HOME > ADMISSION > Degree Programs > Ph.D Programs > English Taught Programs > Content

2020 Application Information for International Students (Ph.D. Degree) to the School of Space and Earth Sciences

Publish：2020-01-06 14:57:31Click

Admission to the doctoral program of the School of Space and Earth Sciences is based on the applicant’s documents and the department review. For the submission of complete applications for fall semester of 2020, see the “2020 Application Information for International Students (Master's Degree and Ph.D. Degree)” (http://www.isd.pku.edu.cn/info/1467/2608.htm).

1. Program objectives

The doctoral program prepares students for careers in scientific research of the space plasma physics, solar and heliospheric physics, magnetospheric physics, ionospheric physics and space weather and environment. Our course offerings include the traditional graduate-level physics courses supplemented by courses in numerical simulation, developing new technology and completion payload. Our graduates have the background in and the versatility to apply their experience to a variety of fundamental and applied research problems.

2. Term and Language

· The students are required to enroll full time every fall and spring semester.

· The normal period of study for doctoral degrees is 4 years.

· The study program is taught is conducted in English.

3. Application Prerequisites

a) Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens with a valid passport, Residents of mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan who have emigrated to other countries and are applying to Peking University as international students must present valid passport or citizenship documents dating from before November 30, 2013, along with proof of cancellation of Chinese nationality.

b) Applicants for doctoral programs must have attained a master's degree, and students who graduated from a non-Chinese institution must have a master's degree from an institution recognized by the Ministry of Education of China.

4、Major, Research Area and Advisors

Graduate major in Space Physics.

Research area and advisors：

1. Magnetosphere physics, space plasma physics, space environment	Qiugang Zong, Suiyan Fu, Xuzhi Zhou, Chao Yue
2. Ionospheric physics and radio wave propagations	Donghe Zhang
3. Solar and heliospheric energetic particle physics	Linghua Wang
4. Physics of the solar atmosphere and solar wind	Chuanyi Tu, Jiansen He, Linghua Wang, Hui Tian
5. Physics of Planets and Solar System Small Bodies	Qiugang Zong, Xuzhi Zhou, Jiansen He
6. Exploration Technology for Space physics and Space Environment Engineering	Hongfei Chen, Qiugang Zong

Detailed introduction of the research areas：

1) Magnetosphere physics, space plasma physics, space environment

Solar wind-magnetosphere interactions (including magnetopause reconnection, instability, and abnormal transport), substorm, geomagnetic storms, global processes and models of high-energy plasma, the Earth’s radiation belt model, high-energy particle acceleration, and nonlinear plasma dynamics. The combination of spacecraft data analysis and theoretical exploration, theoretical research and numerical simulation, and basic research and application. Reveal the process of solar wind energy transport, transformation and release into the Earth, which is directly applied to space weather research and prediction to prevent satellite failure.

2) Ionospheric physics and radio wave propagations

To study the processes of both background and perturbations in the ionosphere with various observational techniques; focusing on inter-spherical couplings in the near space at all levels, with related phenomena and physical mechanism; particularly, structures and variation of the ionosphere such as acoustic gravity waves, ionospheric irregularities and so forth; their effects in radio-wave propagation and impacts on positioning and navigation system; in terms of methods, by combination of theoretical study, data analysis, numerical simulation to investigate the responding model of whole thermosphere-ionosphere system to all the solar terrestrial disturbances.

3) Solar and heliospheric energetic particle physics

Solar and heliospheric energetic particle physics is one of crucial research fields in space physics and planetary science. It focuses on studying the origin, acceleration and transport of energetic/suprathermal charged and neutral particles at the Sun, in the interplanetary medium, in planetary systems and in heliospheric outer boundaries, as well as investigating the physical processes/phenomena associated with these particles (e.g., the radiation, etc.). The research of solar and heliospheric energetic particle physics includes data analysis, simulation, and theoretical modeling.

4) Physics of the solar atmosphere and solar wind

The Sun is the ultimate source of energy for almost everything on the Earth. Solar activities in the solar atmosphere determine the state of the heliosphere and affect the space environment of the Earth. The Sun also continuously emits charged particles into the interplanetary space in the form of the solar wind, which serves as a natural laboratory for plasma turbulence and magnetic reconnection. Frontiers in solar and solar wind physics include the following: (a) Heating of the solar atmosphere, (b) Origin of the solar wind, (c) Solar flares and coronal mass ejections, (d) Solar wind turbulence, (e) Evolution of the solar wind in the heliosphere, (f) Impact of solar activities on the Earth and other planets. We use both remote-sensing and in-situ measurements, theoretical and numerical models to understand the impact of the solar atmosphere and solar wind on the space environments of the Earth and other planets.

5) Physics of Planets and Solar System Small Bodies

Study the atmosphere, ionosphere and magnetosphere of planets and their satellites, including the influence of solar wind on these spheres and the interaction between them. Research the material characteristics and loss mechanism of comets, asteroids and other small bodies in the solar system, and discusses the contribution of material stripped out by comets under the influence of corona and solar wind to the formation of interplanetary dust and heliospheric pick-up ions. Research methods include spacecraft in-situ and remote sensing observation, theoretical model and numerical simulation.

6) Exploration Technology for Space physics and Space Environment Engineering

The space exploration technology is a multi-disciplinary program. It combines the knowledge of the space physics, electronic engineering, simulation technology, and test experiment to complete the measurement on board spacecraft for the researches of the space physics and environment engineering. The targets of the space exploration are the space plasma, energetic particles, electric field, magnetic field, neutral atoms, and so on. The research focuses on developing new technology, completion payload, simulation and calibrations.

5. Application Procedures and Submission