Mai Mai Lam
Space Weather Programmer/Scientist
Biography
I am a Researcher within the Space Weather and Atmosphere team, currently working on the EU Horizon Project “Forecast of Actionable Radiation Belt Scenarios (FARBES)”, and have worked in the field of solar-terrestrial physics since 1999.
Research interests
My interests include radiation belt physics, the study of solar-wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling (including links to weather via the global electric circuit), the precipitation of energetic electrons to the D-region ionosphere via magnetospheric processes, and geomagnetic storms.
My research tests theories using both models and the data analysis of ground-based instrumentation, e.g., SuperDARN radars, VLF receivers, all-sky cameras, and magnetometers, as well as satellite imagers and magnetometers.
Collaborations
I work on FARBES in collaboration with multiple EU organisations, including:
Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary,
The French Aerospace Lab ONERA (Office National d’Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales), Toulouse, France.
Publications relating to Environmental Science only
2025
Walach, M.-T., Sivadas, N., and Lam, M. M. (2025), Finding Magnetospheric Dynamics with Observed Imbalances in Earth’s Open and Closed Magnetic Flux, EGU General Assembly 2025, EGU25-11522, 10.5194/egusphere-egu25-11522
2023
Lam, M. M., Shore, R. M., Chisham, G., Freeman, M. P., Grocott, A., Walach, M.-T., Orr, L. (2023), A Model of High Latitude Ionospheric Convection Derived From SuperDARN EOF Model Data. Space Weather, 21, e2023SW003428, 10.1029/2023SW003428
Orr, L., Grocott, A., Walach, M.‐T., Chisham, G. , Freeman, M. P. , Lam, M. M. , Shore, R. M. (2023), A quantitative comparison of high latitude electric field models during a large geomagnetic storm. Space Weather, 21, e2022SW003301, 10.1029/2022SW003301
2019
Lam, M. M., Freeman, M. P., Jackman, C. M., Rae, I. J., Kalmoni, N. M. E., Sandhu, J. K., Forsyth, C. (2019), How well can we estimate Pedersen conductance from the THEMIS white-light all-sky cameras? Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 124, 2920–2934, 10.1029/2018JA026067
Freeman, M. P., and Lam, M. M. (2019), Regional, seasonal, and inter-annual variations of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic temperature anomalies related to the Mansurov effect, Environmental Research Communuications, 1, 111007, 10.1088/2515-7620/ab4a84
2018
Sandhu, J. K., et al. (2018). Energization of the ring current by substorms. Journal of Geophysical Research, 123, 8131–8148, 10.1029/2018JA025766
Lam, M. M., Freeman, M. P. , and Chisham, G. (2018), IMF-driven change to the Antarctic tropospheric temperature due to the global atmospheric electric circuit. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Research, 180, 148-152, 10.1016/j.jastp.2017.08.027
2016
Earth’s Climate Response to a Changing Sun (2016), Eds: Jean Lilensten, Thierry Dudok de Wit, Katja Matthes, Published by EDP Sciences, Paris.
Lam, M. M., and Tinsley, B. A. (2016), Solar wind-atmospheric electricity-cloud microphysics connections to weather and climate. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 149, 277-290, 10.1016/j.jastp.2015.10.019
2015
Owens, M. J., Scott, C. J., Bennett, A. J., Thomas, S. R., Lockwood, M., Harrison, R. G., and Lam, M. M. (2015), Lightning as a space-weather hazard: UK thunderstorm activity modulated by the passage of the heliospheric current sheet. Geophysical Research Letters, 42, 9624–9632, doi:10.1002/2015GL066802.
2014
Lam, M. M., Chisham, G., and Freeman, M. P. (2014), Solar-wind-driven geopotential height anomalies originate in the Antarctic lower troposphere. Geophysical Research Letters, 41, 6509–6514, 10.1002/2014GL061421
2013
Lam, M. M., Chisham, G., and Freeman, M. P. (2013), The interplanetary magnetic field influences mid-latitude surface atmospheric pressure. Environmental Research Letters, 8, 045001, 10.1088/1748-9326/8/4/045001
2012
Lam M. M., and Yeoman, T. K., Magnetotelluric Surveying, Internal Technical Report, Leicester University.
2011
Meredith, N. P., Horne, R. B., Lam, M. M., Denton, M. H., Borovsky, J. E., and Green, J. C. (2011), Energetic electron precipitation during high-speed solar wind stream driven storms. Journal of Geophysical Research, 116, A05223, 10.1029/2010JA016293
2010
Rodger, C. J., Clilverd, M. A., Green, J. C., and Lam, M. M. (2010), Use of POES SEM-2 observations to examine radiation belt dynamics and energetic electron precipitation into the atmosphere. Journal of Geophysical Research, 115, A04202, 10.1029/2008JA014023
Lam, M. M., Horne, R. B., Meredith, N. P., Glauert, S. A., Moffat-Griffin, T., and Green, J. C. (2010), Origin of energetic electron precipitation >30 keV into the atmosphere. Journal of Geophysical Research, 115, A00F08, 10.1029/2009JA014619
2009
Horne, R. B., Lam, M. M., and Green, J. C. (2009), Energetic electron precipitation from the outer radiation belt during geomagnetic storms. Geophysical Research Letters, 36, L19104, 10.1029/2009GL040236
Lam, M. M., Horne, R. B., Meredith, N. P., and Glauert, S. A. (2009), Radiation belt electron flux variability during three CIR-driven geomagnetic storms. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 71, 1145-1156, 10.1016/j.jastp.2008.06.007
2008
Chisham, G., Freeman, M. P., Abel, G. A., Lam, M. M., Pinnock, M., Coleman, I. J., Milan, S. E., et al. (2008), Remote sensing of the spatial and temporal structure of magnetopause and magnetotail reconnection from the ionosphere. Reviews of Geophysics, 46, RG1004, 10.1029/2007RG000223
2007
Lam, M. M., Horne, R. B., Meredith, N.P., and Glauert, S. A. (2007), Modeling the effects of radial diffusion and plasmaspheric hiss on outer radiation belt electrons. Geophysical Research Letters, 34, L20112, 10.1029/2007GL031598
2006
Lam, M. M., Pinnock, M., and Donovan, E.F. (2006), Observations of nightside magnetic reconnection during substorm growth and expansion phases. Journal of Geophysical Research, 111, A05209, 10.1029/2005JA011356
2005
Chisham, G., Freeman, M. P., Lam, M. M., Abel, G. A., Sotirelis, T., Greenwald, R. A., and Lester, M. (2005), A statistical comparison of SuperDARN spectral width boundaries and DMSP particle precipitation boundaries in the afternoon sector ionosphere. Annales Geophysicae, 23, 3645–3654,10.5194/angeo-23-3645-2005
2004
Lam, M. M., and Rodger, A. S. (2004), A test of the magnetospheric source of travelling convection vortices. Journal of Geophysical Research, 109, A02204, 10.1029/2003JA010214
2003
Lam, M. M. and Rodger, A. S. (2003), An investigation into the correlation of geomagnetic storms with tropospheric parameters over the South Pole. Annales Geophysicae, 21, 1095–1100, 10.5194/angeo-21-1095-2003
2002
Lam, M. M., and Rodger, A. S. (2002), The effect of Forbush decreases on tropospheric parameters over South Pole. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 64, 41-45, 10.1016/S1364-6826(01)00092-X
2001
Lam, M. M., and Rodger, A. S. (2001), A case study test of Araki’s physical model of geomagnetic sudden commencement. Journal of Geophysical Research, 106, 13135-13144, 10.1029/2000JA900134
1998
German, C. R., Richards, K. J., Rudnicki, M. D., Lam, M. M., Charlou J. L., and the FLAME Scientific Party (1998), Topographic control of a dispersing hydrothermal plume, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 156, 267-273, 10.1016/S0012-821X(98)00020-X
Publications from NERC Open Research Archive
2023
Lam, M.M. ORCID record for M.M. Lam, Shore, R.M. ORCID record for R.M. Shore, Chisham, G. ORCID record for G. Chisham, Freeman, M.P. ORCID record for M.P. Freeman, Grocott, A., Walach, M.-T., Orr, L.. (2023) A Model of High Latitude Ionospheric Convection Derived From SuperDARN EOF Model Data. Space Weather, 21 (). 17 pp. 10.1029/2023SW003428
Orr, L., Grocott, A., Walach, M.‐T., Chisham, G. ORCID record for G. Chisham, Freeman, M.P. ORCID record for M.P. Freeman, Lam, M.M. ORCID record for M.M. Lam, Shore, R.M. ORCID record for R.M. Shore. (2023) A quantitative comparison of high latitude electric field models during a large geomagnetic storm. Space Weather, 21 (). 24 pp. 10.1029/2022SW003301
2019
Lam, Mai Mai ORCID record for Mai Mai Lam, Freeman, Mervyn P. ORCID record for Mervyn P. Freeman, Jackman, C.M., Rae, I.J., Kalmoni, N.M.E., Sandhu, J.K., Forsyth, C.. (2019) How well can we estimate Pedersen conductance from the THEMIS white-light all-sky cameras?. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 124 (). pp. 10.1029/2018JA026067
2018
Lam, Mai Mai ORCID record for Mai Mai Lam, Freeman, Mervyn P. ORCID record for Mervyn P. Freeman, Chisham, Gareth ORCID record for Gareth Chisham. (2018) IMF-driven change to the Antarctic tropospheric temperature due to the global atmospheric electric circuit. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Research, 180 (). pp. 10.1016/j.jastp.2017.08.027
2016
Lam, Mai Mai ORCID record for Mai Mai Lam, Tinsley, Brian A.. (2016) Solar wind-atmospheric electricity-cloud microphysics connections to weather and climate. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 149 (). pp. doi:10.1016/j.jastp.2015.10.019
2014
Lam, Mai Mai ORCID record for Mai Mai Lam, Chisham, Gareth ORCID record for Gareth Chisham, Freeman, Mervyn ORCID record for Mervyn Freeman. (2014) Solar-wind-driven geopotential height anomalies originate in the Antarctic lower troposphere. Geophysical Research Letters, 41 (). pp. 10.1002/2014GL061421
2013
Lam, Mai Mai ORCID record for Mai Mai Lam, Chisham, Gareth ORCID record for Gareth Chisham, Freeman, Mervyn P. ORCID record for Mervyn P. Freeman. (2013) The interplanetary magnetic field influences mid-latitude surface atmospheric pressure. Environmental Research Letters, 8 (). pp. 10.1088/1748-9326/8/4/045001
2011
Meredith, Nigel P. ORCID record for Nigel P. Meredith, Horne, Richard B. ORCID record for Richard B. Horne, Lam, Mai Mai ORCID record for Mai Mai Lam, Denton, Michael H., Borovsky, Joseph E., Green, Janet C.. (2011) Energetic electron precipitation during high-speed solar wind stream driven storms. Journal of Geophysical Research, 116 (). 15 pp. 10.1029/2010JA016293
2010
Rodger, Craig J., Clilverd, Mark A. ORCID record for Mark A. Clilverd, Green, Janet C., Lam, Mai Mai ORCID record for Mai Mai Lam. (2010) Use of POES SEM-2 observations to examine radiation belt dynamics and energetic electron precipitation into the atmosphere. Journal of Geophysical Research, 115 (). 13 pp. 10.1029/2008JA014023
Lam, Mai Mai ORCID record for Mai Mai Lam, Horne, Richard B. ORCID record for Richard B. Horne, Meredith, Nigel P. ORCID record for Nigel P. Meredith, Glauert, Sarah A. ORCID record for Sarah A. Glauert, Moffat-Griffin, Tracy ORCID record for Tracy Moffat-Griffin, Green, Janet C.. (2010) Origin of energetic electron precipitation >30 keV into the atmosphere. Journal of Geophysical Research, 115 (). 15 pp. 10.1029/2009JA014619
2009
Horne, Richard ORCID record for Richard Horne, Lam, Mai Mai ORCID record for Mai Mai Lam, Green, Janet. C.. (2009) Energetic electron precipitation from the outer radiation belt during geomagnetic storms. Geophysical Research Letters, 36 (). 4 pp. 10.1029/2009GL040236
Lam, M. M. ORCID record for M. M. Lam, Horne, R. B. ORCID record for R. B. Horne, Meredith, N. P. ORCID record for N. P. Meredith, Glauert, S. A. ORCID record for S. A. Glauert. (2009) Radiation belt electron flux variability during three CIR-driven geomagnetic storms. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 71 (). pp. 10.1016/j.jastp.2008.06.007
2008
Chisham, G. ORCID record for G. Chisham, Freeman, M.P. ORCID record for M.P. Freeman, Abel, G.A., Lam, M. M. ORCID record for M. M. Lam, Pinnock, M., Coleman, I. J., Milan, S. E., Lester, M., Bristow, W. A., Greenwald, R. A., Sofko, G. J., Villain, J.-P.. (2008) Remote sensing of the spatial and temporal structure of magnetopause and magnetotail reconnection from the ionosphere. Reviews of Geophysics, 46 (). 27 pp. doi:10.1029/2007RG000223
2007
Lam, M.M. ORCID record for M.M. Lam, Horne, R.B. ORCID record for R.B. Horne, Meredith, N.P. ORCID record for N.P. Meredith, Glauert, S.A. ORCID record for S.A. Glauert. (2007) Modeling the effects of radial diffusion and plasmaspheric hiss on outer radiation belt electrons. Geophysical Research Letters, 34 (). 5 pp. 10.1029/2007GL031598
2006
Lam, M.M. ORCID record for M.M. Lam, Pinnock, M., Donovan, E.F.. (2006) Observations of nightside magnetic reconnection during substorm growth and expansion phases. Journal of Geophysical Research, 111 (). 11 pp. 10.1029/2005JA011356
2005
Chisham, G. ORCID record for G. Chisham, Freeman, M.P. ORCID record for M.P. Freeman, Lam, M.M. ORCID record for M.M. Lam, Abel, G.A., Sotirelis, T., Greenwald, R.A., Lester, M.. (2005) A statistical comparison of SuperDARN spectral width boundaries and DMSP particle precipitation boundaries in the afternoon sector ionosphere. Annales Geophysicae, 23 (). pp. 10.5194/angeo-23-3645-2005
2004
Lam, M.M. ORCID record for M.M. Lam, Rodger, A.S.. (2004) A test of the magnetospheric source of travelling convection vortices. Journal of Geophysical Research, 109 (). 11 pp. 10.1029/2003JA010214
2003
Lam, M.M. ORCID record for M.M. Lam, Rodger, A.S.. (2003) An investigation into the correlation of geomagnetic storms with tropospheric parameters over the South Pole. Annales Geophysicae, 21 (). pp.
2002
Lam, M.M. ORCID record for M.M. Lam, Rodger, A.S.. (2002) The effect of Forbush decreases on tropospheric parameters over South Pole. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 64 (). pp. 10.1016/S1364-6826(01)00092-X
2001
Lam, M.M. ORCID record for M.M. Lam, Rodger, A.S.. (2001) A case study test of Araki’s physical model of geomagnetic sudden commencement. Journal of Geophysical Research, 106 (). pp. 10.1029/2000JA900134
- The Global Electric Circuit
- SWIMMR-T
- A case study test of Araki’s physical model of geomagnetic sudden commencement
Forecast of Actionable Radiation Belt Scenarios (FARBES)