Research

I work in two labs at Stanford, each focused on a different corner of observational physics — one planetary, one astrophysical. What they share is a core question: how do you characterize systems you can’t directly access?

Radar Studies of Planetary Ice

Radio Glaciology Lab · Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Advised by Prof. Dustin Schroeder · Collaborators: Annie Cheng, Natalie Wolfenbarger Supported by the NASA Europa ICONS Internship

Europa’s ice shell — estimated between 1 and 40 km thick — sits between the moon’s surface and a global subsurface ocean. Understanding the internal structure of that shell is one of the central objectives of the Europa Clipper mission. The spacecraft’s ice-penetrating radar instrument, REASON (Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface), will transmit at dual frequencies (9 and 60 MHz) and use the returned signal to characterize the distribution of shallow subsurface water, the thermophysical structure of the ice, and the ice-ocean interface.

My work in the Radio Glaciology Lab contributes to preparing for the interpretation of that data. Specifically, I work on understanding how brine inclusions — pockets of eutectic melt (chloride and sulfate brines) embedded within the ice shell — affect radar signal propagation. Brine is highly conductive, which means it has high permittivity and produces strong reflections when encountered by radar. The concentration, distribution, and geometry of these inclusions will shape the attenuation rate, reflectivity, and overall character of the signal REASON receives.

To study this, our group develops laboratory analog experiments. We model Europa’s ice shell using silica sand (which has a relative permittivity close to ice, ~3.5 vs. ~3.2) and simulate brine inclusions using copper granules and wires of varying concentrations and geometries. Using a FieldFox vector network analyzer (VNA), we measure the complex permittivity of these mixtures via parallel plate and transmission line methods, then calculate relative permittivity, attenuation rate, and reflectivity as functions of inclusion volume fraction. This lets us evaluate how detectable different brine inclusion scenarios would be to REASON under realistic conditions.

Our results show that relative permittivity, attenuation rate, and reflectivity all increase with higher brine inclusion concentrations — confirming that REASON should be sensitive to the presence and concentration of brine within the ice shell. This work directly supports the investigation of Europa’s thermophysical structure and the question of whether the ice shell is conductive or convective — a distinction with major implications for habitability.

The broader goal of this research program, led by Natalie Wolfenbarger, is to build what we call a “chocolate box” — a comprehensive catalog of dielectric behaviors for different inclusion types, concentrations, and geometries. By characterizing how each scenario affects radar signal differently, we’re assembling a reference library that will let us work backward from REASON’s observations to identify the specific material properties and composition of layers within the ice shell. Rather than simply detecting that something is there, this framework aims to tell us what is there.

The lab also develops open-source radar systems that can be built for as little as $1,500, making ice-penetrating radar fieldwork dramatically more accessible to the broader planetary science and glaciology community.

Related mission: NASA Europa Clipper · REASON instrument

Keywords: Europa, ice-penetrating radar, REASON, brine inclusions, dielectric modeling, complex permittivity, attenuation rate, reflectivity, eutectic melt, radar remote sensing, planetary science, ice-shell characterization, Europa Clipper

Dynamical Studies of Millisecond Pulsar Binaries

KIPAC · Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology Advised by Prof. Roger Romani · Collaborator: Maya Beleznay Stanford Undergraduate Research Program (SURP)

I conduct dynamical studies of two millisecond pulsar binary systems using spectra from the SOAR Telescope — a 4.1-meter telescope on Cerro Pachon in Chile operated by NOIRLab.

The two systems I study are PSR J1036-4353, a “redback” system (a millisecond pulsar with a non-degenerate companion), and PSR J1036-8317, a white dwarf / pulsar binary. My primary goal is to measure the radial velocity amplitudes of these systems and, by producing flux-calibrated spectra, gain new insights into their dynamics.

Working with spectra for each system, I apply bias subtraction, flat-field correction, wavelength calibration, and aperture extraction using IRAF and PyRAF. By measuring the Doppler shifts across each orbit (~6 hours for PSR J1036-4353, ~8 hours for PSR J1036-8317), I construct detailed radial velocity curves. These curves are essential for determining the orbital dynamics and, by extension, for inferring key physical parameters.

For PSR J1036-4353, establishing absolute fluxes allows modeling of companion heating and orbital inclination — which in turn constrains the masses of both the neutron star and its companion, a crucial step for understanding redback pulsar systems. For PSR J1036-8317, estimating the white dwarf’s surface gravity provides another path toward constraining system masses, since white dwarf radius-mass relations are well understood.

This work sharpens my ability to analyze spectra of more complex binary pulsar systems — including black widows — and extends into other millisecond pulsar binaries. Compact objects are particularly compelling to me because they serve as laboratories for extreme physics, where gravity and electromagnetism interact in dramatic ways.

Keywords: millisecond pulsars, redback pulsars, black widow pulsars, compact binaries, radial velocity, spectral analysis, flux calibration, IRAF, PyRAF, SOAR telescope, neutron star masses, white dwarf, binary dynamics, high-energy astrophysics

Research Interests

My interests span planetary science, radar remote sensing, observational astronomy, compact object astrophysics, and aerospace systems. I’m particularly drawn to problems that require building or adapting observational techniques to study environments that are physically inaccessible — whether that’s the interior of an ice shell 390 million miles away or the surface of a neutron star.

I am actively seeking research internships and am interested in conversations about graduate programs in planetary science, astrophysics, and aerospace engineering.

Technical Skills & Tools

Publications & Presentations

Coming soon — check back for conference posters, presentations, and publications.

Collaborators & Advisors

Links

• Radio Glaciology Lab
• Radio Glaciology GitHub
• KIPAC
• Stanford Physics Department Profile
• Stanford Profiles
• NASA Europa Clipper
• SOAR Telescope / NOIRLab