Alan Cook
Encyclopedia
Sir Alan Hugh Cook FRS (2 December 1922 – 23 July 2004) was a British physicist
who specialised in geophysics
, astrophysics
and particularly precision measurement.
, Essex in 1922. He was the eldest of the six children of Reginald Thomas Cook, a customs and excise
officer, and his wife, Ethel, Saxon, who was active in the Congregational church
. His family were active churchgoers and Cook retained a life-long Christian commitment. He was educated first at the village school at Felsted, then at West Leigh School and finally (from 1933) at Westcliff High School for Boys
. In 1939 he won a major entrance scholarship to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
.
On 30 January 1948 he married Isabell Weir Adamson. The couple had a son and a daughter. He died from cancer on 23 July 2004 at Arthur Rank House, Cambridge.
) and geology, receiving a BA in 1943. On graduation, he was drafted into the Admiralty Signals Establishment (now part of the Admiralty Research Establishment
) as a temporary experimental officer, in the field of electronic counter-measures.
After the war he returned to Cambridge, where he studied for his doctorate under Edward Bullard
and B. C. Browne. His dissertation was on precise measurements of gravity in the British Isles. This developed into his core research interest: precision measurement in a wide range of areas the physical sciences. Thereafter, he did post-doctoral work there in geodesy
and geophysics
.
Cook followed Bullard to the National Physical Laboratory at Teddington
, working at the meteorological department, where he carried out a number of experiments, including the absolute measurement of the density of mercury, important for precise estimates of atmospheric pressure; measuring the absolute acceleration of falling bodies, and determining the Earth's gravitational potential, by using the precisely known orbits of the Sputnik satellites. His interests included precision measurement for time and length standards, particularly using hyperfine lines in the spectrum of cadmium and interference spectroscopy
, laser interferometry
and maser
s.
In 1966 he became superintendent of the Laboratory's quantum metrology division.
In 1969 he became professor of geophysics
at Edinburgh University, founding that university's geophysics department. Three years later, he was appointed Jacksonian professor of natural philosophy at the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, where he set up the laboratory astrophysics
group. His work there included experiments in microwave spectroscopy and tests of the inverse square law of gravitation at short distances. In 1979 he became head of the Laboratory, and from 1983 to 1993 was master of Selwyn College
. After retiring he took a strong interest in the history of science
, and was the editor, from 1996, of Notes and Records of the Royal Society
of London, that Society's main journal on the history of science.
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
who specialised in geophysics
Geophysics
Geophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods. The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and...
, astrophysics
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
and particularly precision measurement.
Early life and family
Cook was born in FelstedFelsted
Felsted is linked to Little Dunmow by the Flitch Way Country Park, a former railway line. The village has links to Lord Riche who founded the public school, The Felsted School, in 1564, and is buried in Holy Cross Church. Lord Riche was an important benefactor of the Felsted church. The school also...
, Essex in 1922. He was the eldest of the six children of Reginald Thomas Cook, a customs and excise
Her Majesty's Customs and Excise
HM Customs and Excise was, until April 2005, a department of the British Government in the UK. It was responsible for the collection of Value added tax , Customs Duties, Excise Duties, and other indirect taxes such as Air Passenger Duty, Climate Change Levy, Insurance Premium Tax, Landfill Tax and...
officer, and his wife, Ethel, Saxon, who was active in the Congregational church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
. His family were active churchgoers and Cook retained a life-long Christian commitment. He was educated first at the village school at Felsted, then at West Leigh School and finally (from 1933) at Westcliff High School for Boys
Westcliff High School for Boys
Westcliff High School for Boys is a selective academy grammar school for boys aged 11 to 18 in Westcliff-on-Sea, near Southend-on-Sea, Essex and surrounding areas. In September 2001 the school was awarded "Beacon" status for its breadth of achievements and quality of work...
. In 1939 he won a major entrance scholarship to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is notable as the only college founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
.
On 30 January 1948 he married Isabell Weir Adamson. The couple had a son and a daughter. He died from cancer on 23 July 2004 at Arthur Rank House, Cambridge.
Academic and scientific career
Cook entered Corpus Christi College in 1940, reading 'the natural science tripos' (physical sciences, biological sciences and the history and philosophy of scienceHistory and philosophy of science
The history and philosophy of science is an academic discipline that encompasses the philosophy of science and the history of science. Although many scholars in the field are trained primarily as either historians or as philosophers, there are degree-granting departments of HPS at several...
) and geology, receiving a BA in 1943. On graduation, he was drafted into the Admiralty Signals Establishment (now part of the Admiralty Research Establishment
Admiralty Research Establishment
The Admiralty Research Establishment was formed on 1 April 1984 from various Admiralty establishments. It became part of the Defence Research Agency on 1 April 1991.-Constituent parts on formation:...
) as a temporary experimental officer, in the field of electronic counter-measures.
After the war he returned to Cambridge, where he studied for his doctorate under Edward Bullard
Edward Bullard
Sir Edward "Teddy" Crisp Bullard FRS was a geophysicist who is considered, along with Maurice Ewing, to have founded the discipline of marine geophysics...
and B. C. Browne. His dissertation was on precise measurements of gravity in the British Isles. This developed into his core research interest: precision measurement in a wide range of areas the physical sciences. Thereafter, he did post-doctoral work there in geodesy
Geodesy
Geodesy , also named geodetics, a branch of earth sciences, is the scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of the Earth, including its gravitational field, in a three-dimensional time-varying space. Geodesists also study geodynamical phenomena such as crustal...
and geophysics
Geophysics
Geophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods. The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and...
.
Cook followed Bullard to the National Physical Laboratory at Teddington
Teddington
Teddington is a suburban area in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in south west London, on the north bank of the River Thames, between Hampton Wick and Twickenham. It stretches inland from the River Thames to Bushy Park...
, working at the meteorological department, where he carried out a number of experiments, including the absolute measurement of the density of mercury, important for precise estimates of atmospheric pressure; measuring the absolute acceleration of falling bodies, and determining the Earth's gravitational potential, by using the precisely known orbits of the Sputnik satellites. His interests included precision measurement for time and length standards, particularly using hyperfine lines in the spectrum of cadmium and interference spectroscopy
Spectroscopy
Spectroscopy is the study of the interaction between matter and radiated energy. Historically, spectroscopy originated through the study of visible light dispersed according to its wavelength, e.g., by a prism. Later the concept was expanded greatly to comprise any interaction with radiative...
, laser interferometry
Interferometry
Interferometry refers to a family of techniques in which electromagnetic waves are superimposed in order to extract information about the waves. An instrument used to interfere waves is called an interferometer. Interferometry is an important investigative technique in the fields of astronomy,...
and maser
Maser
A maser is a device that produces coherent electromagnetic waves through amplification by stimulated emission. Historically, “maser” derives from the original, upper-case acronym MASER, which stands for "Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation"...
s.
In 1966 he became superintendent of the Laboratory's quantum metrology division.
In 1969 he became professor of geophysics
Geophysics
Geophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods. The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and...
at Edinburgh University, founding that university's geophysics department. Three years later, he was appointed Jacksonian professor of natural philosophy at the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, where he set up the laboratory astrophysics
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
group. His work there included experiments in microwave spectroscopy and tests of the inverse square law of gravitation at short distances. In 1979 he became head of the Laboratory, and from 1983 to 1993 was master of Selwyn College
Selwyn College, Cambridge
Selwyn College is a constituent college in the University of Cambridge in England, United Kingdom.The college was founded by the Selwyn Memorial Committee in memory of the Rt Reverend George Selwyn , who rowed on the Cambridge crew in the first Varsity Boat Race in 1829, and went on to become the...
. After retiring he took a strong interest in the history of science
History of science
The history of science is the study of the historical development of human understandings of the natural world and the domains of the social sciences....
, and was the editor, from 1996, of Notes and Records of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
of London, that Society's main journal on the history of science.
Honours and awards
- 1969: Fellow of the Royal SocietyRoyal SocietyThe Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
. - 1988: President of the Royal Astronomical SocietyRoyal Astronomical SocietyThe Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...
. - 1988: Knighthood
Publications
- Gravity and the earth (1969)
- Gravitational experiments in the laboratory (1993)
- The observational foundations of physics (1994)
- Edmond Halley: charting the heavens and the seas (1998)