Dr. Gordon Walker

Gordon A. H . Walker is a gifted experimental astronomer whose scientific accomplishments have been widely recognized by astronomers at both the national and international levels. He was one of the first to demonstrate that the interstellar extinction curve shows many small scale irregularities, often related to the diffused interstellar absorption features. His measurements of the rotational velocities and equivalent widths of two helium lines still provide the most extensive and homogeneous data of this type available. His particular expertise is ancillary astronomical instrumentation, particularly the use of photoelectronic detectors and solid state sensors. He has developed a compact, four-channel, five-colour photoelectric digital photometer which has been used to measure thousands of stars. He is currently playing a major role in the Canada-France-Hawaii telescope development.