![]() |
Thomas GoldAmerican astronomer
Date of Birth: 22.05.1920
Country: ![]() |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Scientific Career
- Harvard and Cornell Universities (1957-1985)
- Scientific Contributions
- Solar System Dynamics
- Cosmic Rays and Solar Flares
- Pulsars and Quasars
- Lunar Surface and Evolution
- Biophysics and Geophysics
- Recognition and Honors
Early Life and Education
Thomas Gold was born in Vienna, Austria in 1920. He attended the Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz in Switzerland and graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge University in England in 1942.
Scientific Career
Early Research and Teaching (1942-1956)During the Second World War, Gold conducted radar research for the British Admiralty. After the war, he taught at Cambridge University from 1948 to 1952 and served as Senior Assistant Astronomer at the Royal Greenwich Observatory from 1952 to 1956.
Harvard and Cornell Universities (1957-1985)
In 1957, Gold moved to the United States. He became Professor of Astronomy at Harvard University until 1959, and then Professor of Astronomy and Director of the Center for Radiophysics and Space Research at Cornell University.
Scientific Contributions
Cosmology and General RelativityGold was a prominent cosmologist. In 1948, he co-authored the Steady State Theory, which proposed a universe with constant density and an infinite past and future. He also studied closed universes and investigated the nature of time within the framework of general relativity.
Solar System Dynamics
Gold made significant contributions to the understanding of the Solar System. He studied the motion of the Earth's axis of rotation and the axial rotation of Mercury and Venus.
Cosmic Rays and Solar Flares
Gold investigated the origin and nature of cosmic rays, focusing on high-energy particles produced by solar flares and accelerated by interplanetary magnetic fields. He also developed a theory on the origin of solar flares.
Pulsars and Quasars
In 1968, Gold proposed the first model of pulsars as rapidly rotating neutron stars. He suggested that the magnetic axis of the star did not align with its rotational axis, resulting in the observed pulses of radiation. Gold also proposed an explanation for the powerful optical and radio emissions from quasars as a result of stellar collisions.
Lunar Surface and Evolution
Gold conducted extensive research on the nature of the lunar surface and its evolution. He proposed a hypothesis that the surface was covered by a thick layer of dust, which explained its optical properties and low thermal conductivity.
Biophysics and Geophysics
Gold also contributed to biophysics and geophysics. He developed physical theories of human senses and conducted research in areas such as the properties of dust particles and the formation of planetary atmospheres.
Recognition and Honors
Gold was a member of the Royal Society of London and the National Academy of Sciences of the United States. He received the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1985.