The Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography have three main areas of active research:
(1) Atomic and molecular physics concentrates on the experimental studies of collision-induced infrared absorption of gases under a variety of temperatures and pressures, electronic spectra of neutral molecules and molecular ions using different excitation techniques, Raman and Brillouin spectra of gases under critical conditions, and theoretical studies of atomic and molecular collisions.
(2) Condensed matter physics includes experimental studies of phase transitions, liquids and solids by Brillouin and Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy of lipid monolayers, Raman spectroscopy of lipid bilayers, infrared spectroscopy of simple molecular crystals, pattern formation in fluid dynamical systems, Solid State NMR and theoretical studies in magnetism, superconductivity, phospholipid bilayers and polymers.
(3) Physical oceanography conducts field studies using acoustic and other remote sensing techniques, in conjunction with conventional physical oceanographic measurements, laboratory experiments in acoustics and Lagrangian diffusion, and theoretical studies and solutions of the equations of motion.
In all three areas, there is strong collaboration between experimental and theoretical work.
CLOUTER, Maynard J. Professor
Keywords
• Laser light scattering, spectroscopy; interferometry; Brillouin;
Raman
Current research
• Laser light scattering from cryogenic liquids and solids
DE BRUYN, John Professor
Keywords
• Condensed matter physics; nonlinear dynamics; fluid dynamics;
pattern formation; non-equilibrium growth
Current research
• Pattern formation in granular material
• Fingering instabilities in fluids
• Electrochemical deposition
Past research
• Electroconvection in liquid crystal films
• Rayleigh Benard convection
• Critical phenomena
Potential research
• Acoustic studies of granular materials
• Soft matter physics
GIEN, Tran T. Professor
Keywords
• Theoretical atomic physics
Current research
• Theory of atomic and molecular collision physics
Past research
• Theory of atomic and molecular collision physics
Potential research
• Atomic spectroscopy
• Collision process relevant to plasma physics
• Applications of laser and atomic techniques to atomic and
molecular research
• Applications of theoretical atomic physics techniques,
especially numerical computation methods, to relevant mission-oriented
problems
LAGOWSKI, Jolanta Associate professor
Keywords
• Inorganic and conducting polymers; biological membranes;
molecular simulations; electronic properties; quantum mechanical
calculations; solid state
Current research
• Low bandgap conducting polymers studies, using molecular
and solid state approaches
• Structure of single and hydrated phospholipid headgroups,
studies using molecular orbital method and molecular dynamics
approach
• Conformational analysis of phosphorus-based polymers, density
functional theory method
Past research
• Conformational analysis of polystyrene, molecular orbital
approach
• Mean field equilibrium theory, developed for semiflexible
polymers
• Stability of atomic negative ions, the density functional
theory approach
Potential research
• Full 3-dimensional band structure calculations for conducting
polymers
• Dynamic simulations of polymer systems
MORROW, Michael Professor
Keywords
• Nuclear; magnetic resonance; membranes; condensed matter
Current research
• Lipid bilayer phase behaviour and organization at ambient
and high pressure
• Lipid-protein interaction
• NMR studies of lung surfactant systems
Past research
• Atomic hydrogen at low temperature
Potential research
• NMR studies of pressure induced transitions in partially
ordered systems
• NMR studies of simple molecules in restricted environments
• NMR studies of liquid crystals
Special equipment or facilities
• Solid state, nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer
MYERS, Paul Assistant professor
Keywords
• Physical oceanographic modeling; model development and
applications; finite element methods, oceanography; western boundary
currents; bottom topography and the ocean's circulation; regional
scale modeling; climate sensitivity; paleoclimatic studies
Current research
• Regional modeling of the Labrador Sea and subpolar North
Atlantic
• Paleoclimatic simulations of the Mediterranean and the
development of sapropels
• Development of oceanographic models using the finite element
method
Past research
• Stability and variability of the thermohaline circulation
• The importance of bottom topography in boundary current
separation
• Development of a flux forced model of the Mediterranean's
circulation
Potential research
• Paleoclimatic simulations of the northern North Atlantic
• Theoretical studies of the Labrador Current
• Examination of interannual and interdecadal variability
of the upper ocean thermal structure from the global XBT database
REDDY, S. Paddi Professor emeritus
Keywords
• Molecular spectroscopy, optical and infrared methods
Research specialty
• Molecular spectroscopy with optical and infrared methods
Current research
• Collision-induced infrared absorption
• Electronic spectra of neutral molecules and molecular ions
Past research
• Raman spectroscopy of molecular liquids and solids
• High resolution spectroscopy with tunable diode lasers
• Laser-induced fluoresence
Potential research
• Induced infrared spectra of H2, D2, HD, N2, and O2 in gaseous
and solid phases
• Structure of neutral molecules, molecular ions and free
radicals
Special equipment or facilities
• High-resolution optical spectrographs; Infrared spectrometers;
cryogenic stainless steel cryollet; high-pressure absorption cells
RICH, Nathan H. Professor
Keywords
• Fluoresence microscopy, lipid and protein monolayers in
air and water interfaces; Raman spectroscopy of molecular crystals,
low temperature, phase transitions
Current research
• See above
Past research
• Collision-induced absorption in gases (infrared and visible)
• High-resolution Raman spectroscopy gases
• Vibrational spectroscopy of molecular crystals
Special equipment or facilities
• Laser Raman spectroscopy with double-grating monochromator
and photon- counting detection
• Fluoresence microscopy apparatus: ccd camera, video recording,
langmuir trough, and wilhelmy balance
ROCHESTER, Michael (see Earth Sciences)
WILLIAMS, F.M. (see Engineering)
WHITMORE, Mark D. Professor
Keywords
• Polymers; theoretical physics; membranes
Current research
• Statistical mechanics of polymer blends
• Polymer adsorption
• Lipid membranes
Past research
• Superconductivity
Potential research
• Polymer interfaces
• Polymer dynamics
WROBLEWSKI, Joe (see Ocean Sciences Centre)
ZEDEL, Len Assistant professor
Keywords
• Underwater acoustics, Doppler sonar
Current research
• Nearshore sediment transport
• Ocean surface processes
• Doppler sonar, fisheries applications
Past research
• Langmuir circulation
• Sill flows, fjords
Special equipment or facilities
• 150 kHz broad band, acoustic doppler current profiler
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