Research Associate
Chi Yan is a Research Associate at the University of Texas at Austin’s Institute for Geophysics (UTIG). Her research focuses on planetary magnetic fields and dynamo processes, combining numerical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations, theoretical analysis, and observational constraints to investigate the origin and evolution of magnetic fields in planets.
Dr. Yan received her Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Science from Johns Hopkins University in 2021, following an M.S. in Physics from the University of Toronto and a B.S. in Physics from Nanjing University. She previously held postdoctoral positions at Johns Hopkins University and the Carnegie Institution for Science, where she studied magnetic field generation in gas giants and terrestrial planets.
Her work has contributed to explaining the extreme axisymmetry of Saturn’s magnetic field, the hemispheric nature of Mars’ ancient dynamo, and the role of stratified layers in controlling Earth’s geomagnetic octupole. Her current research at UTIG focuses on ice giant dynamos (Uranus and Neptune) and basal magma ocean dynamos, with an emphasis on linking interior dynamics to observable magnetic field morphology.
INTERESTS
- Planetary dynamos and magnetic field generation
- Gas giant magnetic fields
- Ice giant magnetic fields (Uranus and Neptune)
- Mars and terrestrial planet dynamo evolution
- Magnetosphere–aurora coupling and observational signatures
- Geodynamo modeling and secular variation
ACADEMICS
Ph.D., Earth & Planetary Science, Johns Hopkins University (2021)
M.S., Physics, University of Toronto (2016)
B.S., Physics, Nanjing University (2015)
CONTACTS AND LINKS
chi.yan@jsg.utexas.edu
Office: 2.116B
Affiliation: Institute for Geophysics, The University of Texas at Austin
Publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2ViQ9jsAAAAJ&hl=en