James Binney
Encyclopedia
James Jeffrey Binney, FRS, FInstP (born 1950) is a British
astrophysicist
. He is currently a Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford
, where he is head of the Sub-Department of Theoretical Physics as well as a Professorial Fellow at Merton College. Binney is known principally for his work in theoretical galactic and extragalactic astrophysics, but he has made a number of contributions to areas outside of astrophysics as well.
in 1971, then moved to the University of Oxford
, reading for a DPhil at Christ Church
under Dennis Sciama, which he completed in 1975. After holding several post-doctoral positions, including a Junior Research Fellowship at Magdalen College, and a position at Princeton University
, Binney returned to Oxford as a University Lecturer and Fellow and Tutor in Physics at Merton College in 1981. He was subsequently made Ad Hominem Reader in Theoretical Physics in 1991 and Professor of Physics in 1996.
Binney has received a number of awards and honours for his work, including the Maxwell Prize
of the Institute of Physics
in 1986, the Brouwer Award
of the American Astronomical Society
in 2003, and the Dirac Medal
in 2010. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society
and a Fellow of the Institute of Physics, both in 2000.
Books:
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
astrophysicist
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
. He is currently a Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, where he is head of the Sub-Department of Theoretical Physics as well as a Professorial Fellow at Merton College. Binney is known principally for his work in theoretical galactic and extragalactic astrophysics, but he has made a number of contributions to areas outside of astrophysics as well.
Education and career
Binney took a first class BA in the Mathematical Tripos at the University of CambridgeUniversity of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in 1971, then moved to the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, reading for a DPhil at Christ Church
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
under Dennis Sciama, which he completed in 1975. After holding several post-doctoral positions, including a Junior Research Fellowship at Magdalen College, and a position at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, Binney returned to Oxford as a University Lecturer and Fellow and Tutor in Physics at Merton College in 1981. He was subsequently made Ad Hominem Reader in Theoretical Physics in 1991 and Professor of Physics in 1996.
Binney has received a number of awards and honours for his work, including the Maxwell Prize
Maxwell Medal and Prize
The Maxwell Medal and Prize is one of the principal awards made annually by the Institute of Physics. The award is made for outstanding contributions to theoretical physics and is intended to recognize theoretical physicists early in their careers....
of the Institute of Physics
Institute of Physics
The Institute of Physics is a scientific charity devoted to increasing the practice, understanding and application of physics. It has a worldwide membership of around 40,000....
in 1986, the Brouwer Award
Brouwer Award (Division on Dynamical Astronomy)
The Dirk Brouwer Award, usually known as the Brouwer Award, is awarded annually by the Division on Dynamical Astronomy of the American Astronomical Society for outstanding lifetime achievement in the field of dynamical astronomy...
of the American Astronomical Society
American Astronomical Society
The American Astronomical Society is an American society of professional astronomers and other interested individuals, headquartered in Washington, DC...
in 2003, and the Dirac Medal
Dirac Prize
The Dirac Prize is the name of four prominent awards in the field of theoretical physics, computational chemistry, and mathematics, awarded by different organizations, named in honour of Professor Paul Dirac, one of the great theoretical physicists of the 20th Century.- The Dirac Medal and Lecture...
in 2010. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
and a Fellow of the Institute of Physics, both in 2000.
Research interests
Binney's recent research interests have included:- Physics of cooling flowCooling flowA cooling flow occurs according to the theory that the intracluster medium in the centres of galaxy clusters should be rapidly cooling at the rate of tens to thousands of solar masses per year. This should happen as the ICM is quickly losing its energy by the emission of X-rays...
s and the processes of AGN feedback; - Supernova disruption of galactic disk gas;
- Dynamics of galaxies, including those of the Milky WayMilky WayThe Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
; - Galaxy and orbit modelling, including development of torus modelling techniques.
Publications
Binney has authored over a hundred articles in peer-reviewed journals, as well as several textbooks, including Galactic Dynamics, which has long been considered the standard work of reference in its field.Books:
- Galactic Astronomy, by Dimitri Mihalas and James Binney, Freeman 1981.
- Galactic Dynamics, by James Binney and Scott Tremaine, Princeton University Press, 1988.
- The Theory of Critical Phenomena by J. J. Binney, N. J. Dowrick, A. J. Fisher & M. E. J. Newman, Oxford University Press, 1992.
- Galactic Astronomy (2nd ed.), by James Binney and Michael Merrifield, Princeton University Press, 1998.
- Galactic Dynamics (2nd ed.), by James Binney and Scott Tremaine, Princeton University Press, 2008.
- The Physics of Quantum Mechanics: An Introduction by James Binney and David Skinner Cappella Archive, 2010 (ISBN 190291851)