Piyush Mehta is an Experienced Researcher as part of the group at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. He graduated with his Bachelors in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Kansas (KU) and then continued on to get his PhD in Aerospace Engineering at KU with Dr. Craig McLaughlin. His research focused on improving satellite drag modelling by improving models for atmospheric density and drag coefficient. His PhD was initially funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) and then by the Los Alamos National Laboratory where he was awarded a Vela Fellowship and was a visiting researcher the last year of his PhD contributing to the IMPACT project. His research interests include, Space Situational Awareness, Space Weather, Modelling and Simulation, Atmospheric Re-entry, and Spacecraft dynamics. Away from research he loves spending time with his family, working out, travelling, music, and food.
Project description:
The re-entry of single or fragmented objects involves the dependence of the results on various parameters that are difficult or impossible to predict. A probabilistic re-entry model is required that includes estimates of the uncertainties of heat transfer coefficients, emissivity, attitudes, release points, and other factors. The output from such a model would include a probability distribution for the impact footprint and for individual debris pieces of interest. Using Monte-Carlo techniques, the total probability of ground impact can be determined for each surviving component. Total probability of ground impact can be determined and used for casualty expectation calculation. Recent advancement in uncertainty quantification in fluid dynamics suggests the use of DSMC simulations coupled with polynomial chaos (or analogous) uncertainty quantification to compute the aerodynamic forces during re-entry of debris and asteroids.. The goal of the project are:
- develop and implement high fidelity models to predict aero-thermal characteristics of re-entry objects;
- characterise involved uncertainties and to investigate how uncertainties evolve through models;
- integrate aero-thermal and uncertainty quantification models into trajectory simulation environment.
Supervisor: Dr. Edmondo Minisci, Prof. Massimiliano Vasile.
Piyush's Work