Geophysical and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics (GAFD) group

Department of Applied Mathematics

University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, U.S.A.

Basic Information

This the home page for Prof. Nic Brummell. I am a Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of California Santa Cruz.

I teach basic applied mathematics, fluid dynamics, numerical analysis and things related to numerical simulations.

My research is on the fluid dynamics of geophysical and astrophysical situations. In particular, I study the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) of the interiors of stars (especially the Sun). I am interested in how objects generate and sustain magnetic fields (dynamo theory) and the processes that lead to their interior thermal, chemical and dynamic structure (mixing).

Hot topics!

  • Dynamo Confinement of a Radiatively Spreading Solar Tachocline Revealed by Self-consistent Global Simulations. L. I. Matilsky, L. Korre, and N. H. Brummell. The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2025). [ADS Link]
  • The Relationship between Kinetic and Magnetic Helicity in Solar Active Regions. Y. Liu, R. Komm, N. H. Brummell, et al. The Astrophysical Journal (2024). [ADS Link]
  • On the Origin of Solar Hemispheric Helicity Rules: Rise of 3D Magnetic Flux Concentrations through a Background Magnetic Field. B. Manek and N. Brummell. The Astrophysical Journal (2024). [ADS Link]
  • On the origin of solar hemispherical helicity rules: Simulations of the rise of magnetic flux concentrations in a background field. B. Manek and N. Brummell. The Astrophysical Journal (2023). [ADS Link]
  • On the dynamical interaction between overshooting convection and an underlying dipole magnetic field – I. The non-dynamo regime. L. Korre, N. H. Brummell, P. Garaud, and C. Guervilly. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2021). [ADS Link]
  • Convective overshooting and penetration in a Boussinesq spherical shell. L. Korre, P. Garaud, and N. H. Brummell. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2019). [ADS Link]
  • Dynamics of fingering convection. Part 2: The formation of thermohaline staircases. S. Stellmach, A. Traxler, P. Garaud, N. Brummell, and T. Radko. Journal of Fluid Mechanics (2011). [ADS Link]
Points of Contact

Address:
Department of Applied Mathematics,
SOE2, Jack Baskin School of Engineering
University of California Santa Cruz
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz
CA 95064

Phone: (831) 459-2122 (w)

E-mail: brummell@ucsc.edu

More information