Agris GAILITIS

Professor Agris Gailitis Leading Researcher Institute of Physics, University of Latvia Miera iela 32 Salaspils, LV 2169 Latvia Phone: +371 6794 5821 Fax: +371 6790 1214 E-mail: gailitis@sal.lv

Born: November 18, 1935, Valmiera, Latvia

Scientific Interests (mainly in theoretical physics):

• Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD):

- MHD Dynamo problem, theory and laboratory experiments
- MHD flows in channels, boundary layers and around bodies
- MGD phenomena on surfaces of liquid metals and ferrofluids
- Stability of MHD machines
- Magnetic field inside nuclear reactors

• Plasma Physics:

- Wave generation by particles
- Wave scattering by waves
- Modular instability

• Celestial Mechanics:

- Tidal evolution of orbits

• Atomic Physics:

- Deformation of atomic spectra in external fields
- Harmonic generation

Languages: Latvian, Russian, English, basic German

• University of Latvia (Faculty of Physics and Mathematics), 1958
• Postgraduate Course, FIAN , Moscow, Russia, 1961-1964
• Dr. phys. (Candidate of Sciences in Physics and Mathematics in former USSR, Ph.D. in Western countries), FIAN, Moscow, Russia, 1964

• Engineer, 1958 - 1959
• Junior Researcher, 1959-1960
• Senior Engineer , 1960-1961, 1964
• Senior Researcher, 1965-1985
• Leading Researcher, 1986-1993, 2000 -
• Professor, 1994-1996
• Head of the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, 1996-1997, 2001-
• Director of Institute,1998-2000
• Vice director of Institute, 2006-

Honours and Awards

• Full Member, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 2001
• The Latvian Academy of Sciences Fridrihs Canders Prize, 1994
• The Latvian Academy of Sciences Edgars Silinsh Prize as to the principal author of the investigation MHD Dinamo Experiment in Salaspils, 2001
• Ordre National de la Legion d'Honneur (France), 2007

• A.Gailitis. Mathematical background for Riga Dynamo experiment Geophysical and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics, 2012, (in print)
• F.Stefani, A.Gailitis and G.Gerbeth. Energy oscillations and a possible route to chaos in a modified Riga dynamo. Astron.Nachr. Vol. 1/2011, pp. 4-10
• E. Karule, A.Gailitis. Above threshold ionisation of atomic hydrogen in ns states with up to four excess photons. - J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 43 (2010) 065601
• A.Gailitis, G.Gerbeth, Th. Gundrum, O. Lielausis, E. Platacis, F. Stefani. History and results of the Riga dynamo experiment. Comptes Rendus Physique No. 9 (2008), pp.721-728.
• F.Stefani, A. Gailitis, G. Gerbeth. - Magnetohydrodynamic experiments on cosmic magnetic fields.- Z. Angew. Math. Mech. 88(2008), pp. 930-954 ,  arxiv.org/0807.0299
• A.Gailitis, O.Lielausis, G.Gerbeth, F.Stefani. Dynamo Magnetohydrodynamics: Historical Evolution and Trends, eds. S.Molokov, R.Moreau, H.K.Moffatt; Springer, 2007, Series "Fluid Mechanics and Its Applications" (series editor R. Moreau), pp. 37-54.
• F. Stefani, A. Gailitis, G. Gerbeth, Th. Gundrum, M. Xu.Forward and inverse problems in MHD: Numerical and experimental results.- GAMM-Mitteilungen 30 (2007), pp.159-170.
• S. Kenjere´s, K. Hanjali´c, S. Renaudier, F. Stefani, G. Gerbeth, A. Gailitis. Coupled fluid-flow and magnetic-field simulation of the Riga dynamo experiment. - Plasma Physics 13, 2006, Art. No. 122308.
• F. Stefani, G. Gerbeth, A. Gailitis. The Geomagnetic Dynamo -Laboratory Experiments, Terra Nostra. - Schriften der Alfred-Wegener-Gesellschaft, Heft 3 (2006).
• A.Gailitis, O.Lielausis, E. Platacis, G.Gerbeth, F. Stefani. Riga dynamo experiment and its theoretical background. – Phys. Plasmas, 2004, vol.11, pp.2838-2843.
• E.Karule, A.Gailitis The closed form of the second-order energy shift for the discrete spectrum of atomic hydrogen. – J.Phys.B.: At. Mol. Opt. Phys., 2004, vol.37, pp.829-841.
• E.Karule, A.Gailitis. AC-Stark shift of the ground state of atomic hydrogen. - Applied Physics B: Lasers and Optics (Special issue), 2004, B78, pp.817-820.
• R.Avalos-Zuniga, F.Plunian, A.Gailitis. Influence of electromagnetic boundary conditions onto the onset of dynamo action in the laboratory experiments. – Phys.Rev. E. 2003, vol.68, art.066307  
• A.Gailitis, O.Lielausis, E.Platacis, G.Gerbeth, F.Stefani. Riga Dynamo Experiment. – Surveys in Geophysics, 2003, vol.24, pp.247-267,
• A.Gailitis, O.Lielausis, E.Platacis, G.Gerbeth, F.Stefani,. Laboratory experiments on hydromagnetic dynamo’s. – Rev.Mod.Physics, 2002, vol.74, pp.973-990.
• A.Gailitis, O.Lielausis, E.Platacis, S.Dement’ev, A.Cifersons, G.Gerbeth, Th.Gundrrum, F.Stefani, M.Christen, G.Will.. Dynamo experiments at the Riga sodium facility. – Magnetohydrodynamics, 2002, vol.38, No 1-2, pp.5-14.
• A.Gailitis, O.Lielausis, E.Platacis, G.Gerbeth, F.Stefani. On the results of Riga Dynamo Experiment. - Magnetohydrodynamics, 2001, vol.37, No.1-2, pp. 3-12.
• A.Gailitis, O.Lielausis, E.Platacis, G.Gerbeth, F.Stefani. Riga Dynamo Experiment. - In: NATO Science Series II: Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, vol.26 "Dynamo and Dynamics, a Mathematical Challenge" (eds. P.Chossat, D.Armbruster, I.Oprea), Kluwer, Dordrecht, 2001, pp.9-16
• A.Gailitis, O.Lielausis, S.Dement'ev, E.Platacis, A.Cifersons, G.Gerbeth, T.Gundrum, F.Stefani, M.Christen, H.Haenel, G.Will. Magnetic field saturation in the Riga Dynamo Experiment. - Phys.Rev.Lett., 2001, vol.86, pp.3024-3027
• A.Gailitis, O.Lielausis, S.Dement'ev, E.Platacis, A.Cifersons, G.Gerbeth, T.Gundrum, F.Stefani, M.Christen, H.Haenel, G.Will. Detection of a flow induced magnetic field eigenmode in the Riga Dynamo Facility. - Phys.Rev.Lett., 2000, vol.84, pp.4365-4368
• M.Gailitis, A.Gailitis. Photoabsorption of atomic hydrogen in an external DC electric field. - Journ.Phys.B., Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, 1996, vol.29, pp. 4081-4091
• A.Gailitis. Project of a liquid sodium MHD dynamo experiment. - Magnitnaya Gidrodinamika, 1996, No 1. pp.63-67.
• A.Gailitis. Magnetic field generation by axisymmetric flows of a conducting fluid in spherical cavity of a conducting medium at rest. - Magnitnaya Gidrodinamika, 1993, No.2. pp. 3-14; 1995, No 1-2, pp.39-43.
• A.Gailitis. Experimental aspects of a laboratory scale liquid sodium dynamo model. - In: Proceedings of NATO ASI "Theory of Solar and Planetary Dynamos", 1992, September 20. - October 2, Cambridge, U.K., pp.91-98
• A.Gailitis. The Helical MHD Dynamo. - In: Topological Fluid Mechanics, Proc. IUTAM Symposium, 1989, August 13-18, Cambridge, U.K., pp.147-156.
• A.Gailitis, B.G.Karasev, I.R.Krillov, O.A.Lielausis, S.M.Luzhanskii, A.P.Ogorodnikov, G.V.Preslitskii. A liquid metal MHD dynamo model experiment.- Magnitnaya Gidrodinamika, 1987, No.4, pp.3-7.
• A.Gailitis. Tidal heating of Io and orbital evolution of the Jovian satellites. -Mon.Not.R.Astr. Soc., 1982, vol. 201, pp.415-420
• A.Gailitis. Formation of the hexagonal pattern on the surface of a ferromagnetic fluid in an applied magnetic field. - Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 1977, vol.82, part 3, pp.401-413
• A.Gailitis, J.Freiberg. On the theory of a helical MHD dynamo. - Magnitnaya Gidrodinamika, 1976, No.2. pp. 3-6
• A.Gailitis, O.Lielausis. The instability of a uniform velocity distribution in an induction MHD machine. - Magnitnaya Gidrodinamika, 1975, No.1, pp.87-101
• A.Gailitis. On the theory of Herzenberg's dynamo. - Magnitnaya Gidrodinamika,1973, No. 4, pp.12-16.
• A.Gailitis. The self-excitation of a magnetic field by means of a couple of ring shaped vortices. - Magnitnaya Gidrodinamika, 1970, No.1, pp.19-22
• A.Gailitis. The conditions of self-excitation of the geomagnetic dynamo model. - Magnitnaya Gidrodinamika, No.3,1967, pp.45-54
• A.Gailitis. Oscillations of a conducting drop in the presence of magnetic field. - Magnitnaya Gidrodinamika, 1966, No.2, pp.77-90

• A.Gailitis (Head of Project) MHD Dynamo- and Related Phenomena in Liquid Metal Flows. Latvian Council of Science (1993-1996)
• A.Gailitis (Head of Project) MHD Dynamo Experiment. Latvian Council of Science (1996-2000)
• A.Gailitis (Head of Project) Further Study of MHD Dynamo Phenomenon. Latvian Council of Science (2001 - 2004)
• A.Gailitis (Head of Project) Development of a Spherical Magnetohydrodynamic Dynamo Experiment. Latvian Council of Science (2005 - )
• A.Gailitis (Co-ordinator of Latvian Part of Project) Magnetic Field Dynamos - Laboratory Studies based on the Riga Dynamo Facility. Program Improving the Human Research Potential and the Socio-Economic Knowledge Base. FP5, European Commission (MAGDYN) (2001 - 2005)
• A.Gailitis (Co-ordinator of Latvian Part of Project) Magnetic flow tomography in technology, geophysics, and ocean flow research, FP6 028670 (MAGFLOTOM) (2007-2010)
• A.Gailitis (Head of Project) Joint research projects of Institute of Physics on magnetohydrodinamics and heat and mass transfer. Latvian Council of Science (2009 - 2012)

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Last update 16.04.2012