My main scientific interests are in problems of plasma astrophysics, especially solar and heliospheric physics, from an observational and experimental point of view. Studying the Sun and the heliosphere has an essential advantage over studying other astrophysical objects in that detailed spatially resolved observations and even in-situ observations can be obtained. Over the past two decades, I have been working on problems of how the solar corona is heated, how magnetic energy is converted, how energetic particles are accelerated and how they escape from acceleration sites into interplanetary space. During this time, I have published 163 papers in refereed journals addressing these problems, 32 as a first author.

Most of the recent advances in our understanding of heliophysics have been provided by space instrumentations. It is therefore essential to be closely involved in or to lead future space hardware projects. I have successfully worked to become a leading figure in the planning and designing of space missions. I am Principal Investigator (PI) of the STIX instrument on ESA’s Solar Orbiter and the NASA Small Explorer mission RHESSI, and have been the PI of sounding rocket missions, FOXSI and FOXSI 2.

Currently, I hold a double appointment, shared between the FHNW University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland and the Space Sciences Laboratory (SSL), University of California, Berkeley, USA. At FHNW, I have a faculty position working on the STIX project as the PI, and at Berkeley, I have a Senior Fellow position to lead the RHESSI project.

Presently my work is divided between:
(1) Management of space hardware projects and associated science exploitation
(2) Planning, lobbying, designing and managing of future space instrumentation
(3) Data analysis of various remote sensing solar observations and spacecraft in-situ observations of solar energetic particles
(4) Mentoring undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral scientists

Work experience

2011
Faculty at University of FHNW Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland

2010 to present
double appointment at and the FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland and the Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley, USA

2008–2010
Head of space allocation committee at the Space Sciences Laboratory

2008
Member of the executive committee to the director of the Space Sciences Laboratory

2006 to present
Senior Fellow at the Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley

2000–2006
Research physicist at the Space Sciences Laboratory

1999–2000
Extension of fellowship of the Swiss National Science Foundation (2 years)

1998
Fellowship of the Swiss National Science Foundation awarded (1 year)

1997–2000
Post-doctorate position at the Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley (with Prof. R. P. Lin)

Education

1996
PhD Thesis: "Small Solar Flares in Radio and X-rays: Microflares and Radio Bursts"

1993–1996
PhD student at the Institute of Astronomy, ETH Zürich (Prof. A. O. Benz)

1992
Diploma in experimental physics (Masters Degree), ETH Zürich
Diploma thesis in Quantum Electronics: "Investigations on Photorefractive KNbO3 in the Red and Near Infrared" (supervisor Prof. P. Günter, Institut für Quantenelektronik, ETH Zürich)

1987–1992
Study of experimental physics, ETH Zürich, Switzerland

1982–1986
Kantonsschule Baden, Switzerland

• Wang, L., Lin, R.P., Säm Krucker, Gosling, J.T.:  Evidence for double injections in scatter-free solar impulsive electron events, Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 33, Issue 3, CiteID L03106, 2006
• Dauphin, C.; Vilmer, N.; Krucker, Säm:  Observations of a soft X-ray rising loop associated with a type II burst and a coronal mass ejection in the 03 November 2003 X-ray flare, Astronomy and Astrophysics, 455, 339, 2006
• Hurford, G. J.; Krucker, Säm; Lin, R. P.; Schwartz, R. A.; Share, G. H.; Smith, D. M.:  Gamma-Ray Imaging of the 2003 October/November Solar Flares, The Astrophysical Journal, 644, L93, 2006
• Yan, Y.; Pick, M.; Wang, M.; Säm Krucker; Vourlidas, A.:  A Radio Burst and Its Associated CME on March 17, 2002, Solar Physics 239, 239, 2006
• Reiner, M. J., Säm Krucker; Gary, D. E.; Dougherty, B. L.; Kaiser, M. L.; Bougeret, J.-L.:  Radio and White-Light Coronal Signatures Associated with the RHESSI Hard X-Ray Event of 2002 July 23, The Astrophysical Journal, 657, 1107, 2007
• Säm Krucker, E.P. Kontar & Robert P. Lin:  Solar Flare Electron Spectra at the Sun and near the Earth, The Astrophysical Journal, 663, L109, 2007
• Kartavykh, W. Droege, B. Klecker, G. M. Mason, E. Moebius, M. Popecki, and Säm Krucker:  Evidence for a Two-Temperature Source Region in the 3He-Rich Solar Energetic Particle Event of 2000 May 1, The Astrophysical Journal, 671, 947, 2007
• Säm Krucker, S.M. White, & Robert P. Lin:  Solar Flare Hard X-ray Emission from the High Corona, The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 669, 49, 2007
• Säm Krucker, I.G. Hannah, & Robert P. Lin:  RHESSI and Hinode X-ray Observations of a Partially Occulted Solar Flare, The Astrophysical Journal Letter, 671, L193, 2007
• Säm Krucker & Robert P. Lin:  Hard X-ray emissions from partially occulted flares, The Astrophysical Journal, 673, 1181, 2008
• Saldanha, Säm Krucker, & Robert P. Lin:  Hard X-ray Spectral Evolution and Production of Solar Energetic Particle Events during the January 2005 X-class Flares, The Astrophysical Journal, 673, 1169, 2008
• J.-L. Bougeret and 42 co-authors: The Radio and Plasma Wave Investigation on the STEREO Mission, Space Science Reviews, 10.1007/s11214-007-9298-8, 2008
• N. V. Nitta, G.M Mason, M.E. Wiedenbeck, C.M.S. Cohen, Säm Krucker, I.G. Hannah, M. Shimojo, K.  Shibata:  Coronal Jet Observed by Hinode as the Source of a 3He-rich Solar Energetic Particle Event, The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 675, L125, 2008
• I.G. Hannah, Säm Krucker, H.S. Hudson, S. Christe, S., R.P. Lin:  An intriguing solar microflare observed with RHESSI, Hinode, and TRACE, Astronomy and Astrophysics, 481, L45, 2008
• S. Christe, I.G. Hannah, Säm Krucker, J. McTiernan & Robert P. Lin:  RHESSI microflare Statisitcs: I. Flare Finding and Frequency Distribution, The Astrophysical Journal, 677, 1385, 2008
• I.G. Hannah, S. Christe, Säm Krucker, G.D. Hurford, H.S. Hudson, & Robert P. Lin:  RHESSI microflare Statisitcs: II. X-ray Imaging, Spectrocsopy and Energy Distribution, The Astrophysical Journal, 677, 704, 2008
• Säm Krucker, G.D. Hurford, A.L. MacKinnon, A.Y. Shih, & Robert P. Lin:  Coronal g-Ray Bremsstrahlung from Solar Flare-accelerated Electrons, The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 678, L63, 2008
• G. Trottet, Säm Krucker, T. Lüthi, A. Magun:  Radio submillimeter and g-ray observations of the 2003 October 28 flare, The Astrophysical Journal, 678, 509, 2008
• S. Christe, Säm Krucker,  & Robert P. Lin:  Hard X-Rays Associated with Type III Radio Bursts, The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 680, L149, 2008
• K.-L. Klein, Säm Krucker, G. Lointier  &  A. Kerdraon:  Open magnetic flux tubes in the corona and the transport of solar energetic particles, Astronomy  & Astrophysics, 486, 589, 2008
• P. Saint-Hilaire, Säm Krucker, & Robert P. Lin:  A statistical survey of hard X-ray spectral characteristics of solar flares with two footpoints, Solar Physics, 250, 53, 2008
• Säm Krucker, P. Saint-Hilaire, S. Christe, S. M. White, A. D. Chavier, S. D. Bale, & Robert P. Lin:  Coronal Hard X-Ray Emission Associated with Radio Type III Bursts, The Astrophysical Journal, 681, 644, 2008
• Säm Krucker and 11 co-authors:  Hard X-ray emission from the solar corona, Astronomy  & Astrophysics Reviews, 16, 155, 2008
• C. Chifor, H. Isobe, H.E. Mason, I.G. Hannah, P.R. Young, G. Del Zanna, Säm Krucker, K. Ichimoto, Y. Katsukawa, T. Yokoyama:  Magnetic flux cancellation associated with a recurring solar jet observed with Hinode, RHESSI, and STEREO/EUVI, Astronomy and Astrophysics, 491, 279, 2008
• Säm Krucker, P.H. Oakley, R.P. Lin:  Spectra of Solar Impulsive Electron Events Observed Near Earth, Astrophysical Journal, 691, 806, 2009
• Ya-Hui Yang, C.Z. Cheng, Säm Krucker, R.P. Lin, W.H. Ip:  A Statistical Study of Hard X-Ray Footpoint Motions in Large Solar Flares, Astrophysical Journal, 693, 132, 2009
• P. Kaufmann, G. Trottet, C. Giménez de Castro, J.-P. Raulin, Säm Krucker, A.Y. Shih, Albert Y., H. Levato:  Sub-terahertz, Microwaves and High Energy Emissions During the 6 December 2006 Flare, at 18:40 UT, Solar Physics, 255, 131, 2009
• A. Asai, H. Nakajima, M. Shimojo, T. Yokoyama, S. Masuda, Säm Krucker:  Imaging Spectroscopy on Preflare Coronal Nonthermal Sources Associated with the 2002 July 23 Flare, Astrophysical Journal, 695, 1623, 2009
• P. Saint-Hilaire, Säm Krucker, S. Christe, R.P. Lin:  The X-ray Detectability of Electron Beams Escaping from the Sun, Astrophysical Journal, 696, 941, 2009
• T. Minoshima, S. Imada, T. Morimoto, T. Kawate, H. Koshiishi, M. Kubo, S. Inoue, H. Isobe, S. Masuda, Säm Krucker, T. Yokoyama:  Multiwavelength Observation of Electron Acceleration in the 2006 December 13 Flare, Astrophysical Journal, 697, 843, 2009
• S. Masson, K.-L. Klein, R. Buetikofer, E. Flueckiger, V. Kurt, B. Yushkov, Säm Krucker:  Acceleration of Relativistic Protons during the 20 January 2005 Flare and CME, Solar Physics, 257, 305, 2009
• M.D. Fivian, Säm Krucker, R.P. Lin:  Energy Deposition and Hard X-Ray Source Motions in the 2002 July 23 g-Ray Flare, Astrophysical Journal, 697, 843, 2009
• Watanabe, K.; Lin, R. P.; Krucker, S.; Murphy, R. J.; Share, G. H.; Harris, M. J.; Gros, M.; Muraki, Y.; Sako, T.; Matsubara, Y.; and 14 coauthors:  Physics of ion acceleration in the solar flare on 2005 September 7 determines gamma-ray and neutron production, AdSpR, 44, 789, 2009
• Giménez de Castro, C. G.; Trottet, G.; Silva-Valio, A.; Krucker, Säm; Costa, J. E. R.; Kaufmann, P.; Correia, E.; Levato, H.:  Submillimeter and X-ray observations of an X class flare, Astronomy  & Astrophysics, 507, 433, 2009
• Grayson, James A.; Krucker, Säm; Lin, R. P.: A Statistical Study of Spectral Hardening in Solar Flares and Related Solar Energetic Particle Events, Astrophysical Journal, 707, 1588, 2009
• Eastwood, J. P.; Wheatland, M. S.; Hudson, H. S.; Krucker, S.; Bale, S. D.; Maksimovic, M.; Goetz, K.; Bougeret, J.-L.:  On The Brightness and Waiting-Time Distributions of a Type III Radio Storm Observed By Stereo/Waves, Astrophysical Journal, 708, 95, 2010
• Feldman, William C.; Lawrence, David J.; Goldsten, John O.; Gold, Robert E.; Baker, Daniel N.; Haggerty, Dennis K.; Ho, George C.; Krucker, Säm; Lin, Robert P.; Mewaldt, Richard A.; and 8 coauthors:  Evidence for extended acceleration of solar flare ions from 1-8 MeV solar neutrons detected with the MESSENGER Neutron Spectrometer, Journal of Geophysical Research, Volume 115, Issue A1, 2010
• Temmer, M.; Veronig, A. M.; Kontar, E. P.; Krucker, Säm; Vrsnak, B.:  Combined STEREO and RHESSI Study of Coronal Mass Ejection Acceleration and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares, Astrophysical Journal, 712, 1410, 2010
• Oka, M.; Phan, T.-D.; Krucker, Säm; Fujimoto, M.; Shinohara, I.:  Electron Acceleration by Multi-Island Coalescence, Astrophysical Journal, 714, 915, 2010
• Krucker, Säm; Hudson, H. S.; Glesener, L.; White, S. M.; Masuda, S.; Wuelser, J.-P.; Lin, R. P.:  Measurements of the Coronal Acceleration Region of a Solar Flare, Astrophysical Journal, 714, 1108, 2010
• Watanabe, Kyoko; Krucker, Säm; Hudson, Hugh; Shimizu, Toshifumi; Masuda, Satoshi; Ichimoto, Kiyoshi:  G-band and Hard X-ray Emissions of the 2006 December 14 Flare Observed by Hinode/SOT and RHESSI, Astrophysical Journal, 715, 651, 2010
• Saint-Hilaire, P.; Krucker, Säm; Lin, R. P.:  Statistically Derived Flaring Chromospheric-Coronal Density Structure from Non-thermal X-ray Observations of the Sun, Astrophysical Journal, 721, 1933, 2010
• Kahler, S. W.; Krucker, Säm; Szabo, A.:  Solar energetic electron probes of magnetic cloud field line lengths, Journal of Geophysical Research, Volume 116, Issue A1, CiteID A01104, 2011
• Martínez Oliveros, J. C.; Couvidat, S.; Schou, J.; Krucker, Säm; Lindsey, C.; Hudson, H. S.; Scherrer, P.:  Imaging Spectroscopy of a White-Light Solar Flare, Solar Physics, in press, 2011
• Wang, L.; Lin, R. P.; Krucker, Säm:  Pitch-angle Distributions and Temporal Variations of 0.3-300 keV Solar Impulsive Electron Events, Astrophysical Journal, 727, 121, 2011
• Ishikawa, S.; Krucker, Säm; Takahashi, T.; Lin, R. P.:  RHESSI Imaging Survey of gamma-ray Bremsstrahlung Emission in Solar Flares, Astrophysical Journal, 728, 22, 2011
• Martínez Oliveros, J. C.; Couvidat, S.; Schou, J.; Krucker, S.; Lindsey, C.; Hudson, H. S.; Scherrer, P.: Imaging Spectroscopy of a White-Light Solar Flare, Solar Physics, 269, 269, 2011
• Yang, Ya-Hui; Cheng, C. Z.; Krucker, Säm; Hsieh, Min-Shiu: Estimation of the Reconnection Electric Field in the 2003 October 29 X10 Flare, Astrophysical Journal, 732, 15, 2011
• Krucker, Säm; Raftery, Claire L.; Hudson, Hugh S.: Temperature and Density Estimates of Extreme-ultraviolet Flare Ribbons Derived from TRACE Diffraction Patterns, Astrophysical Journal, 734, 34, 2011
• Christe, S.; Krucker, Säm; Saint-Hilaire, P.: The RHESSI Microflare Height Distribution, Solar Physics, 270, 493, 2011
• Baylor, R. N.; Cassak, P. A.; Christe, S.; Hannah, I. G.; Krucker, Säm; Mullan, D. J.; Shay, M. A.; Hudson, H. S.; Lin, R. P.: Estimates of Densities and Filling Factors from a Cooling Time Analysis of Solar Microflares Observed with RHESSI, Astrophysical Journal, 736, 75, 201
• Hannah, I. G.; Hudson, H. S.; Battaglia, M.; Christe, S.; Kašparová, J.; Krucker, Säm; Kundu, M. R.; Veronig, A., Microflares and the Statistics of X-ray Flares, Space Science Reviews, Online First
• Ishikawa, S.; Krucker, Säm; Takahashi, T.; Lin, R. P.: On the Relation of Above-the-loop and Footpoint Hard X-Ray Sources in Solar Flares, Astrophysical Journal, 737, 48, 2011
• Agueda, Neus; Krucker, Säm; Lin, Robert P.; Wang, Linghua: On the Near-Earth Observation of Protons and Electrons from the Decay of Low-energy Solar Flare Neutrons, Astrophysical Journal, 737, 53, 2011
• Säm Krucker,  H. S. Hudson, N. L. S. Jeffrey, M. Battaglia, E. P. Kontar, A. O. Benz, A. Csillaghy, R. P. Lin: High-Resolution Imaging of Solar Flare Ribbons and its Implication on the Thick-Target Beam Model, Astrophysical Journal , 739, 96, 2011
• Säm Krucker, E.P. Kontar, S. Christe, L. Glesener,  Robert P. Lin:  Electron Acceleration Associated with Solar Jets, The Astrophysical Journal, in press, 2011