| Citation | Distinguished for his contributions to basic magnetohydrodynamics and applications to solar physics. He is responsible for major advances in our understanding of the Solar Corona, whose structure is dominated by Magnetic Fields. With colleagues, he discovered an exact non-linear solution involving magnetic reconnection, and he unified and generalized existing two-dimensional models, comparing the analytic results with numerical experiments. More recently, he has been a leader in the development of the more realistic three-dimensional models. This work is brought together in a new book with T Forbes, 'Magnetic Reconnection'. He has studied the role of current sheets in stellar flares, arguing that a flare initiates as a magnetic catastrophe. He has made important and extensive contributions to the understanding of solar prominences, large-scale coronal loops, and to coronal heating. His research monograph 'Solar Magnetohydrodynamics' has become a standard work, and he has also been responsible for the editing of several other books on related topics, which have been well-received. His strong research group at St Andrews is recognized world-wide; he has played an important role in the organization of scientific meetings, both nationally and internationally; and he has served as President of the IAU Commission on Solar Activity. He was elected FRSE in 1985. |