Richard F. Post

Richard Freeman Post[1] (November 14, 1918 – April 7, 2015) was an American physicist notable for his work in nuclear fusion, plasma physics, magnetic mirrors, magnetic levitation, magnetic bearing design and direct energy conversion.[2]

Richard F. Post
Born
Richard Freeman Post

(1918-11-14)November 14, 1918
DiedApril 7, 2015(2015-04-07) (aged 96)
NationalityAmerican
EducationPomona College (B.S.)
Stanford University (Ph.D.)
SpouseMarylee Post
Children3; including Markie
Awards
Scientific career
FieldsNuclear fusion, plasma physics, magnetic mirrors, magnetic levitation, magnetic bearing design, direct energy conversion
InstitutionsLawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Post was a winner of the James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics[3] and led the controlled thermonuclear research group at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for 23 years. He held a total of 34 patents in the fields of nuclear fusion, particle accelerators, and electronic and mechanical energy storage.[4]

Early life and education

Post was born in 1918 in Pomona, California, the son of Miriam (Colcord) and Freeman Post.[5][6] He received a BA in physics from Pomona College in 1940 and a PhD in physics from Stanford University in 1951. After his PhD, he was inspired to pursue fusion energy research by a college professor.[7]

Career

Post joined the staff at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) as leader of the controlled thermonuclear research group until 1974.[5] During this time, he developed many of the concepts behind magnetic mirrors and direct energy conversion.[2] He worked with Marshall Rosenbluth to develop the stability of plasma inside mirror machines.[8] From 1974 to 1987 he was deputy associate director of the magnetic fusion energy program at LLNL. This was a heavily funded effort by the United States Department of Energy to build a succession of magnetic mirror machines, including the Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF) and the Tandem Mirror Facility. After 1987, Post was senior scientist in the magnetic fusion energy program.[5] He has held advisory roles at NASA, the National Academy of Sciences and the United States Air Force.[5]

His notable work includes inductrack[9][10][11] and magnetically levitated flywheels.[12]

Personal life

Post and his wife Marylee (a poet) are the parents of actress Markie Post and her two brothers,[1] Steve and Rodney.[4] Although he retired in 1994, Post continued to work in his lab four days a week, up until the week of his death on April 7, 2015.[4]

References

  1. Grant, James (3 March 1986). "Though She Plays a Lawyer on Night Court, Markie Post Can't Help Feeling Guilty". People. Vol. 25, no. 9. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
  2. Post, Richard (September 1969). "Mirror Systems: Fuel Cycles, Loss Recovery, and Energy Recovery". BNES Nuclear Fusion Reactor Conference at Culham Laboratory.
  3. "1978 James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics Recipient: Richard F. Post". APS.org. American Physical Society. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
  4. "Remembering Dick Post's life and career | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory". www.llnl.gov. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  5. Richard Post at Array of Contemporary American Physicists; accessed 6-28-2013
  6. Studer, Robert Paul (1962). "The Historical Volume and Reference Works, Los Angeles County".
  7. Post, Richard. "Thoughts on Fusion Energy Development", Fusion Power Associates Annual Meeting and Symposium - "Honoring Fusion Pioneers Richard F. Post and John H. Nuckolls", 3–4 December 2008
  8. Post, R. F.; Rosenbluth, M. N. (1966). "Electrostatic Instabilities in Finite Mirror-Confined Plasmas". Physics of Fluids. 9 (4): 730. Bibcode:1966PhFl....9..730P. doi:10.1063/1.1761740.
  9. Heller, Arnie. "A New Approach for Magnetically Levitating Trains — and Rockets". Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
  10. Post, Richard F. (January 2000). "MagLev: A New Approach". Scientific American. Archived from the original on March 9, 2005.
  11. Post, Richard F. "The Inductrack Approach to Magnetic Levitation" (PDF). Askmar.com.
  12. Post, Richard F. (1 August 1993). The electromechanical battery: The new kid on the block. Annual Symposium on Coupling Technology to National Needs. Albuquerque, NM: Office of Scientific and Technical Information, US Department of Energy. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
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