Wenda Cao
(Cao, W.)
Professor, Center for Solar Research - CA
101 Tiernan Hall (TIER)
About Me
Dr. Wenda Cao is currently a Professor of Physics at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). He is the Director of the Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) of the NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research (CSTR), which operates the 1.6-meter clear aperture, off-axis Goode Solar Telescope (GST) at Big Bear Lake, California.

Dr. Cao is currently serving on the Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee (AAAC) of the National Science Foundation (NSF). He is also serving on
the Science Working Group of 4-Meter Inouye Solar Telescope which is the largest aperture solar telescope ever built in the world. Dr. Cao has been serving on NJIT Faculty Research Advisory Board since 2014, as well as serving on a committee making the NJIT Strategic Plan for the College of Science and Liberal Arts: 2015-2020.
Education
Ph.D. ; National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences ; Astrophysics And Astronomical Instrument ; 2001

M.S. ; National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences ; ; 1992

B.S. ; University of National Defense Science and Technology (China) ; ; 1989

2025 Fall Courses
PHYS 725 - INDEPENDENT STUDY I

PHYS 726 - INDEPENDENT STUDY II

PHYS 792 - PRE-DOCTORAL RESEARCH

PHYS 701B - MASTER'S THESIS

PHYS 701C - MASTER'S THESIS

PHYS 790A - DOCT DISSERTATION & RES

PHYS 490 - INDEPENDENT STUDY

PHYS 700B - MASTER'S PROJECT

PHYS 491 - INDEPENDENT STUDY II

Past Courses
PHYS 102: GENERAL PHYSICS

PHYS 105: PHYSICS A

PHYS 106: PHYSICS B

PHYS 111: PHYSICS I

PHYS 320: ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSCIS I

PHYS 780: CURR TOPICS APPLIED PHYS

Research Interests
Dr. Cao studies the solar small-scale physical processes in the photosphere and chromosphere using high-resolution imaging spectroscopy and polarimetry in the visible and near-infrared. His research interests involve the investigation of fine structures in solar sunspots and granulation, dynamics of small-scale magnetic fields and jets, flares and filament eruptions, and coronal heating. Dr. Cao is also engaged in the development of next-generation instruments and data analysis tools for high-resolution solar observations, such as imaging spectrometers and polarimeters, adaptive optics, and cryogenic infrared spectrographs. Dr. Cao has actively advanced Goode Solar Telescope campaign observations with other ground-based solar optical/radio telescopes and NASA solar space missions. He is also advancing international collaboration between large ground-based solar telescopes, with an emphasis on instrumentation development and sharing technology.
Journal Article
Xu Yang, Wenda Cao. 2025. "High-resolution observations of an X6.4 Solar Flare in the Mid-Infrared." Astrophysical Journal Letters , vol. 988 , pp. L56.

Satoshi Inoue, , , , , Wenda Cao. 2025. "Acceleration of Solar Eruptions via Enhanced Torus Instability Driven by Small-scale Flux Emergence,." Astrophysical Journal Letters , vol. 988 , pp. L36.

Wenda Cao, , Wenda Cao. 2025. "Meso‑scale Photospheric Convection during Chromospheric Fan‑shaped Surge on Light Bridge." Discover Applied Sciences, , vol. 7 , pp. 385.

, , Haimin Wang, Wenda Cao. 2025. "Solar Flares Triggered by a Filament Peeling Process Revealed by High-resolution GST Ha Observations,." Astrophysical Journal Letters , vol. 980 , pp. L4.

Wenda Cao, , , , Vasyl Yurchyshyn, , Sijie Yu, , Wenda Cao. 2025. "High-resolution Observations of an X-1.0 White-light Flare with Moving Flare Ribbons,." Astrophysical Journal Letters , vol. 979 , pp. L43.

SHOW MORE
Other
"Astronomical Massive Data Processing Technology"
Advances in Astronomy, January (1st Quarter/Winter), 2020.

Conference Proceeding
"CYRA - The cryogenic infrared spectrograph for the Goode Solar Telescope in Big Bear"
January (1st Quarter/Winter), 2020.

"Multi-wavelength Multi-height Study of Super Strong Surface and Coronal Magnetic Fields in Active Region 12673"
June, 2019.

"Study of 3D magnetic Structure Corresponding to Extremely Strong Photospheric Magnetic Fields in Active Region 12673"
May, 2018.

"AO-308: the high-order adaptive optics system at Big Bear Solar Observatory"
Proceedings of the SPIE, September, 2014.

"Control and operation of the 1.6 m New Solar Telescope in Big Bear"
August, 2014.

SHOW MORE
Book
A. Anđić, J. Chae, H. Park, H. Yang, Keun Hyuk Ahn, Wenda Cao, Y. D. Park. "Connection between chromospheric events and photospheric dynamics." 55-71 pp. 2015. ISBN 9783319121239.

Jongchul Chae, Hyung Min Park, Kwangsu Ahn, Heesu Yang, Young Deuk Park, Kyung Suk Cho, Wenda Cao. "Doppler shifts of the hα line and the ca ii 854.2 nm line in a quiet region of the sun observed with the FISS/NST." 89-103 pp. 2015. ISBN 9783319121239.

Jongchul Chae, Hyung Min Park, Kwangsu Ahn, Heesu Yang, Young Deuk Park, Jakyoung Nah, Bi Ho Jang, Kyung Suk Cho, Wenda Cao, Philip R. Goode. "Fast imaging solar spectrograph of the 1.6 meter new solar telescope at big bear solar observatory." 1-22 pp. 2015. ISBN 9783319121239.

Hyungmin Park, Jongchul Chae, Donguk Song, Ram Ajor Maurya, Heesu Yang, Young Deuk Park, Bi Ho Jang, Jakyoung Nah, Kyung Suk Cho, Yeon Han Kim, Kwangsu Ahn, Wenda Cao, Philip R. Goode. "Temperature of solar prominences obtained with the fast imaging solar spectrograph on the 1.6 m new solar telescope at the big bear solar observatory." 105-116 pp. 2015. ISBN 9783319121239.

Philip R. Goode, Wenda Cao. "Infrared observations from the new solar telescope at big bear." 315-322 pp. 2014. ISBN 9781489980052.