Research Portfolio

Experimentation has been a core part of my journey in life, from playing around in my free time to my first role in an academic research lab working on semiconductors (LED's) to my work in field of plasma physics. Through-out my life I have brought a problem-solving mindset to every problem I come across, as well as one of curiosity and interest.

• "Ion and electron acoustic bursts during anti-parallel magnetic reconnection driven by lasers", Shu Zhang, ..., Andrew Birkel, ..., Hui Chen, Nature Physics, (2023).
• "In situ calibration of charged particle spectrometers on the OMEGA Laser Facility using $^{241}Am$ and $^{226}Ra$ sources", P. J. Adrian, ..., A. Birkel, ..., J. A. Frenje, Review of Scientific Instruments, (Vol. 93), (2022).
• "X-ray-imaging spectrometer (XRIS) for studies of residual kinetic energy and low-mode asymmetries in inertial confinement fusion implosions at OMEGA (invited)", P. J. Adrian, ..., A. Birkel, ..., J. A. Frenje, Review of Scientific Instruments, (Vol. 93), (2022).
• "The phase-2 Particle X-ray Temporal Diagnostic for simultaneous measurement of multiple x-ray and nuclear emission histories from OMEGA implosions", N. Kabadi, ..., A. Birkel, ..., J. Frenje, Review of Scientific Instruments, (Vol. 93), (2022).
• "Fuel-shell mix and yield degradation in kinetic shock-driven inertial confinement fusion implosions", H. Sio, ..., A. Birkel, ..., R. D. Petrasso, Physics of Plasmas, (Vol. 29-7), (2022).
• "Diagnosing magnetic fields in cylindrical implosions with oblique proton radiography", P.V. Heuer, ..., A. Birkel, ..., Physics of Plasmas, (Vol. 29-7),(2022).
• "Insensitivity of a turbulent laser-plasma dynamo to initial conditions", A. F. A. Bott, ..., A. Birkel, ..., G. Gregori, Matter and Radiation at Extremes, (Vol. 7-4), (2022).
• "Proton deflectometry with in situ x-ray reference for absolute measurement of electromagnetic fields in high-energy-density plasmas", C. L. Johnson, ..., A. Birkel, ..., Review of Scientific Instruments, (Vol. 93), (2022).
• "Experimental observations of detached bow shock formation in the interaction of a laser-produced plasma with a magnetized obstacle", Joseph M. Levesque1, ..., Andrew Birkel, ..., Carolyn C. Kuranz, Physics of Plasmas, (Vol. 29), (2022).
• "Extension of charged-particle spectrometer capabilities for diagnosing implosions on OMEGA, Z, and the NIF", B Lahmann, ..., AJ Birkel, ..., RD Petrasso, Review of Scientific Instruments, (Vol. 92-8), (2021).
• "Characterizing x-ray transmission through filters used in high energy density physics diagnostics", J Pearcy, ..., A Birkel, ..., CK Li, Review of Scientific Instruments, (Vol. 92-6), (2021).
• "An x-ray penumbral imager for measurements of electron-temperature profiles in inertial confinement fusion implosions at OMEGA", PJ Adrian, ..., A Birkel, ..., RD Petrasso, Review of Scientific Instruments, (Vol. 92-4), (2021).
• "Yield degradation due to laser drive asymmetry in $D^{3}$He backlit proton radiography experiments at OMEGA", TM Johnson, A Birkel, ..., CK Li, Review of Scientific Instruments, (Vol. 92-4), (2021).
• "A multi-channel x-ray temporal diagnostic for measurement of time-resolved electron temperature in cryogenic deuterium-tritium implosions at OMEGA", N Kabadi, ..., A Birkel, ..., SP Regan, Review of Scientific Instruments, (Vol. 92-2), (2021).
• "Response of CR-39 nuclear track detectors to protons with non-normal incidence", R Przybocki, ..., A Birkel, ..., RD Petrasso, Review of Scientific Instruments, (Vol. 92-1), (2021).
• "Time-resolved turbulent dynamo in a laser plasma", Archie FA Bott, ..., Andrew Birkel, ..., Gianluca Gregori, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, (Vol 118-11), (2021).
• "Measurement of kinetic-scale current filamentation dynamics and associated magnetic fields in interpenetrating plasmas", GF Swadling, ..., A Birkel, ..., JS Ross, Physical Review Letters, (Vol. 124-21),(2020).
• "Modeling Hydrodynamics, magnetic fields, and synthetic radiographs for high-energy-density plasma flows in shock-shear targets", Yingchao Lu, ..., Andrew Birkel, ..., Don Lamb, Physics of Plasmas, (Vol. 27-1), (2020).
• "Probing ion species separation and ion thermal decoupling in shock-driven implosions using multiple nuclear reaction histories", H Sio, ..., A Birkel, ..., RD Petrasso, Physics of Plasmas, (Vol. 26-7) (2019).
• "Collisionless shocks driven by supersonic plasma flows with self-generated magnetic fields", CK Li, ..., A Birkel, ..., RD Petrasso, Physical Review Letters(Vol. 125-5), 2019.
• "Numerical simulations of magnetized jet creation using a hollow ring of laser beams", Yingchao Lu, ..., Andrew Birkel, ..., MS Wei, Physics of Plasmas, (Vol. 26-2), (2019).
• "Mega-gauss plasma jet creation using a ring of laser beams", L Gao, ..., A Birkel, ..., H Ji, The Astrophysical Journal letters - (Vol. 873-2), (2019).
• "Method for determining the radiative efficiency of GaInN quantum wells based on the width of efficiency-versus-carrier-concentration curve", G.-B. Lin, ..., A. J. Birkel, ..., D.D. Koleske, Applied Physics Letters – (Vol. 101-24), (2012).

Experimentation has been a core part of my journey in life, from playing around in my free time to my first role in an academic research lab working on semiconductors (LED's) to my work in field of plasma physics. Through-out my life I have brought a problem-solving mindset to every problem I come across, as well as one of curiosity and interest.

ICF Experimental Campaign Support (2015-2021)

One of my primary duties in my position as a Research Specialist was to support various experimental campaigns on the OMEGA-60 & OMEGA-EP Laser facilities. I supported both MIT led experimental campaigns, as well as other institutions campaigns with MIT developed diagnostics. These two facilities are part of the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) which is located at the University of Rochester.

“The Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) of the University of Rochester is a unique national resource for research and education in science and technology. LLE was established in 1970 as a center for the investigation of the interaction of intense radiation with matter. The National Nuclear Security Administration funds LLE as part of its Stockpile Stewardship Program.” — LLE Website

Experimental campaigns usually consist of a single day of shots at either of the laser facilities. There are some experimental campaigns that run for multiple shot days over the course of months/years. A shot day is simply a day of experiments fielded at one of the facilities where each ‘run’ of the experiment is a described/called a ‘shot’. These shots are extremely short bursts of laser energy in a configuration specified by the Principle Investigator (PI). The number of shots one can achieve in a day is primarily constrained by two factors; (1) Cycle time – How long it takes the laser systems to cool-down before they can be safely fired again [On Omega-60; ~45 min, on OMEGA-EP ~1 hour 30 min], (2) complexity of the experimental setup and the time it takes to put new targets into the chamber and align them. Due to these constraints, a single experimental campaign will be relying on the data they get from ~8-14 experimental shots (in a single day) to discover/publish new and interesting scientific results/discoveries.

The Facility only runs experiments on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (with Monday/Friday used as maintenance days). A rough estimate of the cost to run a day of shots @ LLE is $200,000 – $300,000/day. So it is both very competitive and expensive to get time at the facility to run experiments. The diagnostics that the MIT research group fields at the LLE facility are tested and calibrated at MIT on our accelerator system. Below is a comprehensive list of the shot campaigns I have supported over the years working in the MIT HEDP research group. [Notes: Shotdays are written OM(Year, Month, Day)]

As of 2021, when I moved on from this position, I had supported 69 experimental campaign days at LLE. To put this figure into perspective, a research group on average will be awarded 1 day a year. In my ~6 years in this role, I directly supported and contributed to a experimental campaign day almost every month. 

MIT Experimental Campaigns

Non-MIT Supported Campaigns

Multi-Day Campaigns

Single Shot Day Campaigns