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Pierre AugerFrench physicist, specialist in nuclear physics and cosmic radiation.
Date of Birth: 14.05.1899
Country:  France |
Content:
Biography of Pierre Auger
Pierre Auger was a French physicist and specialist in nuclear physics and cosmic radiation. He was fascinated by processes occurring far away from Earth. However, his interests were not limited to cosmic rays alone – he made several valuable discoveries on Earth and developed the technique of Auger spectroscopy, which is still used today.
Pierre studied at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris and graduated in 1922. He then enrolled at the University of Paris, where he began studying the photoelectric effect under the guidance of Jean Perrin. Auger's research was highly successful, and by 1926, Perrin had already obtained a doctorate in physics.
In 1927, Auger became an assistant professor in the Faculty of Natural Sciences and deputy head of the Department of the Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology. In 1934, he was promoted to head of the department of faculty services, and in 1937, Auger became a lecturer, responsible for teaching a physics course.
Until 1940, Auger also worked on experimental aspects of quantum theory as a member of the Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics. He also held the position of assistant director of the Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, later shifting his focus to quantum physics and the theory of relativity.
Towards the end of World War II, Auger was appointed director of the laboratory, a position he held from 1945 to 1948. This experience later helped him secure a position in the genetics department at the Sorbonne.
Auger's research led to a series of interesting and important discoveries. He discovered the "Auger effect," the emission of so-called "Auger electrons" from atoms under the influence of additional external energy. This effect later found practical application in spectroscopy. The method developed based on this effect was named "Auger spectroscopy" in Pierre's honor, although it should be noted that the first discoverer of this method was Lise Meitner in 1922.
Aside from his earthly pursuits, Auger actively studied cosmic radiation. During his research, he showed that a series of radiation bursts suspiciously coincided in time, leading him to speculate that they may have had a common source. Auger later analyzed the available data and calculated some parameters of the presumed source.
