Bruno Pontecorvo 1913-1993.

Bruno Pontecorvo 1913-1993

External Academician Bruno Pontecorvo, one correspondents of the outstanding physicists of our times, died on 24 September 1993 at Argonne National Laboratory, (USA) the age of 80. He was bom on 22 D. Ayres August 1913 in Pisa, Italy. As a Brookhaven, National Laboratory, (USA) student he was noticed by Enrico P. Yamin Fermi and admitted to his world- CEBAF Laboratory, (USA) famous group in 1933, where he S. Corneliussen participated in the classical investiga­ Cornell University, (USA) tions of slow neutrons which paved D. G. Cassel the way for practical applications of DESY Laboratory, (Germany) nuclear power. P. Waloschek In 1936 Pontecorvo joined Joliot- Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, (USA) Curie's group in Paris, again partici­ J. Cooper, J. Holt pating in research which laid a GSI Darmstadt, (Germany) foundation for modern nuclear G. Siegert physics, and making significant INFN, (Italy) discoveries of his own. From 1940- his idea to look for muon neutrinos. A. Pascolini 42 he worked in the USA, where he This involved using high energy IHEP, Beijing, (China) devised and introduced a neutron Qi Nading accelerators to produce pions, which logging technique which is still used decay predominantly into muons and JINR Dubna, (Russia) in oil prospecting. Then he worked in neutrinos, and so obtain an artificial B. Starchenko Canada, the UK (Harwell), and in beam of high energy neutrinos. This KEK National Laboratory, (Japan) S. Iwata 1950 moved to the Soviet Union, led to the classic experiment at immediately joining the research at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, (USA) Brookhaven by Leon Lederman, Jack B. Feinberg the world's then most powerful Steinberger and Mel Schwartz which Los Alamos National Laboratory, (USA) synchrocyclotron, which had just showed that such accelerator- C. Hoffmann been put into operation at Dubna. produced neutrinos gave muons Novosibirsk, Institute, (Russia) Pontecorvo had an impressive rather than electrons. Pontecorvo's V. Balakin ability to generate profound ideas suggestions were acknowledged Orsay Laboratory, (France) and show how they could be applied. when the trio received their 1988 Anne-Marie Lutz From the middle 1940s he concen­ Nobel physics prize. Later came a PSI Laboratory, (Switzerland) third major Pontecorvo neutrino R. Frosch trated on weak interaction physics, especially neutrinos. In 1946, while suggestion, the idea of oscillations. Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, (UK) Jacky Hutchinson still at Chalk River, he proposed the He was also an influential personal­ Saclay Laboratory, (France) chlorine-argon method for radio­ ity and teacher. For some 20 years Elisabeth Locci chemical detection of neutrinos which he headed the elementary particle IHEP, Serpukhov, (Russia) went on to become a powerful tool in physics section at Moscow State Yu. Ryabov the discovery and subsequent study University. His presence during Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, (USA) of solar particles. discussions of new ideas or results M. Riordan In 1947, following the discovery of created fertile ground for new re­ Superconducting Super Collider, (USA) the muon, he proposed the idea of a search challenges. Especially signifi­ N. V. Baggett 'universal' weak interaction for cant was his fruitful contribution to TRIUMF Laboratory, (Canada) electrons and muons. Ten years the creative atmosphere and devel­ M. K. Craddock later, when he was in residence in opment of research fields at the Joint the Soviet Union, came another Institute for Nuclear Research in outstanding neutrino contribution - Dubna, where he worked, and at the

40 CERN Courier, November 1993 Institute of High Energy Physics in Academia del Lincei. He was a man with a high sense of Protvino, with which he had close Those who knew him were charmed duty who had a difficult but vivid life. contact. by his friendliness and consideration, Our memory will always be of a great His outstanding ability brought and impressed by his dedication to scientist and a remarkable person. international recognition. He was science and his clear and critical (From a contribution by his Dubna awarded the State Prize and the mind, and by his great tact in rela­ colleagues) Lenin Prize, became a Correspond­ tions with people, his modesty and ing Member of the USSR Academy his culture. of Sciences in 1958 and a Full As well as being a brilliant scientist, Member in 1964. He was elected a he was also exceptionally gifted in foreign member of the Italian other spheres, from sport to writing.

Ruhr-Universitat Bochum UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD in der Fakultat fur Physik und Astronomie ist eine Department of Physics Professur (C3) Professorship of experimental physics fiir Experimentalphysik The electors intend to proceed to an election to wieder zu besetzen. the Professorship of Experimental Physics, with effect from 1 October 1994 or such later date as Es wird vorausgesetzt, dass sich die Stelleninhaberin Oder der Stelleninhaber angemessen an der may be arranged. The stipend of the professor­ Physikausbildung von Haupt- und Nebenfach- ship is currently £34,984; a pensionable allow­ studenten beteiligt und insbesondere die Kern- und ance (currently £6,090) will be added in respect Schwerionen-Physik vertritt. Das Forschungsgebiet soil die Kernphysik im Mittelenergiebereich sein, of the duties as head of the Sub-department of insbesondere an Beschleunigern wie COSY (Julich) Particle and Nuclear Physics for any periods und ELSA (Bonn). Erfahrungen und Experimenten during which these are assigned to the profes­ an Grossgeraten sind erwunscht. An der Universitat sor. Professor R.J. Cashmore has been as­ selbst stehen die Niederenergiebeschleuniger des Dynamitron Tandem Laboratoriums fur Forschungs- signed the headship until 30 September 1996. zwecke zur Verfugung. A non-stipendiary professorial fellowship at St. Habilitation oder gleichwertige Qualifikation werden Catherine's College is attached to the professor­ vorausgesetzt. Bewerbungen mit Lebenslauf, Schriftenverzeichnis und Angabe der bisherigen ship. Lehrtatigkeit werden bis zum 30. November 1993 an Applications (ten copies, or one from overseas den Dekan der Fakultat fur Physik und Astronomie candidates), naming three referees, should be der Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, Postfach 10 21 48, D - 44780 Bochum, erbeten. received not later than 29 November 1993 by the Die Rurh-Universitat Bochum bemuht sich urn die Registrar, University Offices, Wellington Square, Forderung von Frauen in Forschung und Lehre. Die Oxford OX1 2JD, from whom further particulars Bewerbung Schwerbehinderter ist erwunscht. may be obtained. The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

CERN Courier, November 1993 41