Ralph Asher Alpher
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Ralph Asher Alpher | |
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Born | Washington, D.C., U.S. | February 3, 1921
Died | August 12, 2007 | (aged 86)
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | George Washington University |
Known for | First modern physical theory of nucleosynthesis and prediction of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation in 1948. |
Awards | Magellanic Premium (1975) Henry Draper Medal (1993) National Medal of Science (2005) |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Cosmology, Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics |
Institutions | Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, General Electric Research and Development Center, Union College, Dudley Observatory |
Doctoral advisor | Georg Antonovich Gamow |
Part of a series on |
Physical cosmology |
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Ralph Asher Alpher (February 3, 1921 – August 12, 2007) was an American cosmologist, who carried out pioneering work in the early 1950s on the Big Bang model, including Big Bang nucleosynthesis and predictions of the cosmic microwave background radiation.
Childhood and education
Alpher was the son of a Jewish immigrant, Samuel Alpher (born Alfirevich), from
In 1940 he was hired by the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism of the
At age 16, he was offered a full scholarship to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), but did not take it up.[citation needed] Instead, he earned his bachelor's degree and advanced graduate degrees in physics from George Washington University, all the while working as a physicist on contract to the Navy, and eventually for the Johns Hopkins University APL. He met Russian-Ukrainian physicist George Gamow at the University, who subsequently took him on as his doctoral student. Gamow was a prominent Soviet defector and one of the luminaries on the GWU faculty. Alpher provided much needed mathematical ability to support Gamow's theorizing.
Alpher wrote his doctoral thesis on "The Origin of the Elements", and soon after obtaining his doctorate, made the first prediction of the existence of "fossil" radiation from a hypothetical singularity—the
While attending GWU, Alpher met Louise Ellen Simons, who was majoring in psychology at night school and working as a day secretary with the State Department. Nearly two months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Alpher and Louise were married. At this time he had already done classified work for the U.S. Navy through the
Big Bang nucleosynthesis theory
Alpher's dissertation in 1948 dealt with a subject that came to be known as
Alpher argued that the Big Bang would create hydrogen, helium and heavier elements in the correct proportions to explain their abundance in the early universe. Alpher and Gamow's theory originally proposed that all atomic nuclei are produced by the successive capture of neutrons, one mass unit at a time. However, later studies challenged the universality of the successive capture theory, since no element was found to have a stable isotope with an atomic mass of five or eight, hindering the production of elements beyond helium. It was eventually recognized that most of the heavy elements observed in the present universe are the result of stellar nucleosynthesis in stars, a theory largely developed by Hans Bethe, William Fowler and Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. Bethe had been a last minute addition to Alpher's dissertation examining committee.
Since Alpher's dissertation was perceived to be ground-breaking, over 300 people attended the dissertation defense, including the press, and articles about his predictions and a Herblock cartoon appeared in major newspapers. This was quite unusual for a doctoral dissertation.
Later the same year, collaborating with
Elements of Alpher's independent dissertation were first published on April 1, 1948 in the
Alpher and
Alpher and Herman (the latter, posthumously) published their own account of their work in cosmology in 2001, Genesis of the Big Bang (Oxford University Press). Published as a trade book, it received little promotion or sales in the first edition.He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1986.[6] In 2005 Alpher was awarded the National Medal of Science. The citation for the award reads "For his unprecedented work in the areas of nucleosynthesis, for the prediction that universe expansion leaves behind background radiation, and for providing the model for the Big Bang theory." The medal was presented to his son, Dr. Victor S. Alpher, on July 27, 2007 by President George W. Bush, as his father could not travel to receive the award.
Later career
In 1955 Alpher moved to a position with the General Electric Company's Research and Development Center. His primary role in his early years there was working on problems of vehicle re-entry from space. During the late 1940s at the APL at Johns Hopkins University, he worked as a member of John van Allen's work group, studying cosmic rays with high altitude balloons. In 1955, both Alpher and Herman applied for positions at Iowa, where van Allen was now department chair, however, the salaries in academia were simply too low by comparison with industrial pay. Alpher also continued to collaborate with Robert Herman, who had moved to the General Motors Research Laboratory, on problems in cosmology. The Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation was finally confirmed in 1964, although in retrospect many other astronomers and radio astronomers probably observed it without recognizing the cosmological significance.[7]
From 1987 to 2004 he served as distinguished research professor of physics and astronomy at Union College in Schenectady, New York, during which time he was able to return to research and teaching. During all this time he continued to publish major peer-reviewed scientific papers and was active in community service for Public Broadcasting. Alpher was also (1987–2004) director of The Dudley Observatory.
In 1986 he was recognized with the Distinguished Alumnus Achievement Award of the George Washington University. All of his degrees were achieved by studying at night, whilst working for the Navy and Johns Hopkins APL during the daytime. In 2004 he joined the emeritus faculty at Union and was emeritus director of Dudley. He also received honorary Doctor of Science degrees from Union College and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. From 2005 until his death, he remained emeritus director of the Dudley Observatory and emeritus distinguished professor of physics and astronomy at Union College.
Approach to science
Alpher told Joseph D'Agnese in his interview for Discover Magazine, "There are two reasons you do science. One is the altruistic feeling that maybe you can contribute to mankind's store of knowledge about the world. The other and more personal thing is you want the approbation of your peers. Pure and simple."[8]
Ralph Alpher told his son Victor in 1980, when considering advanced education, that approbation of anyone was not the reason to pursue graduate study or a career requiring advanced intensive study. Rather, he said to Victor, "you must enjoy and find satisfaction in the work you do every day, because you will not receive frequent rewards or pats on the back." Up to that time, he had received only three awards for his work in cosmology, from the American Philosophical Society, the Belgian Academy of Science, and the Franklin Institute—all occurring after he turned 50.[citation needed]
Personal life and views
Despite raising a Jewish family, Alpher considered himself to be agnostic and humanist.[9] He was married to Louise Alpher, had two children named Victor Seth and Harriet Rose and two grandchildren, Lisa and Rachel Lebetkin.[citation needed] He died following an extended illness on August 12, 2007. He had been in failing health since falling and breaking his hip in February 2007.[10][11]
See also
References
- . Alpher and Herman first estimated the temperature of the cosmic microwave background as 5° K, and two years later they re-estimated it as 28° K.
- ^ a b Erica Westly (October 6, 2008). "No Nobel for You: Top 10 Nobel Snubs". Scientific American.
- PMID 18877094.
- ^ Gamow, George (1961) [1952]. The Creation of the Universe (revised ed.). Viking Press. p. 64. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
- ^ "Henry Draper Medal". National Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
- ^ "Book of Members, 1780–2010: Chapter A" (PDF). American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
- ^ Alpher & Herman, "Genesis of the Big Bang", Oxford Press, 2001.
- ^ D'Agnese, J. (July 1999). "The Last Big Bang Man Left Standing". Discover: 61–67.
- ^ Alpher, Ralph A. "Cosmology and Humanism" (PDF). Humanism Today. 3: 15–27. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-29.
This leads inevitably to my identifying philosophically as an agnostic and a humanist, and explains my temerity in sharing my views with you.
- ^ "Ralph Alpher, 86, Expert in Work on the Big Bang, Dies". NY Times. 2007.
- ^ Obituary in the Albany (NY) Times-Union
External links
- Website about Alpher maintained by his son Victor S. Alpher, Ph.D
- "On the Origin and Relative Abundance of the Elements," Doctoral Dissertation, George Washington University, May, 1948. Although discouraged from an academic career in Chemistry because of his Jewish ancestry, this continuing interest is reflected in 1) subject matter for his dissertation, and 2) subsequent research conducted as a full-time employee at the Applied Physics Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University.
- Newspaper review of Big Bang book citing Alpher as major contributor to Big Bang theory
- Article about Alpher's life in a 1999 Discover magazine.
- Oral History interview transcript for Ralph Alpher on 11 August 1983, American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library and Archives
- Oral History interview transcript for Ralph Alpher and Robert Herman on 12 August 1983, American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library and Archives
- Obituary in the Washington Post
- Obituary in the Albany (NY) Times-Union
- Obituary in the (London/UK) Daily Telegraph[dead link]
- Discussion of Alpher's role
- Additional discussion of Alpher's role
- ArnoPenzia's 1978 Nobel prize lecture
- Bowley, Roger; Merrifield, Michael; Padilla, Antonio (Tony). "αβγ – The Alpha Beta Gamma Paper". Sixty Symbols. Brady Haran for the University of Nottingham.
- Ralph Asher Alpher at Find a Grave