NAME: Timo Pitkänen
Professor (2022/11-present)
Education:
- PhD in Physics/Space Physics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland, June 2011
- MSc in Physics/Space Physics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland, October 2005
Previous Positions
- Researcher, 2018-2022, Umeå University, Sweden
- Visiting Research Scientist, 2017-2020, Shandong University at Weihai, China
- Researcher, 2015-2017, Umeå University, Sweden
- Post-doctoral researcher, 2013-2015, Umeå University, Sweden
- Post-doctoral researcher and part-time teacher 2011-2012, University of Oulu, Finland
- Junior researcher and teaching assistant 2005-2011, University of Oulu, Finland
Selected Publications (October 13, 2025, from > 55 peer-reviewed publications, full up-to-date list of publications at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Timo-Pitkaenen)
- Liu, T. C., T. Pitkänen, S. Nilsson, A. Kullen, J.-S. Park, M. Hamrin, W. S. Shang, H. Z. Wang, and S. T. Yao (2025), IMF By influence on fast earthward convection flows in the near-lunar magnetotail, Geoscience Letters, 12:6, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40562-025-00379-5
- Pitkänen, T., A. Kullen, and G. S. Chong (2024), Importance of the dusk-dawn interplanetary magnetic field component (IMF By) to magnetospheric convection in Earth’s magnetotail plasma sheet, Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, 11:1373249, https://doi.org/10.3389/fspas.2024.1373249
- Pitkänen, T., G. S. Chong, M. Hamrin, A. Kullen, H. Vanhamäki, J.-S. Park, M. Nowada, A. Schillings, and E. Krämer (2023), Fast earthward convection in the magnetotail and nonzero IMF By: MMS statistics, Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics, 128, e2023JA031593, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JA031593
- Pitkänen, T., M. Hamrin, G. S. Chong, and A. Kullen (2021), Relevance of the north-south electric field component in the propagation of fast convective earthward flows in the magnetotail: An event study, Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics, 126, e2021JA029233, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JA029233
- Chong, G. S., T. Pitkänen, M. Hamrin, and A. Kullen (2022), Dawn-dusk ion flow asymmetry in the plasma sheet: Interplanetary magnetic field By versus distance with respect to the neutral sheet, Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics, 127, e2021JA030208, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JA030208
- Pitkänen, T., A. Kullen, K. M. Laundal, P. Tenfjord, Q. Q. Shi, J.-S. Park, M. Hamrin, A. De Spiegeleer, G. S. Chong, and A. M. Tian (2019), IMF By influence on magnetospheric convection in Earth’s magnetotail plasma sheet, Geophysical Research Letters, 46, 11 698 – 11 708, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL084190
- (Invited) Pitkänen, T., M. Hamrin, T. Karlsson, H. Nilsson, and A. Kullen (2017), On IMF By-induced dawn-dusk asymmetries in earthward convective fast flows, AGU Monograph on Dawn-dusk asymmetry in planetary plasma environments (eds. S. Haaland, A. Runov, and C. Forsyth), 230, 95-106
- Pitkänen, T., M. Hamrin, A. Kullen, R. Maggiolo, T. Karlsson, H. Nilsson, and P. Norqvist (2016), Response of magnetotail twisting to variations in IMF By: A THEMIS case study 1-2 January 2009, Geophysical Research Letters, 43, 7822-7830, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL070068
- Pitkänen, T., M. Hamrin, P. Norqvist, T. Karlsson, H. Nilsson, A. Kullen, S. M. Imber, and S. E. Milan (2015), Azimuthal velocity shear within an Earthward fast flow – further evidence for magnetotail untwisting?, Annales Geophysicae, 33, 245-255, http://www.ann-geophys.net/33/245/2015/angeo-33-245-2015.pdf
- He, P. Z., C. Li, M. L. Xu, R. L. Guo, A. W. Degeling, T. Pitkänen, Y. D. Bu, X. Y. Zheng, Y. Zhang, X. H. Jia, A. M. Tian, C. Y. Han, S. F. Wang, T. L. Chen, J. P. Fang, S. W. Sun, W. L. Liu, J. B. Cao, K. M. Quan, Z. Y. Cong, D. D. Ma, Q. G. Zong, S. Y. Fu, S. T. Yao, H. H. Zhang, and Q. Q. Shi (2025), Potential influence of geomagnetic activity on blood pressure statistical fluctuations at mid-magnetic latitudes, Communications Medicine, 5:143, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00822-w.
- Pitkänen, T., G. S. Chong, M. Hamrin, A. Kullen, T. Karlsson, J.-S. Park, M. Nowada, S. T. Yao, A. W. Degeling, A. M. Tian, and Q. Q. Shi (2023), Statistical survey of magnetic forces associated with earthward bursty bulk flows measured by MMS 2017-2021, Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics, 128, e2022JA031094, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JA031094
- Maggiolo, R., M. Hamrin, J. De Keyser, T. Pitkänen, G. Cessateur, H. Gunell, L. Maes (2017), The delayed time response of geomagnetic activity to the solar wind, Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics, 122, 11,109-11,127, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JA023793
- Pitkänen, T., A. T. Aikio, and L. Juusola (2013), Observations of polar cap flow channel and plasma sheet flow bursts during substorm expansion, Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics, 118, 774-784, https://doi.org/10.1002/jgra.50119
- Pitkänen, T., A. T. Aikio, O. Amm, K. Kauristie, H. Nilsson, and K. U. Kaila (2011), EISCAT-Cluster observations of quiet-time near-Earth magnetotail fast flows and their signatures in the ionosphere, Annales Geophysicae, 29, 299-319, http://www.ann-geophys.net/29/299/2011/angeo-29-299-2011.pdf
Grants
- Project grant 2024-04260 (co-I), Swedish Research Council (VR), 2025-2028
- Project of High-End Foreign Expert Introduction Plan of China (PI), Ministry of Science and Technology of China, 2023-2024
- Research Fund for International Excellent Young Scientists (PI), NSFC, 2022
- Project grant 2021-00134 (co-I), Swedish National Space Agency, 2022-2025
- Project grant 118/17 (PI), Swedish National Space Agency, 2018-2022
- Project grant 81/17 (co-I), Swedish National Space Agency, 2018-2021
- Research Fund for International Young Scientists (PI), NSFC, 2018-2019
- Travel grant, Wallenberg foundation, 2016
- Project grant 110/14 (co-I), Swedish National Space Agency, 2015-2016
- Scholarship of doctoral and post-doctoral research, Väisälä Foundation/Finnish Academy of Science and Letters, 2011
Teaching Experiences
- Lecturer in Introduction to Space Weather, Shandong University, 2023-
- Teaching assistant in El- och vågrörelselära (Electromagnetism and wave motion), Umeå University, Sweden, 2017
- Lecturer in Fluid Mechanics, Umeå University, Sweden, 2016
- Visiting lecturer in Electrodynamics with vector analysis, and in Space physics with measuring techniques, Umeå University, Sweden, 2015
- Teaching duties (exercises, …) in various basic, intermediate and advanced courses including Mathematics for physics, Wave motion, Electromagnetism, Basics of space physics, Plasma physics, Fundamentals of incoherent scatter radar, University of Oulu, Finland, 2005-2012
National/International Activities
- Co-convener and co-chair of the session ST2.2 Solar wind’s coupling with magnetospheres and ionospheres and its consequential phenomena (oral + poster), EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, April 27 – May 2, 2025
- Primary convener, chair and OSPA liaison of the oral session SM11B Solar wind’s coupling with magnetospheres and ionospheres and its consequential phenomena I Oral, and Primary convener and chair of the poster session SM13C Solar wind’s coupling with magnetospheres and ionospheres and its consequential phenomena II Poster, AGU Fall Meeting 2024, Washington D.C., USA, December 9 – 13, 2024
- Main convener and chair of a session ST11 Solar wind’s coupling with magnetospheres and ionospheres and its consequential phenomena, AOGS2024 21st Annual Meeting, Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do, South-Korea, June 23 – 28, 2024
- Primary convener, chair and OSPA liaison of a session SM21C Solar wind’s coupling with magnetospheres and ionospheres and its consequential phenomena I Poster, and oral sessions SM23A and SM24B Solar wind’s coupling with magnetospheres and ionospheres and its consequential phenomena II Oral and III Oral, AGU Fall Meeting 2023, San Francisco and Online Everywhere, USA, December 11 – 15, 2023
- Chair of an oral session, International Conference on Substorms 15, Deqing, China, October 15-20, 2023
- Extra-convener of and co-chair (eLightning) in a session SM024 Multiscale plasma convection: Mechanisms, structures, and effects in the magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere (MIT) system, AGU Fall Meeting 2021, New Orleans and Online Everywhere, USA, Dec 13 – 17, 2021
- Co-convener, chair and OSPA liason of a poster session SA23B Inter-hemispheric differences in high-latitude geospace, AGU Fall Meeting 2016, San Francisco, California, USA, Dec 12 – 16, 2016
- Chair of an oral session A23b Different Response Modes of the Magnetosphere to Solar Wind Driving, 26th IUGG General Assembly 2015, Prague, Czech Republic, Jun 22 – Jul 2, 2015
- Co-PI of the nordic NISSE rocket experiment in the REXUS BEXUS student sounding rocket and balloon experiment program by German Aerospace Center (DLR), Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA), Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) and ESA Education Office, 2008-2009
- Member of Local Organising Committee of the 13th EISCAT International Workshop, Mariehamn, Åland Islands, Finland, Aug 6-10, 2007
- Participation in nine Finnish EISCAT incoherent scatter radar measurement campaigns, EISCAT Tromsø and Svalbard sites, Norway, 2004-2011
Fields of Interest
- Solar wind-geospace coupling
- Magnetotail dynamics
- Auroral ionosphere
