Over The Horizon

Scattering Theorist

A world-class expert in scattering theory visited Massey University recently, bringing new meaning, amongst other things, to body imaging.

Gary Roach, Professor of Mathematics at Glasgow's University of Strathclyde, describes scattering theory as a branch of mathematics which is "both beautiful in its abstract development and powerful in its various applications as an approximation procedure".

Roach has been developing scattering theories associated with acoustic, electromagnetic and elastic waves with the intention of making application to problems arising in such areas as radar, sonar, non-destructive testing of materials and ultrasonic medical diagnosis.

Roach is currently working with cardiologists, "using wave motion to say what the heart is like; is it there, is it beating, what condition is it in?" It is, he says a very friendly form of body imaging, and more benign than x-rays.

His passion is creating the mathematics that people might want to use, and then seeing it work "for its living".

He smiles as he recalls making a "small hydrogen bomb" while working with the oil industry, hastily adding it was not for detonation!

"It was just a radioactive source which emitted neutrons into the earth. The neutrons when captured emit gamma rays at an energy which enabled the oil/water level in an oil well to be detected.

"I worked out the theoretical side, and then built the device," he says. This mix of theoretical and practical is his forte. He still has a number of patents with BP, and this tool is still being used by them.