Education:

2012.9 – 2016.7, Ph.D. in Space Physics, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.

Dissertation “Study on the substorm process in the Earth’s and Mercury’s magnetosphere”. Advisor: Professor Suiyan Fu. This dissertation was selected as “Excellent Doctoral Dissertation” by Peking University in July 2016.

2014.9 – 2015.8, Exchange student in Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences (AOSS), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. Hosting Advisor: Professor James A. Slavin

2009.9 – 2012.6, M. S. in Theoretical Physics, Shandong University, Weihai, China.

Thesis “Study of Magnetic Structures in the Plasma Sheet and Their Relation with Plasma Flow”. Advisor: Professor Quanqi Shi. This thesis was selected as “Excellent thesis” by Shandong University in 2013.

2009.9 – 2010.7, Exchange student in School of Earth Sciences, Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.

2005.9 – 2009.6, B. S. in Applied Physics, Shandong University, Weihai, China

Research Interests: ^top

• The magnetospheric dynamics of Mercury and Earth
• Ion-scale or sub-ion scale magnetic structures
• Multi-spacecraft techniques
• Reconstruction of magnetic structures

Biography: ^top

2018.4 – Now, Research Fellow, Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering (CLaSP), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA

2016.7 – 2018.3, Assistant Researcher, Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

Professional Service: ^top

• Reviewer for the Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, The Astrophysical Journal Letter, Astrophysics and Space Science, Chinese Journal of Space Science
• Serve in the Scientist In The Loop (SITL) of the NASA Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission
• NASA Heliophysics Supporting Research (HSR) Review Panel
• Co-Convener of ST08 Magnetic Flux Ropes Throughout the Solar System: Theory, Simulations, and Observations, AOGS 16th Annual Meeting, 28 July to 2 August 2019, Singapore

Teaching Experiences

• Assist to arrange the SPACE 501-001 Planetary Magnetospheres Journal Club since Fall 2018.
• Guest Lectures on Space 595 on Winter 2019 (Prof. James A. Slavin), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. The two lectures were on the topic of “Coordinate system and frame of reference in space plasma data analysis”.

Awards: ^top

• 2012.9-2016.7: Presidential Scholarship, Peking University (top 5% of PKU graduate students)
• 2016.6: Excellent Graduate Student, Beijing City Board of Education (top 3%)
• 2016.5: Top-Ten Students with Academic Research Honor, Peking University (Ten graduate students each year)

Publications: ^top

• Sun, W. J., A. Slavin, A. M. Tian, S. C. Bai, G. K. Poh, M. Akhavan-Tafti, S. Lu, S. T. Yao, G. Le, R. Nakamura, B. L. Giles, and J. L. Burch (2019). MMS study of the structure of ion-scale flux ropes in the Earth’s cross-tail current sheet. Geophys. Res. Lett., 46, 6168– 6177. doi: 10.1002/2019GL083301.
• Sun, W. J.^*, J. A. Slavin, R. M. Dewey, J. M. Raines, S. Y. Fu, Y. Wei, T. Karlsson, G. K. Poh, X. Jia, D. J. Gershman, Q. G. Zong, W. X. Wan, Q. Q. Shi, Z. Y. Pu, and D. Zhao (2018). A comparative study of the proton properties of magnetospheric substorms at Earth and Mercury in the near magnetotail. Res. Lett., 45, 7933–7941. doi: 10.1002/2018GL079181.
• Sun, W. J.^*, Y. Fu, Y. Wei, Z. H. Yao, Z. J. Rong, X. Z. Zhou, J. A. Slavin, W. X. Wan, Q. G. Zong, Z. Y. Pu, Q. Q. Shi, and X. C. Shen (2017). Plasma sheet pressure variations in the near Earth magnetotail during substorm growth phase: THEMIS observations. J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 122, 12,212–12,228. doi: 10.1002/2017JA024603
• Sun, W. J.^*, M. Raines, S. Y. Fu, J. A. Slavin, Y. Wei, G. K. Poh, Z. Y. Pu, Z. H. Yao, Q. G. Zong, and W. X. Wan (2017), MESSENGER observations of the energization and heating of protons in the near Mercury magnetotail, Geophys. Res. Lett., 44, 8149–8158, doi:10.1002/2017GL074276.
• Sun, W. J.^*, S. Y. Fu, J. A. Slavin, J. M. Raines, Q. G. Zong, G. K. Poh, and T. H. Zurbuchen (2016), Spatial distribution of Mercury’s flux ropes and reconnection fronts: MESSENGER observations, Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 121, 7590–7607, doi:10.1002/2016JA022787.
• Sun, W.-J.^*, J. A. Slavin, S. Fu, J. M. Raines, T. Sundberg, Q.-G. Zong, X. Jia, Q. Shi, X. Shen, G. Poh, et al. (2015), MESSENGER observations of Alfvénic and compressional waves during Mercury’s substorms, Res. Lett., 42, 6189–6198, doi:10.1002/2015GL065452.
• Sun, W.-J.^*, J. A. Slavin, S. Fu, J. M. Raines, Q.-G. Zong, S. M. Imber, Q. Shi, Z. Yao, G. Poh, D. J. Gershman, Z. Pu, T. Sundberg, B. J. Anderson, H. Korth, and D. N. Baker (2015), MESSENGER observations of magnetospheric substorm activity in Mercury’s near magnetotail. Res. Lett., 42, 3692–3699. doi: 10.1002/2015GL064052.
• Sun, W.-J., S. Fu^*, Z. Pu, G. K. Parks, J. A. Slavin, Z. Yao, Q.-G. Zong, Q. Shi, D. Zhao, and Y. Cui (2014), The current system associated with the boundary of plasma bubbles, Res. Lett., 41, 8169–8175, doi:10.1002/2014GL062171.
• Sun, W.-J., S. Fu^*, G. K. Parks, Z. Pu, Q.-G. Zong, J. Liu, Z. Yao, H. Fu, and Q. Shi (2014), Electric fields associated with dipolarization fronts, Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 119, 5272–5278, doi:10.1002/2014JA020045. (Highlighted by AGU publications in EOS as “Balcerak, E. (2014), Studying electric fields in dipolarization fronts, Eos Trans. AGU, 95(45), 416.” )
• Sun, W., S. Fu^*, Q. Shi, Q. Zong, Z. Yao, T. Xiao, and G. K. Parks (2014), THEMIS observation of a magnetotail current sheet flapping wave, Sci. Bull., 59(2), 154-161, doi: s11434-013-0056-x.
• Sun, W. J., S. Y. Fu^*, G. K. Parks, J. Liu, Z. H. Yao, Q. Q. Shi, Q.-G. Zong, S. Y. Huang, Z. Y. Pu, and T. Xiao (2013), Field-aligned currents associated with dipolarization fronts, Res. Lett., 40, 4503–4508, doi:10.1002/grl.50902.
• Sun, W. J., Q. Q. Shi^*, S. Y. Fu, Z. Y. Pu, M. W. Dunlop, A. P. Walsh, Q. G. Zong, T. Xiao, C. L. Tang, H. Reme, C. Carr, E. Lucek, and A. Fazakerley (2012), Cluster and TC-1 observation of magnetic holes in the plasma sheet, Geophys., 30, 583-595, doi:10.5194/angeo-30-583-2012.
• Sun, W. J., Q. Q. Shi^*, S.Y. Fu, Q. G. Zong, Z. Y. Pu, L. Xie, T. Xiao, L. Li, Z. X. Liu, H. Reme, E. Lucek (2010), Statistical research on the motion properties of the magnetotail current sheet: Cluster observations. Sci China Tech Sci, 53: 1732-1738, doi: 10.1007/s11431-010-3153-y.
• Chen Y., G. Toth, X. Jia, J. Slavin, W. Sun, S. Markidis, T. Gombosi, and J. Raines (2019), Studying dawn-dusk asymmetries of Mercury’s magnetotail using MHD-EPIC simulations, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 124, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA026840
• Poh, G., J. Slavin, S. Lu, G. Le, D. Ozturk, Sun, S. Zou, J. Eastwood, R. Nakamura, W. Baumjohann, C. Russell, D. Gershman, B. Giles, C. Pollock, T. Moore, R. Torbert, and J. Burch (2019), Dissipation of Earthward Propagating Flux Rope Through Re-reconnection with Geomagnetic Field: An MMS Case Study, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 124. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JA026451
• Slavin, J. A., H. R. Middleton, J. M. Raines, X. Jia, J. Zhong, ‐J. Sun, S. Livi, S. M. Imber, G.‐K. Poh, M. Akavan‐Tafti, J. Jasinski, G. A. DiBraccio, C. Dong, R. M. Dewey, M. L. Mays (2019). MESSENGER Observations of Disappearing Dayside Magnetosphere Events at Mercury. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 124. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA026892
• Liu, H., Q.‐G. Zong, H. Zhang, J. Sun, X.‐Z. Zhou, D. J. Gershman. C. Shi, K. Zhang, G. Le and C. Pollock (2019). The geometry of an electron scale magnetic cavity in the plasma sheet. Geophysical Research Letters, 46. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL083569
• T. Zhao, W. J. Sun*, Q. G. Zong*, J. A. Slavin, X. Z. Zhou, R. M. Dewey, G. K. Poh and J. M. Raines ( 2019), A statistical study of the force balance and structure in the flux ropes in Mercury’s magnetotail. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 124, 5143– 5157. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JA026329
• Wang, M. M., S. T. Yao, Q. Q. Shi, H. Zhang, A. M. Tian, A. W. Degeling, S. Zhang, R. L. Guo, J. Sun, J. Liu, S. C. Bai, X. C. Shen, X. Q. Zhu, S. Y. Fu, and Z. Y. Pu (2019), Propagation properties of foreshock cavitons: Cluster observations. Science China Technological Sciences. doi:10.1007/s11431-018-9450-3
• Yu, F., S. Fu, Sun, X. Zhou, L. Xie, H. Liu, D. Zhao, S. Zhao, L. Li, J. Zhang, T. Wu, and Y. Xiong (2019), Heating of multi‐species upflowing ion beams observed by Cluster on March 28, 2001. Earth and Planetary Physics, 3: 204-211. doi:10.26464/epp2019022
• Liu, Y.‐H., T.C. Li, M. Hesse, J. Sun, J. Liu, J. L. Burch, J. A. Slavin, and K. Huang (2019), Three‐dimensional magnetic reconnection with a spatially confined X‐line extent: Implications for dipolarizing flux bundles and the dawn‐dusk asymmetry. J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 124, 2819 – 2830. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA026- 539
• Liu, H., Q. G. Zong, H. Zhang, C. J. Xiao, Q. Q. Shi, S. T. Yao, J. S. He, X. Z. Zhou, C. Pollock, J. Sun, G. Le, J. L. Burch and R. Rankin (2019), MMS observations of electron scale magnetic cavity embedded in proton scale magnetic cavity. Nat. Commun., 10(1), 1040. doi:10.1038/s41467-019-08971-y
• Poh, G., J. A. Slavin, X. Jia, ‐J. Sun, J. M. Raines, S. M. Imber, G. A. DiBraccio, and D. J. Gershman (2018). Transport of Mass and Energy in Mercury’s Plasma Sheet. Geophys. Res. Lett., 45, 12,163-12,170. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080601
• Zhang, S., A. Tian, Q. Shi, H. Li, A. W. Degeling, I. J. Rae, C. Forsyth, M. Wang, X. Shen, Sun, S. Bai, R. Guo, H. Wang, A. Fazakerley, S. Fu, and Z. Pu, (2018). Statistical study of ULF waves in the magnetotail by THEMIS observations, Ann. Geophys., 36, 1335-1346, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-36-1335-2018, 2018.
• Dewey, R. M., J. M. Raines, Sun, J. A. Slavin and G. Poh (2018). MESSENGER observations of fast plasma flows in Mercury’s magnetotail. Geophys. Res. Lett., 45. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL079056
• Zhao, S. J., S. Y. Fu, J. Sun, G. K. Parks, X. Z. Zhou, Z. Y. Pu, D. Zhao, T. Wu, F. B. Yu, and Q. G. Zong (2018). Oxygen ion reflection at earthward propagating dipolarization fronts in the Magnetotail. J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 123. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JA025689
• Yao, S. T., Q. Q. Shi, J. Liu, Z. H. Yao, R. L. Guo, N. Ahmadi, A. W. Degeling, Q. G. Zong, X. G. Wang, A. M. Tian, C. T. Russell, H. S. Fu, Z. Y. Pu, S. Y. Fu, H. Zhang, J. Sun, L. Li, C. J. Xiao, Y. Y. Feng and B. L. Giles (2018). Electron dynamics in magnetosheath mirror mode structures. J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 123. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JA025607.
• Rong Z. J., Y. Ding, J. Slavin, J. Zhong, G. K. Poh, J. Sun, Y. Wei, L. H. Chai, W. X. Wan and C. Shen (2018), The magnetic field structure of Mercury’s magnetotail, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 123, 548–566. doi: 10.1002/2017JA024923.
• Yao S. T., Q. Q. Shi, R. L. Guo, Z. H. Yao, A. M. Tian, A. W. Degeling, J. Sun, J. Liu, X. G. Wang, Q. G. Zong, H. Zhang, Z. Y. Pu, L. H. Wang, S. Y. Fu, C. J. Xiao, C. T. Russell, B. L. Giles, Y. Y. Feng, T. Xiao, S. C. Bai, X. C. Shen, L. L. Zhao and H. Liu (2018), MMS observations of electron scale magnetic peak, Geophys. Res. Lett., 45, 527–537. doi: 10.1002/2017GL075711.