Professor
Employed at USU 1959
BS (1955) University of Utah
MS (1957) California Institute of Technology
PhD (1960) California Institute of Technology
Research Interests:
Telephone #: (435) 797-2855
E-mail address: farrell@cc.usu.edu
Perfectly conducting charged fluids, my primary area of research, have several interesting manifestations in diverse areas of physics. For example, under certain conditions the nearly collisionless, high ionosphere of Venus exhibits unusual magnetic structures, called flux ropes. These and similar space-plasma structures are remarkably stable causing one to wonder whether or not analogous stable structures might be generated in machine plasmas. Motivated by this conjecture a preliminary design of a magnetic containment scheme has been made. Theoretically it displays several properties that would be highly desirable in a working thermonuclear fusion device. Studies of the possible viability of this scheme continue.
Another perfectly conducting fluid is the superconductor, which shares some properties with collisionless plasmas. A comparative examination of these systems is yielding insights into the boundary between classical and quantum physics.
I am also interested in the mystery of inertia, the characteristic of an object that resists acceleration. Is it a fundamental property that resides within the particles making up the material or might it result from the interaction of those particles with others elsewhere - perhaps all those scattered throughout the universe?
Helping students understand the marvels of nature is a rewarding part of my work. Mastering concepts, understanding principles, and working problems are demanding goals for those just recently introduced to the rigors of physics. I strive to help students accomplish these goals by employing illuminating demonstrations, modern electronic aids, a relaxed, informal class atmosphere, and up-to-date teaching techniques.
Some of my publications are:
Implications of a Lagrangian to Eulerian variables transformation in an electromagnetic action: canonical momentum and variational constraints. (R. R. Allen, W. F. Edwards, and Y. H. Clifton) to be submitted.
Magnetic holes near the magnetopause. (W. F. Edwards, L. R. Brostrom,
R. A. Treumann, an G. Paschmann). To be submitted to
J. Geophys. Res.
Comments on a new theory of macroscopic charge. (D. F. Bartlett and W. F. Edwards) Phys. Lett. A, 162, 103 (1992).
Applications of the Concept of Generalized Vorticity to Space Plasmas. (P. M. Banks, W. F. Edwards, C. Rasmussen, R. C. Thompson) Geophysical Res. Lett., 8, 95 (1981).
Classical Derivation of the London Equations. (W. F. Edwards) Phys. Rev. Lett.,47, 1863 (1981).
Inertia and an Alternative Approach to the Theory of Interactions. (W. F. Edwards) Proceedings of the Utah Academy of Sciences, 51, 1 (1974).