: ''For other persons named James Drake, see James Drake (disambiguation)'' James F. Drake (born June 26, 1947) is an American theoretical physicist who specializes in plasma physics. He is known for his studies on

plasma instabilities The stability of a plasma is an important consideration in the study of plasma physics. When a system containing a plasma is at equilibrium, it is possible for certain parts of the plasma to be disturbed by small perturbative forces acting on it ...

and magnetic reconnection for which he was awarded the 2010 James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics by the

American Physical Society The American Physical Society (APS) is a not-for-profit membership organization of professionals in physics and related disciplines, comprising nearly fifty divisions, sections, and other units. Its mission is the advancement and diffusion of k ...

Early life and career

Drake studied at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he received his bachelor's degree in 1969 and received his doctorate in 1975. In 1977, he went to the University of Maryland, where he has been a professor since 1987. He dealt with laser-plasma interaction and plasma turbulence. He is known for explaining the mechanisms of the rapid reconnection of magnetic field lines and the resulting particle accelerations in

astrophysical plasmas Astrophysical plasma is plasma outside of the Solar System. It is studied as part of astrophysics and is commonly observed in space. The accepted view of scientists is that much of the baryonic matter in the universe exists in this state. When ...

(for example on the sun). In computer simulations with Amitava Bhattacharjee and Michael Hesse (NASA), he was able to demonstrate the explosive nature of the dynamics of the magnetic fields, for example in

solar flares A solar flare is an intense localized eruption of electromagnetic radiation in the Sun's atmosphere. Flares occur in active regions and are often, but not always, accompanied by coronal mass ejections, solar particle events, and other solar phe ...

Honors and awards

In 1986, Drake was elected a fellow of the

. He was subsequently awarded the 2010 James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics for "''pioneering investigations of

in magnetically-confined, astrophysical and laser-driven plasmas; in particular, explication of the fundamental mechanism of fast reconnection of magnetic fields in plasmas; and leadership in promoting plasma science''". He also received a Senior US Research Scientist Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

References

{{Use mdy dates, date = February 2020 Fellows of the American Physical Society 1947 births American plasma physicists Plasma physicists Living people