Wilhelm Altar

Wilhelm Altar (August 27, 1900 – January 1, 1995), known to family and colleagues as William Altar, was an Austrian-born theoretical physicist whose significant contributions led to the development of the magneto-ionic theory.[1][2][3] Altar contributed to the mathematical and conceptual underpinnings that were verified by Appleton's research, in collaboration with Dr. Altar. Altar was not credited with his contributions until 1982, decades after Appleton received the 1947 Nobel Prize in Physics.[1]

Wilhelm Altar
Born
Wilhelm Altar

(1900-08-27)27 August 1900
Vienna, Austria
Died1 January 1995(1995-01-01) (aged 94)
Los Angeles, United States
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of Vienna
Known forSignificant contributions to ionospheric physics[1] and improvements to radar detection of enemy aircraft in World War II
Scientific career
FieldsPhysics
InstitutionsKing's College London
Pennsylvania State University
Princeton University

Biography

Altar was born in Vienna in 1900. In 1923 he obtained a doctorate in theoretical physics from the University of Vienna.[4] Due to the poor job market post World War I, Altar, in 1925, moved to his uncle's home in London.[5] In London Professor A. O. Ranking at Imperial College introduced him to Edward Appleton in King's College London.[4]

In the 1930s he moved to the United States where he joined the physics department of Pennsylvania State University.[1] From 1935 to 1937 he served as a researcher at the Frick Chemical Laboratory at Princeton University, working on a study of optical rotatory power in organic molecules. On several occasions, Altar had tea and discussions about physics with Albert Einstein in their native German language.

Appleton–Altar approach

During his time in King's College, Altar and Appleton made slow progress every day. The Appleton–Altar approach was an exercise in Lorentzian magneto-optics.

References
  1. "Wilhelm Altar". IEEE Global History Network. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  2. Gillmor, C. Stewart (October 1982). Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 126 (5): 395–440.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
  3. "PH RA 5729 Altar, Wilhelm, 1923.07.07-1923.08.02 (Akt)". Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  4. Yeang, Chen-Pang (2013-07-02). Probing the Sky with Radio Waves: From Wireless Technology to the Development of Atmospheric Science. University of Chicago Press. p. 253. ISBN 978-0226015194.
  5. "William Altar; Physicist's Work Led to Magneto-Ionic Theory". Los Angeles Times. 12 October 1995. Retrieved 24 December 2013.


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