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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

Necessary conditions for the magnetohydrodynamic dynamo
MRE Proctor
– Geophysical & Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
(2006)
14,
127
Transitions to asymmetry in magnetoconvection
M NAGATA, MRE PROCTOR, NO WEISS
– Geophysical & Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
(2006)
51,
211
On the adjustment to the Bondi-Gold theorem in a spherical-shell fast dynamo
R Hollerbach, DJ Galloway, MRE Proctor
– Geophysical & Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
(2006)
87,
111
Magnetostrophic balance in non-axisymmetric, non-standard dynamo models
DR FEARN, MRE PROCTOR
– Geophysical & Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
(2006)
67,
117
Nonlinear dynamics of a stellar dynamo in a spherical shell
G BELVEDERE, RM PIDATELLA, MRE PROCTOR
– Geophysical & Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
(2006)
51,
263
Nonlinear magnetoconvection in a rapidly rotating sphere and Taylor's constraint
DR FEARN, MRE PROCTOR, CC SELLAR
– Geophysical & Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
(2006)
77,
111
Nonlinear alpha-omega dynamos in a spherical shell
CF Barenghi, CA Jones, AM Soward, DR Fearn, MRE Proctor
– Geophysical & Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
(2006)
60,
357
The kinematics of hexagonal magnetoconvection
DJ GALLOWAY, MRE PROCTOR
– Geophysical & Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
(2006)
24,
109
The Role of the Helicity Spectrum Function in Turbulent Dynamo Theory
HK MOFFATT, MRE PROCTOR
– Geophysical & Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
(2006)
21,
265
Dynamo action and the sun
M Proctor
– EAS Publications Series
(2006)
21,
241
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Research Group

Astrophysics

Room

F1.07

Telephone

01223 337913