AWARDEE OF EARTH SCIENCES  PRIZE

LIU ZHENXING

Abstract

Liu Zhenxing, Space physicist, was born on September 14, 1929 in Changle, Shandong Provice, graduated from Meteorological Department of Nanjing University in 1955 and earned his Ph. D. Degree in the Institute of Geophysics of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in 1961. He was elected the academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1995. He is a research professor of the Center for Space Science and AppliedResearch, CAS, the director and Chief Scientist of the Chinese Cluster Data and Research Center, Chief Scientist of Geospace Double Star Program, and Chairman of Chinese Committee of IAGA.
Liu engaged in lower atmospheric physics and upper atmospheric physics, interplanetary physics and magnetospheric physics. He has done many research works in the field of space science and have obtained a lot of important results, including the turbulent structure of solar wind, Jupiter's magnetosphere model, magnetospheric substorms, and the theory of magnetic field reconnection, etc. Liu has for the first time proposed a mechanism of magnetic field reconnection induced by fluid vortex in velocity shear flow, and has established a theoretical framework of Vortex Induced Reconnection (VIR), which has provided a new orientation to the field of magnetic reconnection studies. He has found a new model of instability called vortex-tearing instability by dealing with the coupling of Kelvin-Helmholtz mode and tearing mode instabilities and has shown that a fast magnetic reconnection process can be driven by the vortex-tearing mode instability. The vortex structure can be thought of as a magnetic fluid vortex tube in three-dimensional space, and might be one of the important mechanisms to produce the local field aligned current and Alfven wave. The VIR theory can be applied to study the interaction between the solar wind and magnetosphere involving the energy, momentum and mass transportation processes relevant to studies of solar-terrestrial interactive phenomena and elements of studies relevant to space weather.
Liu has published more than 100 research papers in reputable international journals. His studies of the magnetodisc model of Jupiter and the theory of vortex induced reconnection were considered and recognized as important scientific achievement at the national level in China, and gained several prizes.
In view of the above outstanding contributions, the committee on Space Research (COSPAR)and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) decided that the Vikram Sarbhai Medal for year 2000 is awarded to Professor Liu.
Recently, he has proposed a Geospace Double Star Program (DSP). DSP contains two small satellites operational in near-earth equatorial and polar regions. The main objectives of DSP are to investigate the trigger mechanism of geospace storms (including magnetospheric substorm, magnetic storm, and magnetospheric particle storms), and the responses of geospace storms to the solar activities and interplanetary disturbances. The ESA considered that the DSP is of great important to the enhancement of the Cluster II mission and would make significant contribution to the international program on Solar-Earth Connection. As a result, China and ESA have established a cooperation for DSP in July 9, 2001.