Shyeh Tjing Cleo Loi (born ) is an Australian astrophysicist and
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candidate in the
Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics
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* Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility
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at the
University of Cambridge under
John Papaloizou
John Christopher Baillie Papaloizou FRS (born 1947) is a British theoretical physicist. Papaloizou is a professor at the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP) at the University of Cambridge. He works on the theory of ...
, having completed her undergraduate studies at the
University of Sydney School of Physics
The School of Physics is a constituent body of the Faculty of Science at the University of Sydney, Australia.
History
Physics was first taught at the tertiary level in Australia at the University of Sydney, beginning in 1852. After the establish ...
in 2014. She is credited with proving the existence of
plasma tubes inside the Earth's
magnetosphere
In astronomy and planetary science, a magnetosphere is a region of space surrounding an astronomical object in which charged particles are affected by that object's magnetic field. It is created by a celestial body with an active interior dynam ...
and extending into the
plasmasphere.
Background
Loi had been a student at
James Ruse Agricultural High School before studying at the
University of Sydney as an undergraduate and member of the
ARC Centre of Excellence for All-Sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO).
Plasma tubes
While working on her undergraduate thesis, Loi followed the suspicions of scientists as far back as 60 years ago theorizing the existence of plasma tubes. Loi was the lead researcher on the project, and first to successfully prove their existence using the
Murchison Widefield Array. The findings of the study were published in the ''
Geophysical Research Letters''.
In June 2015,
Tara Murphy
Prof. Tara Murphy is an Australians, Australian Astrophysics, Astrophysicist and ARC Centre of Excellence for All-Sky Astrophysics, CAASTRO (the ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics) chief investigator working in the School of Physics ...
of the
University of Sydney explained the process by which her undergraduate student, Loi, had used MWA results to determine the existence of plasma channels following the Earth's magnetic field lines.
[How an undergraduate discovered tubes of plasma in the sky](_blank)
Tara Murphy, '' The Conversation'', 5 June 2015, accessed 7 June 2015 Loi applied visualization techniques to specific data that showed distortions in positions for distant point sources, explaining the distortion by the existence of tubular structures along the field lines. Dividing the MWA data into a 'stereo' set from several MWA sources allowed the height of the tubes to be determined. They are believed to be, or are related to, "
whistler ducts".
Honors and prizes
Loi won the
Astronomical Society of Australia and
Australian Academy of Science's 2015
Bok Prize for her plasma tube research.
Loi was a finalist of the Young Australian of the Year 2017.
Music
Loi has become a well known violinist, violist, recorder player, and répétiteur and is currently active in the vibrant Cambridge University music scene. She is best known for her work as Assistant Musical Director in Trial By Jury with the Cambridge University Gilbert and Sullivan Society working alongside conductor Robert Nicholas and director Tiffany Charnley.
References
External links
*
Living people
Australian astrophysicists
University of Sydney alumni
People educated at James Ruse Agricultural High School
1991 births
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