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 WHO I AM:  I came to Cornell University from Moscow, Russia in 1996 from active astrophysics group led by academician Zeldovich. I learned a lot from members of the group, in particular from Prof. Bisnovatyi-Kogan and Dr. Illarionov. In Cornell I learned plasma astrophysics from Prof. Lovelace.

WHAT I AM DOING:  I am leading 2.5D (axisymmetric) and 3D MHD numerical simulations in Cornell Plasma Astrophysics group, and in the US-Russia collaborative research team. Also I am doing lots of simulations/visualizations myself and work in a number of interesting directions.  I enjoy to guide Cornell graduate student Akshay Kulkarni and guest-student from Italy Matteo Bachetti who are doing a lot of nice computing work. 

MAIN RESEARCH INTERESTS:

Numerical simulations of the disk accretion onto a star with a dipole or more complex magnetic fields, investigation of the funnel flows, application to T Tauri stars, comparison of theoretical models with spectra of T Tauri stars. Modeling of accretion to CTTSs with magnetic fields reconstructed from observations: V2129 Oph abd BP Tau.

3D MHD modeling of accreting millisecond pulsars. Simulations have shown that the hot spots on the star may rotate slower/faster than the star (Romanova et al. 2003, 2004) and that may be the reason of QPO variability. Recent simulations of accretion to a star with very weak magnetic field, in the regime of the magnetic boundary layer,  have shown that spots may rotate with the frequency of the inner disk, that is much faster than the star.

Recent MHD simulations have shown that matter may accrete either in stable regime, through the funnel streams, or in the regime of the interchange instability through the unstable tongues. We investigate the dependence of the boundary between stable and unstable regimes on different parameters and possible observational signs of the unstable regime in CTSSs and millisecond pulsars.

The origin of astrophysical jets and winds. MHD simulations  and analysis of magneto-centrifugally driven jets and outflows from the disk.  MHD simulations of outflows from the disk-magnetosphere boundary. Recently obtained long-lasting outflows in the form of conical winds. Collimation of outflows. Numerical modeling of the magnetic loops threading an accretion disk.

Theoretical and numerical investigation of different stages of evolution of isolated neutron stars. Accretion to magnetic dipole: spherical Bondi accretion, accretion in the "propeller" regime. Modeling of propagation of magnetized neutron stars through the ISM. Observability of isolated neutron stars.

RECENT RESULTS:

1995 - First 2.5D simulations of jets from the disk as a boundary (Ustyugova, Koldoba, Romanova, Chechetkin, Lovelace)
1997 - First 2.5D simulations of stationary jets (Romanova, Ustyugova, Koldoba, Chechetkin, Lovelace)
1998 - First 2.5D simulations of  coronal loops threading the disk (Romanova, Ustyugova, Koldoba, Chechetkin, Lovelace)
1999 - First comparison of jets from 2.5D simulations with theory (Ustyugova, Koldoba, Romanova, Chechetkin, Lovelace)
1999 - First 2.5D simulations of Bondi accretion to a magnetized star (Toropin, Toropina, Savelyev, Romanova, et al.)
2001 - First 2.5D simulations of magnetized stars propagating through the ISM (Toropina, Romanova, Toropin, Lovelace)
2002 - First 2.5D simulations of funnel streams (Romanova, Ustyugova, Koldoba, Lovelace)
2002 - First 3D simulations of disk accretion to a misaligned dipole (Koldoba et al. 2002; Romanova et al. 2003, 2004)
2003 - First 2.5D simulations of spherical accretion in the propeller regime (Romanova, Toropina, Toropin, Lovelace)
2004 - Helped to revive the graduate student course on Plasma Astrophysics in Astronomy Department (with Prof. Lovelace)
2004 - First 2.5D simulations of the disk accretion in the propeller regime (Romanova, Ustyugova, Koldoba , Lovelace)
2005 - Initiated and helped to organize an astronomy exhibit in the Ithaca Science Center, called "Life of a Star"
2005 - Started weekly Plasma Astrophysics Seminars in Astronomy Department at Cornell University
2006 - Discovered  disk accretion through 3D instabilities (Romanova & Lovelace 2006; Kulkarni, Romanova 2008 )
2007 - First 3D simulations of accretion to a star with non-dipole magnetic field (Long, Romanova & Lovelace)
2008 - First 3D simulations of magnetized boundary layers  and QPOs  of a disk frequency (Romanova, Kulkarni 2008)
2009 - First 2.5 simulations of long-lasting outflows (conical winds) from stars of any spin (RUKL09)
2009 - First 3D simulations of  QPOs from stars accreting in the unstable regime (Kulkarni, Romanova 2009)

410 Space Sciences Building, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, phone: (607) 255-6915, 
e-mail: romanova AT astro.cornell.edu