Gregory Breit

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Gregory Breit
Григорій Альфредович Брейт-Шнайдер
University of Wisconsin
  • Yale University
    • Doctoral advisorJoseph S. Ames
    Doctoral students

    Gregory Breit (

    University at Buffalo (1968–1973).[2] In 1921, he was Paul Ehrenfest's assistant in Leiden University
    .

    Biography

    He was born in the city of

    USA. He studied at Johns Hopkins University: in 1918 he obtained a Bachelor degree, in 1920 a Master degree, and in 1921 he earned a PhD in physics. In 1921-1922, he worked as a researcher at Leiden University
    . In 1922-1923, he was a research fellow at
    Carnegie Institution of Washington, Breit joined with Merle Tuve in using a pulsed radio transmitter to determine the height of the ionosphere, a technique important later in radar development.[3]

    Together with Eugene Wigner, Breit gave a description of particle resonant states with the relativistic Breit–Wigner distribution in 1929, and with Edward Condon, he first described proton-proton dispersion. He is also credited with deriving the Breit equation.[4] The Breit frame of reference is named after him.[5] He was one of the first to notice the zitterbewegung (jittery motion) in the solutions of the Dirac equation.[6][7]

    In 1934, together with

    National Research Council that American scientists observe a policy of self-censorship due to the possibility of their work being used for military purposes by enemy powers in World War II.[8]

    During the early stages of the war, Breit was chosen by

    Robert Oppenheimer, who was later appointed to scientific director of the entire project (Project Y
    ).

    In 2014, experimentalists proposed a way to validate an idea by Breit and

    John A. Wheeler that matter formation could be achieved by interacting light particles ("Breit–Wheeler process").[9]

    Breit was associate editor of the Physical Review four times (1927-1929, 1939-1941, 1954-1956, and 1961-1963).

    He was elected in 1923 a Fellow of the American Physical Society.[10] He was awarded the Franklin Medal in 1964. In 1967, he was awarded the National Medal of Science.[11]

    References

    1. doi:10.1063/1.2915289. Archived from the original
      on 2013-09-29.
    2. ^ Gregory Breit, nndb biography
    3. ISSN 0031-899X
      .
    4. ^ Bethe, H. A., and E. E. Salpeter; Quantum Mechanics of One- and Two-Electron Atoms, Plenum Press, 1977, p. 181
    5. ISBN 978-981-02-4553-5
      .
    6. PMID 16587362
      .
    7. S2CID 124404090
      .
    8. ISSN 0031-9228
      .
    9. ^ "Press release: Scientists discover how to turn light into matter after 80-year quest". Imperial College London. 19 May 2014.
    10. ^ "APS Fellow Archive". American Physical Society. (search on year=1923 and institution=University of Minnesota)
    11. ^ National Science Foundation - The President's National Medal of Science

    External links

    Archival collections

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