Thesis opportunities

Students interested in doing a MSc or PhD thesis in the area of computational space or plasma physics are invited to contact me for possible research topics.

Research Interests

• Theoretical and computational plasma physics.
• Space plasmas, spacecraft-plasma interaction, Earth magnetosphere and solar wind interaction with Earth magnetosphere.
• Finite element modelling, automatic generation of structured and unstructured meshes, visualization.
• Thermonuclear fusion and magnetic confinement.

Selected Publications

• LEOrbit a program to calculate parameters relevant to modelling Low Earth Orbit spacecraftplasma interaction
  R. Marchand, D. Purschke and J. Samson, Computer Phys. Comm., 184, pp. 866-872 (2013).
• Earth Magnetic Field Effects on Swarm Electric Field Instrument
  S. Rehman, J. Burchill, A. Eriksson and R. Marchand, Planetary and Space Science, 73, pp. 145-50 (2012).
• Comparative study of forward and backward test-kinetic simulation approaches
  G. Voitcu, M. Echim and R. Marchand, Comp. Phys. Comm., 183, 2561-69 (2012), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2011.03.031
• PTetra, a tool to simulate low orbit satellite-plasma interaction
  R. Marchand, IEEE Trans. Plasma Science, 40, 217-229 (2012), DOI: 10.1109/TPS.2011.2172638.
• Modeling of ionospheric magnetic field perturbations induced by earthquakes
  N. Imtiaz and R. Marchand, J. Geophys. Res., doi:10.1029/2011JA017475, (2012).
• Modelling Electrostatic Sheath Effects on Swarm Electric Field Instrument Measurements
  R. Marchand, J.K. Burchill and D.J. Knudsen, Space Science Rev., 156, DOI: 10.1007/s11214-010-9735-y
• Sheath Effects on DEMETER ion drift measurements
  R. Marchand N. Knutson and J.J. Berthelier, Planetary and Space Science, 58, 1365-73 (2010). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2010.05.021
• Test-particle simulation of space plasmas
  R. Marchand, Commun. Comput. Phys., 8, 471-83 (2010).
• Simple model for post seismic ionospheric disturbances above an earthquake epicentre and along connecting magnetic field lines
  R. Marchand and J.J. Berthelier, Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 8, 1341-47 (2008).
• Mode trapping near the plasmapause
  H. Turkakin, R. Marchand, Z.C. Kale, J. Geophys. Res., 113, A11210, doi:10.1029/2008JA013045.
• Consistency check of a global MHD simulation using the test-kinetic approach
  R. Marchand, F. Mackay, J. Y. Lu and K. Kabin, Plasma Phys. Cont. Fusion 50, 074007 (2008).
• Electromagnetic waves generated by ionospheric feedback instability
  J Y Lu, W Wang, RW Rankin, R Marchand, J Lei, S C Solomon, I J Rae, J S Wang and G M Le, J. Geoph. Res. 113 A05206, doi:10.1029/2007JA012659 (2008).
• Test-kinetic modelling of collisionless perpendicular shocks
  F. Mackay, R. Marchand, and K. Kabin, J. Plasma Physics 74, pp 301-18 (2008).
• Electrodynamics of magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling and feedback on magnetospheric field line resonances J Y Lu, RW Rankin, R Marchand, I J Rae, W Wang, S C Solomon and J Lei J. Geoph. Res. 112, A10219, doi:10.1029/2006JA012195 (2007).
• Divergence-free magnetic field interpolation and charged particle trajectory integration
  Mackay, F, R Marchand, K Kabin., J. Geophys. Res. 111 (2006) A06205, doi:10.1029/2005JA011382.
• Unstructured Meshes and Finite Elements in Space Plasma Modelling
  Marchand R, J.Y. Lu, K. Kabin and R. Rankin, Advanced Methods for Space Simulations, Editors H Usui and Y Omura. TERRAPUB (2007).
• Spatiotemporal characteristics of ultra-low frequency dispersive scale shear Alfven waves in Earth's magnetosphere
  Rankin, R., J.Y. Lu, R. Marchand, and E.F. Donovan, Phys. Plasmas., 11(4), 1268, doi:10.1063/1.1647138, 2004.
• Dynamic response of Earth's magnetosphere to B_y reversals
  K. Kabin, R. Rankin, R. Marchand, T.I. Gombosi, C.R. Clauer, A.J. Ridley, V.O. Papitashvili and D.L. DeZeeuw, J. Geophys. Res. 108 (2003) A3, SMP 19-1.
• Finite element modelling of transport in a tokamak edge and divertor.
  R. Marchand, Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, 44 (2002), pp. 871-882.
  A preprint is available in pdf format.
• Aranea, a program for generating unstructured triangular meshes with a Java Graphics User Interface.
  R. Marchand, M. Charbonneau-Lefort, M. Dumberry and B. Pronovost, Comp. Phys. Comm. , pp 172-185 (2001).
• Numerical simulation of the excitation and evolution of high azimuthal mode number coherent vortices in hollow magnetized electron columns.
  R. Marchand and M. Shoucri, J. Plasma Phys. 65, part 2, pp. 151-160 (2001).
• Local effects of upstream divertor components on divertor plasma parameters and impurity retention forces
  F. Meo, B.L. Stansfield, G. Abel, E. Haddad, R. Marchand, G. Ratel, J.D. Elder and X. Bonnin, Phys. Of Plasmas 7, 2494 (2000).
• Interpretation of the impurity distribution in the divertor during divertor plate biasing using the DIVIMP code
  E. Haddad, F. Meo, R. Marchand, et al., Nucl. Mat. 278, 111 (2000).
• Spectroscopic imaging system for quantitative analysis of the divertor plasma of Tokamak de Varennes
  F. Meo, B.L. Stansfield, M. Chartré, P. de Villers, R. Marchand and G. Ratel, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 68, 3426 (1997).
• Finite element modelling of TdeV edge and divertor with E×B drifts
  R. Marchand and M. Simard, Nucl. Fusion 37, 1629 (1997).
• Divertor Detachment and Exhaust on the TdeV TOKAMAK
  R. Décoste, et al., (including R. Marchand), Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 38 supp., 121 (1996).
• CARRE: A quasi-orthogonal mesh generator for modelling tokamak edge plasmas
  R. Marchand and M. Dumberry, Computer Phys. Comm. 96, 232 (1996).
• Up-down symmetry in double null divertor experiments and magnetic field topology
  R. Marchand, M. Dumberry, Y. Demers, C. Côté, G. LeClair, J.M. Larsen, X. Bonnin, B.J. Braams, Nucl. Fusion 35(3), 297-304 (1995).
• Characterization and control of the power loss and its distribution in TdeV during divertor plate biasing experiments
  A. Sarkissian, T. Fall, R. Marchand, N. Richard, J. Mailloux, R. Décoste, B.C. Gregory, B.L. Stansfield, B. Terreault, W.W. Zuzak, C. Boucher, A. Côté, J. Gunn, H.Y. Guo, J.L. Lachambre, F. Méo, Nucl. Fusion, 35, 641 (1995).

Teaching

• PHYS 695 Introduction to space environment and space weather (in videoconference, with three other instructors).
• PHYS 601 Satellite orbits and missions.
• PHYS 372 Quantum Mechanics A.
• PHYS 429 Upper atmosphere and space physics.
• PHYS 530 Statistical Mechanics.
• PHYS 524 Advanced Electrodynamics II.
• PHYS 520 Classical Electrodynamics I.
• PHYS 234 Introduction to Computational Physics.

Applet gallery

Several physical processes may be illustrated by way of simple computer programs or applets. I intend to gradually add various such programs to the gallery. For now, the gallery contains:

• An illustration of an ideal gas in two dimensions. With this applet, experiment with the mixing of different molecules in a box, and with the irreversibility of random transport processes.
• A two dimensional triangular and unstructured mesh generator ARANEA. This program is available as, and works best as a Java application. It was made into an applet here for anyone to experiment.