Leopoldo Alejandro Soto Norambuena
Head of the Plasma Physics and Nuclear Fusion Laboratory
Comisión Chilena de Energia Nuclear
Santiago, Chile
Plasma Physics: Transient Electrical Discharges, Dense Z-pinch, Plasma Focus, Nuclear fusion in small devices. Pulsed Power: Pulsed radiation and particles beams. Effects of pulsed radiation in materials and matter life.
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Physics, PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE CHILE. Chile, 1993
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Physics, PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE CHILE. Chile, 1990
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Physics, PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE CHILE. Chile, 1988
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Member of the Academic Sttaf of Master in Physics Part Time
UNIVERSIDAD ANDRES BELLO
Chile
2012 - At present
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Lecturer, Master in Energy Part Time
PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE CHILE
Chile
2009 - At present
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Member of the Academic Staff of the Phd in Applied Sciences Part Time
UNIVERSIDAD DE TALCA
Chile
2008 - At present
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Member of the Academic Staff of the Graduate School in Physics Part Time
UNIVERSIDAD DE CONCEPCION
Chile
2001 - At present
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Consultant Other
IM2-CODELCO
Chile
2013 - 2013
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Consultant Other
CODELCO
Chile
2009 - 2009
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Consultant Other
Codelcotec (ex IM2) CODELCO
Chile
2015 - 2018
THESIS ADVISERED
- 2013-2017: Adviser of Jalaj Jain, Ph. D. student, Doctorado en Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad de Talca
- 2015: Supervisor Gonzalo Lagos. Programa de Magister en Ingeniería de la Energía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
- 2015: Supervisor Claudio Jara. Programa de Magister en Ingeniería de la Energía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
- 2011- 2014: Adviser of Nibaldo Cabrini, Master student, Magister en Física U. Andres Bello.
- 2005- 2010: Adviser of Ariel Tarifeño Ph.D. student U. Concepción.
- 2009 Memory in Physics, José Pedreros, Universidad de Santiago de Chile
- 2002- 2007: Adviser of Cristian Pavez. Ph.D., U. Concepción.
- 1997 – 2003: Adviser of three degree thesis in physics Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (Francisco García, Antonia Alvarado, Cristian Pavez,), two memory in engineering (Army officer Hernán Araya Satis, Carolina Vinet), one memory in Physics engineering (Albert Becas, USACH), three final practical works in physics (Tomislav Vucina and Karla Aubel (USACH), Ariel Tarifeño (U. Chile).
POSTDOCTORAL POSITION ADVISORED
- 2019-present: Dr. Rodrigo Andaur supported by FONDECYT
- 2013-2016: Dra. María José Inestrosa Izurieta, supported by CONICYT and CCHEN
- 2012-2014: Dr. Gonzalo Avaria, supported by CONICYT and CCHEN
- 2011 - 2012: Dr. Ariel Tarifeño
- 2009: Dr. Felipe Veloso (supported by PBCT- Conicyt)
- 2007 - 2009: Dr. Miguel Cárdenas (supported by PBCT- Conicyt)
- 2007 - 2008: Dr. Cristian Pavez (supported by PBCT- Conicyt)
- 2001 - 2002: Dr. Patricio Silva (supported by Presidential Chairs in Science)
- 2000 - 2002: Dr. José Moreno (supported by Presidential Chairs in Science)
- 1998 - 1999: Dr. Andrey Esaulov (supported by FONDECYT)
- Several dissemination activities have been developed to general public. Most relevant:
2010. In collaboration with well known Chilean actors, produced 3 videos dedicated to explain to children and general public what plasma, pulsed power and nuclear fusion are. The videos are available since April 2, 2010, in a channel created by them in youtube (cienciaentretenida´s channel and entertainingscience´s channel).
Spanish version: http://www.youtube.com/user/cienciaentretenida
English version: http://www.youtube.com/user/EntertainingScience
2015: Two new videos for the youtube channel Cienciaentretenida´s were developed: Pulsed Radiation for Life and Health, Plasmas and Pulsed Power for Advanced Materials and Nuclear Fusion.
2019: Panelist in the science section of the broadcasting program "Palabras sacan Palabras", Radio Futuro FM 88.9 MHz, Chile.
- In addition R&D on application of pulsed electrical discharges to mining have been done with mining companies:
2015-2018: Consultant to CODELCOTEC (ex-IM2-CODELCO), Corporación Nacional del Cobre. Scientific director in the project “Design and construction of a electrical pulsed power generator for rock fragmentation: prototype for field test”.
2013: Consultant to IM2-CODELCO, Corporación Nacional del Cobre, in electrical pulsed power applied to rock fragmentation.
2010: Consultant to Ecometales, in minerals liberation by electrical pulses.
2009-2010: Consultant to CODELCO, Corporación Nacional del Cobre, in pulsed power electrical devices.
- April 2013 - present: Member of the Directive Board of the Chilean Physical Society.
- Member of Advisory Scientific Committee of International Conferences:
2005- 2018: Member of the International Advisor Committee of the IAEA Technical Meeting On Fusion Research Using Small Devices
2005- at present: Member of the International Advisor Committee of the International Congress on Plasma Physics ICPP
2004- at present: Member of the International Advisor Committee of the XI Latin American Workshop on Plasma Physics
- Chairman and organizer of conferences:
2017: Chairman of the Local Organizer Committee of the 8th International Conference on Frontiers in Plasma Physics and Technology, 2- 7 April, 2017, Viña del Mar, Chile.
2017: Chairman of the 23 IAEA-TM on Research using Small Fusion Devices, 22-24 March, 2017, Santiago Chile.
2008-2010: Chairman of the International Congress on Plasma Physics ICPP 2010 and Chairman of the Latin American Workshop in Plasma Physics 2010, Santiago, Chile, August 2010
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Blue award
National Commission of Nuclear Energy
Chile, 2011
for outstanding research
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Blue Award
COMISION CHILENA DE ENERGIA NUCLEAR
Chile, 2009
for outstanding research
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Award for best poster
VII Latin American Symposium on Nuclear Physics and Applications
Chile, 2010
for the work “Test of the HYDAD-D Landmaine Detector on Dry Soil in Northen Chile
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Presidential Chair in Science
Presidente de la República de Chile
Chile, 1999
Granted by President of República de Chile by the recommendation of an international scientific jury (2004 Nobel Laureate Frank Wilczeck between them), March 1999.
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Fellow Member
Institute od Physics
Reino Unido, 2007
Awarded for outstanding contributions to plasma physics.
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70 Successful Stories in Innovation and Science
Ministerio de Economía
Chile, 2009
The activities of the research group lead by L. Soto were selected in the book edited by the Ministry of Economy, 70 Successful Stories in Innovation and Science, (70 Historias Exitosas en Innovación y Ciencia), “Low Scale Energy to Solve Big Problems” (“Energía a pequeña escala para resolver grandes problemas”), p. 38.
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Scientific Advisory
Comisión Desafíos del Futuro, Senado de la República de Chile
Chile, 2017
Scientific Advisory of the Commission of Challenges of the Future, Science, Technology and Innovation of the Senate of the Republic of Chile
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Twelve people who did the work during 2017
Las Últimas Noticias
Chile, 2017
• Recognized between the “Twelve people who did the work during 2017”, in a special issue of the Chilean newspaper “Las Últimas Noticias”
Plasma Physics and Pulsed Power for Energy and Life. Effects and Applications in Living Matter and Materials. |
Pathways to Energy from Inertial Fusion=> Materials beyond Ignition=> Material studies for inertial fusion devices using pulsed plasma shocks from a repetitive table top plasma focus device, CRP-IAEA |
EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF SINGULAR PLASMA DOMAINS IN SMALL PLASMA ACCELERATORS OF TYPE PLASMA-FOCUS=> PLASMA FILAMENTS |
Investigations of Materials under Intense Fusion –relevant Pulses using Plasma Focus Devices of different stored energy and repetition rate |
Plasma Physics, Pulsed Power and Cell Biology for Eneregy, Life and environment |
Symbiosis fusion-fission=> innovative concepts for nuclear Energy |
ISSUES IN EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH ON PINCH PLASMA FOCUS |
RESEARCH IN DENSE PLASMAS DRIVEN BY A MEGA-AMPERE DEVICE. |
STUDY OF PLASMA DYNAMIC, SOFT X-RAY AND NEUTRON EMISSION IN PLASMA FOCUS DEVICES OF TENS TO HUNDREDS OF JOULES |
RESEARCH IN DENSE PLASMAS DRIVEN BY A MEGA-AMPERE DEVICE. |
EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE CONFINEMENT EFFECT OF THE HOLLOW CATHODE REGION ON THE SPACE CHARGE IN THE FINAL PRE-BREAKDOWN PHASE OF A TRANSIENT HOLLOW CATHODE DISCHARGE. |
Física de Plasmas en Dispositivos Pequeños |
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON HIGH BRIGHTNESS VUV TO SOFT X-RAY EMISSION. |
THEORETICAL STUDIES AND COMPUTER SIMULATION OF THE PLASMA DYNAMICS IN GAS EMBEDDED COMPRESSIONAL Z-PINCHES AND CAPILLARY DISCHARGES |
EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OS A GAS EMBEDDED COMPRESSIONAL Z-PICH |
SELECTIVE-STATE DENSITY DIAGNOSTICS OF A THERMAL LITHIUM BEAM BY MEANS OF ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY WITH SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS |
ESTUDIO DE INESTABILIDAD EN DESCARGAS ELECTRICAS DE ALTA DENSIDAD |
Investigations of Materials under Intense Fusion –relevant Pulses using Plasma Focus Devices of different stored energy and repetition rate |
Issues in experimental research in pinch plasma focus |
Plasma Physics, Pulsed Power and Cell Biology for Eneregy, Life and environment |
Symbiosis fusion-fission: innovative concepts for nuclear Energy |
A methodology for the digital reconstruction of an interferogram, a schlieren image, or a shadowgram from a single digital holographic recording |