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Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics

Career

  • 1974-2013 Fellow of Trinity College
  • 1975- 1977 Postdoc and assistant Professor, MIT
  • 1977- 1991 Lecturer, DAMTP
  • 1977-2013 College Lecturer, Trinity
  • 1979-1991, 1992-1994 Tutor, Trinity
  • 1994-2000 Reader, DAMTP
  • 1994-2006 Dean of College, Trinity
  • 2000-present Professor of Astrophysical Fluid dynamics, DAMTP
  • 2006-2012 Vice-Master, Trinity
  • 2013-present Provost, King's College

Research

Effects of fluctuations and shear on mean field dynamos. Effect of shear on convective dynamo action. Magnetic buoyancy instability induced by shear flow. Effects of distant boundaries on pattern-forming instabilities with drift

Selected Publications

  • J. G. Wissink, P. C. Matthews, D. W. Hughes, and M. R. E. Proctor. Numerical Simulation of Buoyant Magnetic Flux Tubes. Astrophys. J., 536:982-997, 2000.
  • A.M. Rucklidge, N.O. Weiss, D.P. Brownjohn, P.C. Matthews, and M.R.E. Proctor. Compressible magnetoconvection in three dimensions: pattern formation in a strongly stratified layer. J. Fluid Mech., 419:283-323, 2000.
  • M.R.E. Proctor, S.M.Tobias, and E.Knobloch. Noise-sustained structures due to convective insta- bility in finite domains. Physica D, 138:674-683, 2000.
  • A. Abdulrahman, C.A . Jones, M. R. E. Proctor, and K. A. Julien. Large wavenumber convection in the rotating annulus. Geophys. Astrophys. Fluid Dyn., 93:227-252, 2000.
  • I.Melbourne, M.R.E. Proctor, and A.M.Rucklidge. A heteroclinic model of geodynamo reversals and excursions. In G. Dangelmayr P. Chossat and J. Oprea, editors, Dynamo and Dynamics: a Mathematical Challenge, pages 363-370. Kluwer, Dordrecht, 2001.
  • M.R.E. Proctor. Finite amplitude behaviour of the Matthews-Cox instability. Physics Letters A, 292:181-187, 2001.
  • A.R. Halford and M.R.E. Proctor. An oscillatory secondary bifurcation for magnetoconvection and rotating convection at small aspect ratio. J. Fluid Mech, 467:241-257, 2002.
  • N. O. Weiss, M. R. E. Proctor, and D. P. Brownjohn. Magnetic flux separation in photospheric convection. Mon. Not. R. Ast. Soc., 337:293-304, 2002.
  • M.R.E. Proctor. Dynamo processes: the interaction of magnetic fields and turbulence. Invited review in: Thompson and Christiansen-Dalsgaard, editors, New developments in astrophysical fluid dynamics. Cambridge, 2003.
  • G. I. Ogilvie and M.R.E. Proctor. On the relation between viscoelastic and magnetohydrodynamic flows and their instabilities. J. Fluid Mech., 476:389-409, 2003.
  • M.R.E. Proctor. An extension of the toroidal theorem. Geophys. Astrophys. Fluid. Dyn 98:235-240, 2004.
  • J. H. P. Dawes, C. M. Postlethwaite, and M. R. E. Proctor. Instabilities induced by a weak breaking of a strong spatial resonance. Physica D 191:1-30, 2004.
  • M.R.E.Proctor. Magnetoconvection. Invited review in: Fluid dynamics and dynamos in astrophysics and geophysics, ed. Soward, Jones, Hughes and Weiss, CRC Press, pp 235-276, 2005.
  • A.M.Rucklidge, M.R.E.Proctor & J.A.Prat. Mean flow instabilities of two-dimensional convection in strong magnetic fields. Geophys. Astrophys. Fluid Dyn. 100:121-138, 2006.
  • M.R.E.Proctor. Dynamo Action and the Sun.In Stellar Fluid Dynamics and Numerical Simulations: From the Sun to Neutron Stars. M.Rieutord and B. Dubrulle (eds). EAS Publications Series, 21:241-273, 2006.
  • M.R.E.Proctor. Introduction to dynamo theory. Invited chapter in"Mathematical aspects of natural dynamos", ed. E. Dormy and A.M Soward, pp. 20-41 , CRC Press, Boca Raton 2007.
  • A. B. Iskakov, A. A. Schekochihin, S. C. Cowley, J. C. McWilliams and M. R. E. Proctor. Numerical demonstration of fluctuation dynamo at low magnetic Prandtl numbers. Phys. Rev. Lett. 98:208501, 2007.
  • A.A. Schekochihin, A.B.Iskakov, S.C. Cowley, J.C. McWilliams, M.R.E.Proctor % T.A.Yousef. Fluc- tuation dynamo and turbulent induction at low magnetic Prandtl numbers. New Journal of Physics, 9:300, 2007.
  • L.J.Silvers & M.R.E.Proctor. Interaction of multiple convection zones in A-type stars. Mon. Not. R. A. S. 380: 44-50, 2007.
  • F. Rincon, G. I. Ogilvie & M. R. E. Proctor. A self-sustaining nonlinear dynamo process in Keplerian shear flows. Phys. Rev. Lett. 98:254502, 2007.
  • Rebecca B. Hoyle, Alexandra T. Anghel, Michael R. Proctor, & David A. King. Pattern Formation during the Oxidation of CO on Pt100: A Mesoscopic Model. Phys. Rev. Lett. 98:226102, 2007.
  • Michael.R.E.Proctor. Effects of fluctuation on alpha-omega dynamo models.Mon. Not. R. A. S. 382: L39-L42, 2007.
  • J.H.P.Dawes and M.R.E.Proctor. Turing-type instabilities due to strong spatial resonance. Proc. Roy. Soc A 464:923-942, 2008.
  • H. Isobe, M. R. E. Proctor & N. O. Weiss. Convection-driven emergence of granular scale magnetic field and its role in coronal heating and solar wind acceleration. Astrophys.J. Lett., 679:L57-L60, 2008.
  • P. J. Bushby, S. M. Houghton, M. R. E. Proctor & N. O. Weiss. Convective intensification of magnetic fields in the quiet Sun. Mon.Not. R.A.S., 387:698-706, 2008.
  • S. M. Houghton, S. M. Tobias, E. Knobloch & M. R. E. Proctor. Bistability in the Complex Ginzburg-Landau Equation with Drift. Physica D, in press, 2008.
  • V.V.Pipin & M.R.E. Proctor.Closure tests for mean field magnetohydrodynamics using a self con- sistent reduced model. Mon Not. R.A.S., 388:367-374, 2008.
  • F.Rincon, G.I.Ogilvie, M.R.E.Proctor & C.Cossu. Subcritical Dynamos in Shear Flows. Astr. Nachr., 329: 750-761,2008

Publications

A note on the viscoelastic instability of circular-Couette flow
MRE PROCTOR
– Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics
(1994)
51,
227
Non-symmetrical three-wave resonance
DW Hughes, MRE Proctor
– Wave Motion
(1994)
20,
201
Pulsating waves in nonlinear magnetoconvection
PC MATTHEWS, MRE PROCTOR, AM RUCKLIDGE, NO WEISS
– Physics Letters A
(1993)
183,
69
Symmetries of time-dependent magnetoconvection
MRE PROCTOR, NO WEISS
– Geophysical & Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
(1993)
70,
137
Noise and slow-fast dynamics in a three-wave resonance problem
GD Lythe, MR Proctor
– Physical review. E, Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics
(1993)
47,
3122
Oscillations and secondary bifurcations in nonlinear magnetoconvection
AM RUCKLIDGE, NO WEISS, DP BROWNJOHN, MRE PROCTOR
– Geophysical & Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
(1993)
68,
133
Interaction of patterns with disparate scales
P METZENER, MRE PROCTOR
– European Journal of Mechanics, B/Fluids
(1992)
11,
759
Numerical calculations of fast dynamos in smooth velocity fields with realistic diffusion
DJ GALLOWAY, MRE PROCTOR
– Nature
(1992)
356,
691
Dynamos with ambipolar diffusion drifts
MRE PROCTOR, EG ZWEIBEL
– Geophysical & Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
(1992)
64,
145
MAGNETOCONVECTION
MRE PROCTOR
– SUNSPOTS : THEORY AND OBSERVATIONS
(1992)
375,
221
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Research Group

Astrophysics

Room

F1.07

Telephone

01223 337913