ABSTRACT:
It is 50 years ago this year that the first paper on electron cyclotron maser emission (ECME) was published (by RQ Twiss in the Australian Journal of Physics). Although an independent paper the following year triggered the development of laboratory ECME devices (gyrotrons), the astrophysical theory lay dormant for roughly two decades. Then a version of ECME had spectacular success in explaining the bizarre features of Jupiter's decametric radio emission (DAM), and the Earth's auroral kilometric radiation (AKR). Other suggested astrophysical applications of ECME, to solar spike bursts and to radio emission from flare stars encounter an unresolved difficulty.

This talk will review the development of the theory of ECME in the astrophysical and space literature, and then discuss the unsolved problems that remain.


SPEAKER PROFILE:
Professor Donald Blair Melrose is an ex-Tasmanian. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree with Honours at the University of Tasmania and, as a Tasmanian Rhodes Scholar, obtained his PhD in Theoretical Physics at Oxford University. He has since worked at numerous international institutes including the University of Maryland’s Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Department of Physics at the University of Sussex.

Don Melrose is Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Sydney and has been Director of its Research Centre for Theoretical Astrophysics since 1991. His research interests include plasma processes in astrophysics and geophysics, quantum electrodynamics and nonlinear plasma processes. He has published over 200 papers. He was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 1986, and was awarded the Pawsey Medal in 1974 and the Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal in 1987 for his outstanding achievements. The Australian Institute of Physics presented him with the Walter Boas Medal in 1986 and (together with and the Institute of Physics in the UK) the 1998 Harrie Massey Medal for his contributions to physics.

This is the first lecture in this year's Winter Public Lecture Series in Physics. The series started in 2002 and is held in honour of Alexander and Leicester McAulay, two renowned Physics professors, who were inspiring teachers and did significant research at the University of Tasmania during the early years.

The School of Mathematics and Physics is co-organising the lecture. Further information is available from Dr. John Humble, ph. (03)6226 2396 e-mail: John.Humble@utas.edu.au or Dr Elizabeth Chelkowska, ph. (03)62262725, e-mail: Elizabeth.Chelkowska@utas.edu.au.

Further lectures in the McAuley series are currently being organised. Details appear on the web pages of the AIP Tasmanian Branch: http://tas.aip.org.au.

ALL WELCOME