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Eduard EpltonPhysicist
Date of Birth: 06.09.1892
Country:  Hungary |
Content:
- Birth and Early Life
- Education and Early Research
- World War I and Radio Research
- Post-War Academic Career
- Discovery of the Ionosphere
- Further Ionospheric Discoveries
- wartime Contributions
- Post-War Recognition and Legacy
Birth and Early Life
Edward Appleton, an English physicist and Nobel laureate, was born on September 6, 1892, in Bradford, Yorkshire, England. His parents, Peter Appleton, a mill worker, and Mary (née Wilcock) Appleton, instilled in him a passion for music. However, by the age of 16, Appleton suddenly became fascinated with physics and mathematics.
Education and Early Research
Appleton excelled academically and earned scholarships to Hanson Secondary School (1903-1911) and St. John's College, Cambridge (1911-1913). At Cambridge, he worked under Ernest Rutherford and J.J. Thomson, was awarded prizes in mineralogy and physics, and graduated with first-class honors in 1913.
He remained at Cambridge as a research scholar under W.H. Bragg, studying the crystallographic structure of metals and minerals.
World War I and Radio Research
With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Appleton enlisted in the infantry, later transferring to the Royal Engineers. His work in radio communications and the study of radio signal fading during this period sparked his interest in vacuum tubes.
Post-War Academic Career
After the war, Appleton returned to Cambridge and continued his research on vacuum tubes for radio communications. Elected a Fellow of St. John's College in 1919, he became an Assistant Demonstrator in Physics at Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory the following year. He also began studying the emission of radio waves during thunderstorms with C.T.R. Wilson.
In 1924, Appleton became Professor of Physics at the University of London. That same year, he began investigating the propagation of radio waves through the atmosphere with Miles Barnett, his first research student.
Discovery of the Ionosphere
In 1924, Appleton and Barnett experimentally confirmed the existence of the ionosphere, a layer of electrically charged gas in the Earth's upper atmosphere. Their method, known as frequency-modulated radiolocation, allowed them to determine the height of the ionosphere and paved the way for the development of radar technology.
Further Ionospheric Discoveries
In 1927, Appleton discovered a second reflecting layer in the ionosphere, located higher than the Kennelly-Heaviside layer. This layer, known as the Appleton layer, enables the reflection of shortwave radio signals, making global radio broadcasting possible.
Appleton continued to study the detailed structure and behavior of the ionosphere, observing the effects of solar radiation and solar particles on it. He also measured the height and structure of the ionosphere in polar regions and at lower latitudes.
wartime Contributions
In 1934, Appleton became Jacksonian Professor of Natural Philosophy at Cambridge University. During World War II, he served as Secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), a leading British scientific research organization.
Appleton coordinated Britain's efforts in radar development and atomic bomb research. The work of his researchers in the early 1930s laid the foundation for the effective use of radar by the Royal Air Force in defending against German air raids.
Post-War Recognition and Legacy
Appleton was knighted in 1941 for his wartime contributions. He played a significant role in planning the International Geophysical Year (1957-1958) and served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh from 1949 to 1965.
Appleton was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1947 "for his investigations of the physics of the upper atmosphere, especially for the discovery of the so-called Appleton layer."
He was honored with numerous awards, including the Hughes Medal (1933) and Royal Medal (1950) from the Royal Society of London, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, a Foreign Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a member of professional societies worldwide.
Appleton passed away on April 21, 1965, leaving behind a legacy of groundbreaking research and significant contributions to atmospheric science.
