RAJ KUMAR CHOUDHARY

Scientist/ Engg. SF

Space Physics Laboratory,

Vikram Sarabhai Space Center,

Trivandrum 695 022.

Email: rajkumar_choudhary [at] vssc [dot]gov[dot]in

Date of Birth : August 01, 1967

Research Area : Ionospheric Magnetospheric Physics

Research Interests : Ionospheric Modeling, Ionospheric Plasma Physics, Energetic

coupling between Sun-Earth System, Ionospheric plasma
irregularities : Instabilities and electro- dynamics, Aeronomy and
Atmospheric Physics, interaction with neutral atmospheric waves.
Geophysical data analysis techniques and signal analysis.

Science Activities:

Space Weather Studies to understand impact of Magnetic Disturbances at Low Latitude

Region.

Development of Ionospheric Model for Indian Low latitude Ionosphere

Radio Occultation (RO) studies for Planetary Ionosphere

Polar Research

Educations:

1. Ph.D. University of Delhi, New Delhi, India, 1999

Work Carried out at National Physical Laboratory(NPL-CSIR), New

Delhi, India

Thesis title: A Study of the tropical E-region field aligned irregularities

using Indian MST radar.
2. M.Sc. (Physics) University of Delhi, India, 1991

3. B.Sc. (Physics), Ranchi University, Ranchi, India, 1988

Positions Held :

Dates Position Held Nature of Duties

From To Employer Name & Address
Dec. Till Date Scientist/ Engg. Studies on various aspects of coupling
2007 Space Physics Laboratory between sun-earth systems
Vikkarm Sarabhai Space Center

August Nov. Professional Research Study on various aspects of equatorial, low

2004 2007 Associate and high latitude ionospheric irregularities.
ISAS; University of
Saskatchewan,
Saskatoon, Canada

Post-doctoral experience:

1. National Physical Laboratory, India 1999-2002

2. University of Western Ontario, Canada 2002-2004

Scholarship : National Merit Scholarship 1981-1988

NET: CSIR/ UGC (Selected for CSIR Fellowship) 1991

Fellowship : Junior Research Fellowship (CSIR, New Delhi) 1992-1994

Senior Research Fellowship (CSIR, New Delhi) 1994-1997

SRF (Extended) (CSIR, New Delhi) 1999-2000

Professional Responsibilities

Co-P.I. : RAMBHA (Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive Atmos. & ionosphere)

(shortlisted for Chandrayaan-II Lander)

P.I. : CHARU (CHandra's RAdio occUltation Experiment for the Lunar Plasma)

(Chandrayaan-I, and Chandrayaan-II orbiter)

P.I. : AVHFR (Active aperture VHF Radar at Thumba)

P.I. : EcSES (Energetic coupling between Sun-Earth System)

P.I. : InSWIM (Ionospheric network for Space Weather Impact Monitoring)

Academic Responsibilities :
Ph.D.: 2 ( 1 Ongoing)
M.Phil: 1 (KU)
M.Sc. : 1 (IIT Kanpur)

Other Responsibilities:

1. Convener, Inter Center Experts' Committee for VHF Radar at SPL

2. Member, Technical Review committee, GPS-ROS for Megha-Tropiques (ROSA)

3. Member, Algorithm Working Group, GAGAN

4. Member, Technical Review Committee, GROS for Megha-Tropiques

5. Member, Technical Review Committee, Operationalization of GPS radiosonde for GSLV-

PSLV

6. Member, Academic Committee, SPL

Research Publications : 30

(in refereed journals)

Oral presentations : 32

(in Conferences/Workshops)
Invited talks : 07

Conference / Workshop : 20

(participation)

Referee for the Scientific Journals : Geophysical Research Letters (AGU),

Journal of Geophysical Research (AGU)

Journal of Atmos Solar-Terr Physics (Elsevier)

Annales Geophysicae (EGU)

Journal of Earth Science System (Springer)

Advances in Space Research (Elsevier)

Indian Journal of Radio and Space Physics

Dated :

Place : Trivandrum, India (Raj Kumar Choudhary)

 List of Publications

1. Papers in Refereed Journals:

i. Longitudinal and seasonal differences in the sunrise undulations at the dip equator at solar
minimum and how they relate to post-sunset electrodynamics; J. Geophys. Res.,
2014JA019783, under-review.

ii. Night-time vertical plasma drifts and the occurrence of sunrise undulation at the dip-equator: A
study using Jicamarca Incoherent backscatter radar measurements, K. M. Ambili, R. K. Choudhary,
J.-P. St.-Maurice, and J. L. Chau, Geophys. Res. Lett., 40(21), 55705575, doi:
10.1002/2013GL057837, 2013.

iii. Ionospheric impact on the geopotential height profile of the temperature by balloon-borne GPS-
Radiosondes ?, R. K. Choudhary, K. Rajeev, K. Krishnamoorthy, and R. Sridharan, Geophys. Res.
Lett., 40, doi:10.1029/2012GL054359, 2013

iv. Observation of strong remote dynamical connection between polar and tropical regions due to
sudden stratospheric warming of 2009; J. Geophys. Res., 2013JD020879, under-review.

v. Critical assessment of the forecasting capability of L-band scintillations over the magnetic
equatorial region - Campaign results, M. Bagiya et al., J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phys., 2014

vi. Observation of strong remote dynamical connection between polar and tropical regions due to
sudden stratospheric warming of 2009; S. K. Dhaka, V. Kumar, R.K. Choudhary, Shu-Peng Ho, and
K.K. Reddy, J. Geophys. Res., 2013JD020809, under-review.

vii. Evidence for the Multifaceted Role Played by the Neutral Wind in the Equatorial
Electrodynamics During magnetically disturbed times; R.K. Choudhary, J.-P. St-Maurice, K.M.
Ambili, and R. Sridharan, J. Geophys. Res, under review

viii. Absence of streaming plasma waves around noontime over Thumba in recent times: Is it
related to the movement of the dip equator?, R. Sekar et al, J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phys., 2013,
http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1016/ j.jastp.2013. 02.005

ix. On the sunrise oscillation of the F region in the equatorial ionosphere, K. M. Ambili, J.-P. St.-
Maurice, and R.K. Choudhary, Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, L16102, doi:10.1029/2012GL052876,
2012.

x. Impacts of the January 15, 2010, annular solar eclipse on the equatorial and low latitude ionospheric
densities; R.K. Choudhary, J.-P. St.-Maurice, K.M. Ambili, Surendra Sunda, and B.M. Pathan, J.
Geophys. Res., 116, doi: 10.1029/ 2011JA016504, 2011.

xi. Temperature perturbations in the troposphere-stratosphere over Thumba (8.5 N, 76.9 E) during
the solar eclipse 2009/2010 K. V. Subrahmanyam, G. Ramkumar, K. K. Kumar, D. Swain, S. V.
Sunil Kumar, S. S. Das, R. K. Choudhary, K. V. S. Namboodiri, K. N. Uma, S. B. Veena, S. R.
John, and A. Babu; Annales Geophy., 29, 275 - 282, 2011.
xii. Local electrodynamics of a solar eclipse at the magnetic equator in the early afternoon hours,
J.P. St. Maurice, K. M. Ambili, and R. K. Choudhary, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L04102,
doi:10.1029/2010GL046085, 2011.

xiii. Solar eclispe induced E-region plasma irregularities observed by the Gadanki Radar, A.K.
Patra, R.K. Choudhary, and J.P. St. -Maurice, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, doi:
10.1029/2009GL038669, 2009.

xiv. Daytime low latitude quasi-periodic echoes at gadanki: Understanding of their generation
mechanism in the light of their Doppler Characteristic, A.K. Patra, N.V. Rao, and R. K. Choudhary,
Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, doi: 10. 1029/2008GL036670, 2009

xv. The influence of non-iosthermal electrons and neutral wind structures on the Doppler
properties of vertical m-size field aligned irregularities in the low latitude E-region; J.P. St.-Maurice
and R.K. Choudhary, Revisita Braseleira de- Geoficia; 25(2), 95-103, 2007.

xvi. Gadanki radar observations of daytime E Region echoes and structures extending down to 87
km; A.K. Patra, S. Sripathi, P.B. Rao, and R.K. Choudhary; Annales Geophy., 24, 1861-1869,
2006

xvii. East-west and vertical spectral asymmetry associated with equatorial type-I waves during
strong electrojet conditions: II. Theory; J.-P. St.-Maurice, and R.K. Choudhary; J. Geophys. Res.,
111, doi: 10.1029/ 2006JA011843, 2006

xviii. East-west and vertical spectral asymmetry associated with equatorial type-I waves during
strong electrojet conditions: I. Pohnpei radar observations; R.K. Choudhary, J.-P. St.-Maurice, W.L.
Ecklund and R.T. Tsunoda; J. Geophys. Res., 111, doi: 10.1029/ 2006JA011842, 2006

xix. Local ionospheric electrodynamics associated with neutral wind fields at low latitudes:
Kelvin-Helmholtz billows; J. P. St.-Maurice, and R. K. Choudhary; Annales Geophy., 24, 1367-
1374, 2006

xx. Quasi-periodic backscatters from the E-region at Gadanki: evidence for Kelvin-Helmholtz
billows in the lower thermosphere? ; R.K. Choudhary, J.-P. St.-Maurice, L. Kagan and K K
Mahajan; J. Geophys Res., 110, doi:10.1029/2004JA010987, 2005.

xxi. Observation of coherent echoes with narrow spectra near 150 km altitude during daytime
away from the dip-equator; R.K. Choudhary, J.-P. St-Maurice, and K K Mahajan; Geophys. Res.
Lett, 31, L19801, doi: 10.1029/ 2004GL 020299, 2004.

xxii. Correction to : Fast type-I waves in the equatorial electrojet: evidence for non-isothermal ion-
acoustic speeds in the lower E region; R. K. Choudhary, and J.-P. St.-Maurice; J. Geophys. Res.,
108, A8, 1325, doi: 10.1029/2003JA010072, 2003.

xxiii. Fast type-I waves in the equatorial electrojet: evidence for non-isothermal ion-acoustic speeds
in the lower E region; J.-P. St.-Maurice, R.K. Choudhary, W.L. Ecklund and R.T. Tsunoda; J.
Geophys. Res., 108, A5, 1170, doi: 10.1029/ 2002JA009648, 2003

xxiv. Observable signatures of convectively generated wave field over tropics using Indian MST
radar at Gadanki (13.50 N, 79.20 E); S.K. Dhaka, R.K. Choudhary, S. Malik, Y. Shibagaki, M.D.
Yamanaka, and S. Fukao, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29 (18), doi: 10.1029/2002GL014745, 2002
 xxv. Revisiting the Stratospheric Fountain hypothesis using UARS/HALOE data., J. Kar, R.K.
Choudhary, and K.K. Mahajan, Advances in Space Res., 29 (11), 1725-1729, 2002.

xxvi. Indian MST radar observations of Gravity wave activities associated with tropical convection.,
S.K. Dhaka, P.K. Devrajan, Y. Shibagaki, R.K. Choudhary, and S. Fukao, J. Atmos. Sol. Terr.
Physics, 63, 1631 - 1642, 2001.

xxvii. Detection of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability with the Indian MST radar: a case study.
Sachchidanand Singh, K.K. Mahajan, R.K. Choudhary and O.P. Nagpal J. Geophys. Res. , 104,
3937 - 3945, 1999.

xxviii. Tropical E-region field aligned irregularities: Simultaneous observations of continuous and
quasi-periodic echoes., R.K. Choudhary, and K.K. Mahajan, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 2613 -
2619,1999.

xxix. First VHF radar observations of tropical latitude E-region field aligned irregularities. R.K.
Choudhary, K.K. Mahajan, Sachchidanand Singh, K. Kumar and V.K. Anandan., Geophys. Res.
Lett., 23, 3683-3686, 1996

xxx. A study of wind velocity in lower troposphere using the Indian MST radar., Sachchidanand
Singh, K. Kumar, R.K. Choudhary, K.K. Mahajan and O.P. Nagpal, Ind. J. Radio Space Phy. , 23,
30-35, 1994

2. Scientific Reports:

1. R. K. Choudhary, V. Sreeja, and S. Ravindran; A first cut model for short and medium range TEC
forecast over Indian Sub-Continent, SPL Scientific Report, SPL:SR-ITMP-01-2009

2. R. K. Choudhary, and S. Ravindran; A comparative study on the Total Electron Content (TEC) of the
tropical ionosphere measured by GAGAN network and Indian Reference stations for GAGAN
(INRES), SPL Scientific Report, SPL:SR-ITMP-02-2009.

3. R. K. Choudhary, and S. Ravindran; Ionospheric model for TEC now cast and forecast for Navigation
purposes: Need for additional INRES stations, SPL Scientific Report, SPL:SR-ITMP-02-2009.

3. Invited talk:

1. R.K. Choudhary What two-step Type-I waves reveal about equatorial E region turbulence?,
International Symposium on Equatorial Aeronomy (ISEA-12), Crete, Greece, May 18-24, 2008.

2. R.K. Choudhary Ionospheric- magneospheric system: What do we know about it series of talks
given in the Academic College, Kerala University, January, 2008.

3. R.K. Choudhary Radio Occultation Technique : A tool to study neutral atmosphere and ionosphere,
G-ROS Review meeting, ISAC, Bangalore, December, 2009.
4. R.K. Choudhary ISRO-TEC Model for the Low Latitude Region, Joint ISRO-Raytheon AWG meet,
ISAC, Bangalore, January 2010.

5. R.K. Choudhary A Study on the respective role of Kelvin-Helmholtz Instabilities and Gravity waves
in the generation of Quasi-Periodic echoes at Gadanki, AOGS10, Hyderabad, India, July, 2010.

6. R.K. Choudhary Global Positioning System satellites (GPS) and civil aviation International
Seminar on Space Science and Technology, NSS Hindu College, Changanacherry, Oct. 12, 2010

7. R.K. Choudhary TEC Model for Space Weather Application, CAWSES-II meeting at the PRL,
Ahmadabad, April,