In the 1960s, he studied the equilibrium and the stability of ellipsoidal figures of equilibrium, but also general relativity.

Scientific papers (Volume 3): Figures of equilibrium of rotating liquid and geophysical investigations.

Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (1969): Ellipsoidal Figures of Equilibrium.

The subject continues to be of scientific interest, and Nobel Laureate Subramanyan Chandrasekhar dedicated a chapter of his book Ellipsoidal Figures of Equilibrium to Maclaurin spheroids.

With his students, developed the linear theory of stability of classical figures of equilibrium in collisionless stellar systems, and laid the foundations of the nonlinear theory of stability and turbulence of gravitating media.