducible by turning HMI vector magnetograms into community-usable time-series data.
Datasets and derived products designed to be useful beyond a single paper, including flare-prediction time series and solar-flow measurements.
Research workflows that connect observatory data, calibration choices, physical interpretation, and publication-quality outputs.
Visual analysis across solar magnetograms, time-latitude maps, model outputs, and public-facing explanations of solar activity.
Sushant's work is integrated with the infrastructure of modern solar observation, contributing to the interpretation, cataloging, and scientific use of long-lived space missions.
Works directly with Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager data streams and the broader HMI collaboration at Stanford.
Collaborates with COFFIES on solar-cycle variability, flow catalogs, and dynamo-relevant constraints.
Part of the observatory ecosystem recognized by the 2026 Stanford University Libraries Data Sharing Prize.
Bridges SOHO/MDI and SDO/HMI observations into consistent measurements spanning multiple sunspot cycles.
These constraints can be plugged directly into solar dynamo and surface-flux-transport simulations, giving modelers observationally grounded inputs rather than assumed parameters.
Master of Technology in Engineering Physics; thesis work on torsional oscillations and the solar cycle.
PhD in Astronomy; solar dynamo constraints, flare prediction, and data-mining collaborations.
Solar Physics Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute for Astronomy, deepening helioseismic and flow-analysis work.
Physical Science Research Scientist at HEPL; HMI Science Team; NASA DRIVE/COFFIES collaboration.
Co-organized SHINE sessions in Stowe and Juneau, and the SPD solar-poles session in Anchorage with Lisa Upton and Shea Hess Webber.
Project mentor for the Ignited Fellowship KIPAC Research Fellow - Solar Activity project.
Public lectures, eclipse outreach, science-fair participation, and media commentary on solar maximum and aurora visibility.
NASA Silver Group Achievement Award for the JSOC Recovery Team, 2026 Stanford University Libraries Data Sharing Prize as part of the Stanford Solar Observatories Group, and Solar Physics editor's choice recognition.
The site now has a dedicated place for current projects, draft project descriptions, collaborators, status notes, and future public links.
Sushant is available for collaboration on solar-cycle modeling, helioseismic flow catalogs, space-weather data infrastructure, and AI-driven solar-flare prediction. His combination of physical insight, long-baseline observational analysis, and computational expertise is especially relevant to projects involving large solar datasets and mission-relevant science.
