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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 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 two Cornell graduate students, Akshay Kulkarni and Min Long who are doing a lot of nice computing work. 

MAIN RESEARCH INTERESTS: Numerical simulations of the disk accretion to 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. Investigation of the "propeller" stage of evolution of T Tauri stars. Application of the disk-magnetosphere interaction models to accreting neutron stars and cataclysmic variables.

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.

The origin of astrophysical jets. MHD simulations and analysis of magneto-centrifugally driven jets and outflows from the disk. Collimation of outflows. Numerical modeling of evolution of magnetic loops threading an accretion disk.

RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS:

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 2007 )
2007 - First 3D simulations of accretion to a star with non-dipole magnetic field (Long, Romanova & Lovelace)

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