Lizxandra Flores-Rivera
I am a researcher studying the evolution of gas and dust during the early stages of planet formation in protoplanetary disks. My work involves running 2D and 3D hydrodynamical simulations of accretion disks, with a focus on how turbulence driven by hydrodynamic instabilities—such as the Vertical Shear Instability (VSI)—influences dust trapping, pebble transport, and observable gas–dust signatures. I also have experience modeling the chemistry of volatile species, both through time-dependent simulations and post-processing analyses, to investigate the chemical abundances and transport of volatiles in disks around protostars and more evolved Class II systems. I am currently completing my first postdoctoral position at the Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, working with Dr. Michiel Lambrechts and Dr. Anders Johansen.
On this website, you will find information about my research, publications, talks, and links to data and code (work in progress). Feel free to contact me with any questions or collaboration ideas.
Research
My research aims to advance our understanding of gas-dust dynamics together with thermal evolution of protoplanetary disks.
These advancements have been accomplished step-by-step modifying existing hydrodynamical codes to incorporate more complex physics to make them more suitable to match it closely to observations.
Currently, I am collaborating with postdoc Rio Nakatani (from University of Milan, Italy) implementing a photochemical table in my simulations to correct the gas temperature with photochemical effects.
Vita
Education
Ph.D., Astronomy
Advisor: Dr. Mario Flock
2022
M.Sc., Physics
Thesis: Chemistry of the envelope and disk of protostar L1527
Advisor: Dr. Susan Terebey
2018
B.Sc., Theoretical Physics
Curricular sequence, Atmospheric Science and Meteorology
2015
You can access my CV here!
Full CV
Publications
Nakatani, R., Terebey, S., Turner, N., and Flores-Rivera, L.: Radiation hydrodynamics simulations of envelope accretion in L1527, in prep. for A&A.
Flores-Rivera, L., Manger, N., Lambrechts, M., Flock, M., and Johansen, A.: Gas dynamics around dust asymmetries in turbulent disks, accepted for A&A.
Terebey, S., Sandoval, Flores-Rivera, L., Turner, N., and Barajas, A.: The dynamics of infall and accretion shocks in the outer disk ApJ. , 990 (53). [LINK]
Flores-Rivera, L., Lambrechts, M., Gavino, S., Flock, M., Johansen, A., and Mignone, A.: UV-processing of icy pebbles in the outer parts of VSI-turbulent disks, A&A., 693 (17pp).[LINK]
Birney, M., Whelan, E., Dougados, C., Pascucci, I., Murphy, A., Flores-Rivera, L., Flock, M., and Kirwan, A.: Spectro-imaging of the RU Lupi Wind and Jet A&AL. , 692 (13pp). [LINK]
Dietrich, J., Apai, D. and 17th co-author: Flores-Rivera, L.: EDEN Survey: Small Transiting Planet Detection Limits and Constraints on the Occurrence Rates of Planets around Late-M Dwarfs within 15 pc ApJ. , 165 (149). [LINK]
Flores-Rivera, L., Flock, M., Kurtovic, N. et al.: Forbidden emission lines in protostellar outflows and jets with MUSE, A&A., 670 (A126).[LINK]
Flores-Rivera, L., Terebey, S., Willacy, K. et al.: Physical and Chemical Structure of the Disk and Envelope of the Class 0/I protostar L1527, A&A., 908 (108F).[LINK]
Flores-Rivera, L., Flock, M., and Nakatani: Hydrodynamical simulations of protoplanetary disks including radiation of stellar photons. I. Resolution study for the vertical shear instability, A&A., 644 (A50).[LINK]
Lang, T. J., Cummer, S. A., Petersen, D., Flores-Rivera, L., Lyons, W. A., McGorman, D., and Beasley, W.: Large charge moment change lightning on 31 May to 1 June 2013, including the El Reno tornadic storm, JGR Atmospheres. , 120 (3354-3369). [LINK]
See my Research Gate profile for a full list.
Presentations and Outreach
I have presented my research at major astrophysics and planetary science conferences, as well as at several academic institutions. I have also had the privilege of delivering lectures on star and planet formation, as well as on solar system topics through the study and identification of meteorites, highlighting their importance to life, at both high schools and universities.
Outreach lecture on star and planet formation at Gefion high school in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Lecture on circumstellar disks at the International Space University, Strasbourg, France.
Movies
Velocity magnitude illustrating VSI turbulence using the Line Integral Convolution (LIC) method.
Download the high-resolution movie: Click here to download
Movie rendering: Thomas Muller (HdA)
Data reference: Flores-Rivera et al. 2020
Gas and dust evolution of a protoplanetary disk (Flores-Rivera et al. 2025).
(a) 100 μm particle trajectory
(b) 1 mm particle trajectory
Dynamical trajectories of a 100 micron-size particle (left) and a 1 mm-size particle (right). Data from Flores-Rivera et al. 2025.