Joel Sotelo Flores

Research

Research projects

Current primary direction: computational and physical volcanology. Earlier work spans observational astronomy, experimental physics, and computational mathematics.

Current research

Active

Kīlauea Lava-Fountain Computer Vision

Computer vision and scientific software for segmenting lava-fountain video and supporting quantitative extraction of eruption parameters.

Joel is developing a computer-vision pipeline to segment Kīlauea lava-fountain video and support quantitative extraction of eruption parameters from field footage. The project combines U-Net segmentation, manual labeling, dataset preparation, metadata organization, and field video collection under variable lighting, viewing geometry, and field conditions.

  • computational volcanology
  • physical volcanology
  • computer vision
Active

Ijen Pyroclast Micro-CT and Pore-Network Analysis

Deep-learning segmentation and stereometric analysis of pyroclastic materials from the 1817 Kawah Ijen eruption.

Joel conducts computational volcanology research on pyroclastic micro-CT volumes from the 1817 Kawah Ijen eruption. The work uses U-Net-based deep-learning segmentation, stereometric analysis, Dragonfly, OpenPNM, electron microprobe data, and scanning electron microscopy to investigate vesicularity, pore connectivity, permeability, anisotropy, mineral chemistry, fractionation trends, and pressure-temperature constraints.

  • computational volcanology
  • pyroclast textures
  • micro-CT

Earlier quantitative research

Completed

V0499 Centauri Photometric Analysis

Multi-band observational analysis of the RR Lyrae variable star V0499 Centauri.

Joel conducted multi-band observational analysis of the RR Lyrae variable star V0499 Centauri using robotic telescope data from the Las Cumbres Observatory global telescope network. The work included folded light curves, multiple period-determination methods, and photometric-distance analysis using period-luminosity-metallicity relations, extinction corrections, and comparison with Gaia DR3 parallax measurements.

  • observational astronomy
  • variable stars
  • photometry
Completed

WDS 03575-0110 Double-Star Astrometry

Astrometric analysis of a binary-star system using robotic telescope observations and historical measurements.

Joel conducted astrometric analysis of WDS 03575-0110 using robotic telescope observations from Las Cumbres Observatory. He used AstroImageJ to measure separation and position angle, compared new measurements with historical observations and Gaia DR3 data, evaluated common proper motion, and contributed to refining orbital parameter estimates.

  • double stars
  • astrometry
  • orbital analysis
Completed

Nanoparticle and Magnetic-Dipole Self-Assembly

Laboratory investigation of field-driven nanoparticle and magnetic-dipole interactions.

Joel assisted with laboratory research on electric-field-driven self-assembly of nanoparticles and magnetic-dipole systems. He investigated dipole interactions and designed experimental apparatuses to observe, measure, and record magnetic-dipole behavior.

  • nanotechnology
  • particle physics
  • self-assembly
Completed

Computational Number Theory: Riesel-Sierpiński Sequences

Algorithmic exploration of Riesel-Sierpiński numbers within recursive sequences.

As an AIM Research Scholar, Joel developed an algorithm in R to identify Riesel-Sierpiński numbers within recursive sequences and applied computational methods to number-theory problems and mathematical pattern recognition.

  • computational number theory
  • recursive sequences
  • algorithm development