Research interests

I work on the dynamics of astrophysical and planetary systems, with a particular focus on fluid dynamics, celestial mechanics, tides, and magnetic processes. My research combines analytical theory, asymptotic methods, and numerical calculations to understand fundamental physical mechanisms in astrophysical fluids and gravitating systems. My research addresses physical processes in planets, stars, and accretion disks, as well as their interactions, with particular emphasis on star–planet tidal and magnetic interactions, magnetic dynamos, internal waves, disk instabilities, and disk–planet interactions.

Selected papers (* denotes papers with students or postdocs)

• Quan, H. and *Wei, X. (2026) Laplace surface of eccentric orbits around Kerr black hole and black hole effects on Lidov–Kozai cycles, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 551: 1621.

• Zheng, J., *Wei, X., Deng, H., Xu, W., Lin, DNC. (2026) Turbulent Infall onto Class 0 Disks as the Cause of the Brief CAI Condensation Episode in the Solar System, Astrophysical Journal, 1004: 106.

• Wei, X. (2025) Magnetic effect on the evolution of an eccentric and inclined orbit, Astrophysical Journal, 990: 8.

• Wei, X. (2025) Energy partition in magnetohydrodynamic turbulence, Proceedings of Royal Society A, 481: 20250200.

• Xu, Y. and *Wei, X. (2025) Propagation and transmission of Jupiter's internal waves, Astrophysical Journal, 986: 176.

• Xu, Y. and *Wei, X. (2025) Wave propagation and transmission in a rotating solar-type star. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 539: 3263-3272.

• Su, Z. and *Wei, X. (2025) Gravitational Instability in Protoplanetary Disk with Cooling: 2D Global Analysis. Astrophysical Journal, 983: 89.

• Wei, X. (2025): Coupling of dynamical tide and orbital motion. Astrophysical Journal, 981: 1.

• Wei, X. and Lin, DNC. (2024): Magnetic field of gas giant exoplanets and its influence on the retention of their exomoons. Astrophysical Journal, 165: 88.

• Wei, X. (2022): Construct a realistic stellar model with polytropic relation. Astronomy and Computing, 41:100650.

• Wei, X. (2022): Magnetic effect on equilibrium tides and its influence on the orbital evolution of binary systems. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 664: A10.

• Wei, X. (2022): Tidal dynamo in solar-like close binary stars. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 513: 5474-5476.

• Hou, Q. and *Wei, X. (2022): Why hot Jupiters can be large but not too large. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 511: 3133-3137.

• Yang, F. and *Wei, X. (2022): Transit Timing Variation of XO-3b: Evidence for Tidal Evolution of Hot Jupiter with High Eccentricity. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 134: 024401.

• Wei, X. (2022): Estimations and scaling laws for stellar magnetic fields. Astrophysical Journal, 926: 40.

• Wei, X. (2021): On the evolution of global ocean tides. Geophysical and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics, 115: 2.

• Wei, X. (2020): Wave reflection and transmission at the interface of convective and stably stratified regions in a rotating star or planet. Astrophysical Journal, 890: 20 (Erratum https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aba8f4)

• Wei, X. (2019): Surface tide on a rapidly rotating body. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 484: 3017-3021.

• Wei, X. (2018): Dynamo induced by time-periodic force. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 855: L7.

• Wei, X. (2018): The magnetic effect on dynamical tide in rapidly rotating astronomical objects. Astrophysical Journal, 854: 34.

• Wei, X. (2016): Calculating rotating hydrodynamic and magnetohydrodynamics waves to understand magnetic effects on dynamical tides. Astrophysical Journal, 828: 30.

• Wei, X. (2016): The combined effect of precession and convection on dynamo action. Astrophysical Journal, 827: 123.

• Wei, X. (2016): Linear and nonlinear responses to harmonic force in rotating flow. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 796: 306-317.

• Wei, X. (2016): Decay of isotropic flow and anisotropic flow with rotation or magnetic field or both in a weakly nonlinear regime. Acta Mechanica, 227: 2403-2413.

• Wei, X., Ji, H. and Goodman, J., et. al. (2016): Numerical simulations of the Princeton magneto-rotational instability experiment with conducting axial boundaries. Physical Review E, 94: 063107.

• Wei, X. and Goodman, J. (2015): On obliquely magnetized and differentially rotating stars. Astrophysical Journal, 806: 50.

• Wei, X. (2014): Kinematic dynamo induced by helical waves. Geophysical and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics, 109: 159-167.

• Wei, X., Arlt, R. and Tilgner, A. (2014): A simplified model of collision-driven dynamo action in small bodies. Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 231: 30-38.

• Wei, X. and Tilgner, A. (2013): Stratified precessional flow in spherical geometry. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 718: R2.

• Wei, X., Jackson, A. and Hollerbach, R. (2012): Kinematic dynamo action in spherical Couette flow. Geophysical and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics, 106: 681-700.

• Wei, X. and Hollerbach, R. (2010): Magnetic spherical Couette flow in linear combinations of axial and dipolar fields. Acta Mechanica, 215: 1-8.

• Wei, X. and Hollerbach, R. (2008): Instabilities of Shercliff and Stewartson layers in spherical Couette flow. Physical Review E, 78: 026309.

Full list of papers

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3641-6732
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Xing-Wei-5/research