Lingling Zhao, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research

Contact

320 Sparkman Drive
Cramer Research Hall
Room 2027
Huntsville, AL 35899
Campus Map

256.961.7436
lz0009@uah.edu

Biography

Dr. Lingling Zhao is an Associate Professor in the Department of Space Science at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). She received her Ph.D. in Space Physics from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2013. Her research focuses on solar wind turbulence, collisionless shocks, and the acceleration and transport of energetic particles in the heliosphere, using theoretical modeling and spacecraft observations. She is currently involved in research using observations from Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter and leads an NSF CAREER project on turbulence–shock interactions. Dr. Zhao teaches graduate courses including Analysis of Spacecraft Data and Waves in Fluids. Her honors include the UAH Researcher of the Year Award in 2020 and 2026 and the UAH College of Science Research Excellence Award in 2026.

Education

  • Ph.D., Space Physics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, 2013
  • B.S., Information and Computing Science, Henan Normal University, China, 2009

Honors & Awards

  • UAH "Made a Difference" Award, 2026
  • UAH Researcher of the Year Award, 2020, 2026
  • UAH College of Science Research Excellence Award, 2026
  • CSPAR Science Achievement Award, 2019

Recent Publications

  • L.-L. Zhao, X. Zhu, Z. Jin, G. P. Zank, J. A. le Roux, A. Silwal, N. S. M. Subashchandar, and Y. Jiao, Generation of Ion-scale Plasma Waves Near Shocks Observed by Solar Orbiter, ApJL, 1000, L30, doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ae4de9, 2026.

  • L.-L. Zhao, X. Zhu, A. Silwal, G. P. Zank, and A. Pitňa, Theory and observations of the interaction between magnetohydrodynamic waves and shocks, PNAS, 122, 20, doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2425668122, 2025.

  • L.-L. Zhao, G. P. Zank, and H. Li, Non-propagating structures and propagating waves in solar wind turbulence revealed by simulations and observations, Reviews of Modern Plasma Physics, 9, 24, doi.org/10.1007/s41614-025-00200-y, 2025.

  • L.-L. Zhao, A. Silwal, X. Y. Zhu, H. Li, and G. P. Zank, Transonic Turbulence and Density Fluctuations in the Near-Sun Solar Wind, ApJL, 979, L4, doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ada3d8, 2025.

  • L.-L. Zhao, V. Florinski, G. P. Zank, M. Opher, J. Richardson, W. S. Kurth, A. Silwal, X. Zhu, N. S. M. Subashchandar, J. G. Alonso Guzman, and Z. Jin, Magnetic Turbulence Intermittency and Compressibility in the Inner Heliosheath and Very Local Interstellar Medium, ApJL, 992, L4, doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ae09aa, 2025.

  • L.-L. Zhao, G. P. Zank, L. Adhikari, M. Nakanotani, Inertial-range magnetic fluctuation anisotropy observed from PSP’s first seven orbits, Astrophys. J. Lett., 924, L5, doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ac4415, 2022.

  • L.-L. Zhao, G. P. Zank, D. Telloni, M. Stevens, J. C. Kasper, and S. D. Bale, The turbulent properties of the sub-Alfvénic solar wind measured by the Parker Solar Probe, Astrophys. J. Lett., 928, L15, doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ac5fb0, 2022.

  • G. P. Zank, L.-L. Zhao, L. Adhikari, D. Telloni, J. C. Kasper, M. Stevens, A. Rahmati, and S. D. Bale, Turbulence in the Sub-Alfvénic Solar Wind, Astrophys. J. Lett., 926, L16, doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ac51da, 2022.

  • L.-L. Zhao, G. P. Zank, J. S. He, D. Telloni, L. Adhikari, M. Nakanotani, J. C. Kasper, and S. D. Bale, MHD and ion kinetic waves in field-aligned flows observed by Parker Solar Probe, Astrophys. J., 922, 188, doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ac28fb, 2021.

  • S. Fu, L.-L. Zhao*, X. P. Zhang, and Y. Li, Comparison of Anomalous and Galactic Cosmic Ray Oxygen at 1 au during 1997-2020, Astrophys. J. Lett., 920, L12, doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ac29b9, 2021.