Allan Mackintosh
Encyclopedia
Allan Roy Mackintosh, FRS (22 January 1936 – 20 December 1995) was a prominent English
-born Danish
physicist
and a leading authority on magnetism
and neutron scattering
, especially in the rare-earth metals.
Mackintosh was known for his key role in stimulating solid-state physics
research in Denmark
and for his advocacy of international collaboration. Many of his former students now occupy leading academic and industrial posts in a variety of countries. As director of the Danish Atomic Energy Research Establishment from 1971 to 1976 he was a major force in Danish science policy and a prolific contributor to the public debate about nuclear power
.
Mackintosh was born in 1936 in Nottingham
, England
and received his university education at the University of Cambridge
(Bachelor of Arts
as a scholar at Peterhouse College in 1957, Ph.D.
in 1960). His doctoral research at Cambridge was carried out in the renowned Cavendish Laboratory
under Sir Brian Pippard
, where he investigated the Fermi surface
of metals.
On leaving Cambridge in 1960, he became Associate Professor of Physics
at Iowa State University
and worked in its Ames Laboratory
for seven years. This is where he established himself as a leading expert on the fundamental electrical and magnetic properties of the newly purified group of elements
, the rare-earth metals.
During a 1966 sabbatical at the Riso National Laboratory in Denmark
, Mackintosh discovered a technique to quantify the magnetic moments
on an atomic scale using the newly constructed neutron
spectrometer
. His measurements of the spin waves in rare-earth metals marked a significant advance in the study of magnetism
, for which he was awarded (jointly with Hans Bjerrum Møller) the prestigious Spedding Prize
in 1986.
In 1970 he became Professor of Experimental Solid State Physics at the University of Copenhagen
, a chair he held until his death. From 1971 to 1976 he also served as Director of the Riso National Laboratory, and from 1986 to 1989 as Director of NORDITA (the Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics), with its close connections to the Niels Bohr Institute
. Mackintosh was also President of the Danish Physical Society from 1976 to 1979, and President of the European Physical Society
from 1980 to 1982.
Long known for his careful yet lucid prose, Mackintosh's publication in 1991, with Jens Jensen, of Rare Earth Magnetism, was a landmark in solid state physics and the book became a classic text. In the same year he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society
. In Denmark, he was made a Knight of the Dannebrog Order
. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters
, the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences, the Royal Norwegian Scientific Academy, and the American Physical Society
. Uppsala University
awarded him an honorary doctorate of philosophy in 1980.
Mackintosh was also noted for a widely quoted 1988 article in Scientific American
where he argued for wider recognition of John Vincent Atanasoff
's key role as the inventor of the first electronic digital computer (the Atanasoff-Berry Computer
).
He married the Danish-born Jette Stannow, whom he met in Cambridge, in 1958. The couple had one son, Paul Erik (born 1962), and two daughters, Anne Karen (born 1959) and Ida Alys (born 1964).
He died in 1995 in Roskilde, Denmark after a car accident.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
physicist
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...
and a leading authority on magnetism
Magnetism
Magnetism is a property of materials that respond at an atomic or subatomic level to an applied magnetic field. Ferromagnetism is the strongest and most familiar type of magnetism. It is responsible for the behavior of permanent magnets, which produce their own persistent magnetic fields, as well...
and neutron scattering
Neutron scattering
Neutron scattering,the scattering of free neutrons by matter,is a physical processand an experimental technique using this processfor the investigation of materials.Neutron scattering as a physical process is of primordial importance...
, especially in the rare-earth metals.
Mackintosh was known for his key role in stimulating solid-state physics
Solid-state physics
Solid-state physics is the study of rigid matter, or solids, through methods such as quantum mechanics, crystallography, electromagnetism, and metallurgy. It is the largest branch of condensed matter physics. Solid-state physics studies how the large-scale properties of solid materials result from...
research in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and for his advocacy of international collaboration. Many of his former students now occupy leading academic and industrial posts in a variety of countries. As director of the Danish Atomic Energy Research Establishment from 1971 to 1976 he was a major force in Danish science policy and a prolific contributor to the public debate about nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
.
Mackintosh was born in 1936 in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and received his university education at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
(Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
as a scholar at Peterhouse College in 1957, Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1960). His doctoral research at Cambridge was carried out in the renowned Cavendish Laboratory
Cavendish Laboratory
The Cavendish Laboratory is the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge, and is part of the university's School of Physical Sciences. It was opened in 1874 as a teaching laboratory....
under Sir Brian Pippard
Brian Pippard
Sir Alfred Brian Pippard, ScD, FRS , was a British physicist. He was Cavendish Professor of Physics from 1971 until 1984 and an Honorary Fellow of Clare Hall, University of Cambridge, of which he was the first President...
, where he investigated the Fermi surface
Fermi surface
In condensed matter physics, the Fermi surface is an abstract boundary useful for predicting the thermal, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties of metals, semimetals, and doped semiconductors. The shape of the Fermi surface is derived from the periodicity and symmetry of the crystalline...
of metals.
On leaving Cambridge in 1960, he became Associate Professor of Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
at Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
and worked in its Ames Laboratory
Ames Laboratory
Ames Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory located in Ames, Iowa. The Laboratory conducts research into various areas of national concern, including the synthesis and study of new materials, energy resources, high-speed computer design, and environmental cleanup...
for seven years. This is where he established himself as a leading expert on the fundamental electrical and magnetic properties of the newly purified group of elements
Chemical element
A chemical element is a pure chemical substance consisting of one type of atom distinguished by its atomic number, which is the number of protons in its nucleus. Familiar examples of elements include carbon, oxygen, aluminum, iron, copper, gold, mercury, and lead.As of November 2011, 118 elements...
, the rare-earth metals.
During a 1966 sabbatical at the Riso National Laboratory in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Mackintosh discovered a technique to quantify the magnetic moments
Magnetic moment
The magnetic moment of a magnet is a quantity that determines the force that the magnet can exert on electric currents and the torque that a magnetic field will exert on it...
on an atomic scale using the newly constructed neutron
Neutron
The neutron is a subatomic hadron particle which has the symbol or , no net electric charge and a mass slightly larger than that of a proton. With the exception of hydrogen, nuclei of atoms consist of protons and neutrons, which are therefore collectively referred to as nucleons. The number of...
spectrometer
Spectrometer
A spectrometer is an instrument used to measure properties of light over a specific portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, typically used in spectroscopic analysis to identify materials. The variable measured is most often the light's intensity but could also, for instance, be the polarization...
. His measurements of the spin waves in rare-earth metals marked a significant advance in the study of magnetism
Magnetism
Magnetism is a property of materials that respond at an atomic or subatomic level to an applied magnetic field. Ferromagnetism is the strongest and most familiar type of magnetism. It is responsible for the behavior of permanent magnets, which produce their own persistent magnetic fields, as well...
, for which he was awarded (jointly with Hans Bjerrum Møller) the prestigious Spedding Prize
Frank Spedding
Frank Harold Spedding was a Canadian chemist who led a group of chemists at Ames Laboratory which developed an efficient process for obtaining high purity uranium from uranium halides. The general technique is known as the Thermite process, or more specifically, the Ames process...
in 1986.
In 1970 he became Professor of Experimental Solid State Physics at the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
, a chair he held until his death. From 1971 to 1976 he also served as Director of the Riso National Laboratory, and from 1986 to 1989 as Director of NORDITA (the Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics), with its close connections to the Niels Bohr Institute
Niels Bohr Institute
The Niels Bohr Institute is a research institute of the University of Copenhagen. The research of the institute spans astronomy, geophysics, nanotechnology, particle physics, quantum mechanics and biophysics....
. Mackintosh was also President of the Danish Physical Society from 1976 to 1979, and President of the European Physical Society
European Physical Society
The European Physical Society is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote physics and physicists in Europe. Formally established in 1968, its membership includes the national physical societies of 41 countries, and some 3200 individual members. The Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft,...
from 1980 to 1982.
Long known for his careful yet lucid prose, Mackintosh's publication in 1991, with Jens Jensen, of Rare Earth Magnetism, was a landmark in solid state physics and the book became a classic text. In the same year he was elected Fellow 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"...
. In Denmark, he was made a Knight of the Dannebrog Order
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters
Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters
Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters is a Danish non-governmental science Academy, founded 13 November 1742 by permission of the King Christian VI, as a historical Collegium Antiquitatum...
, the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences, the Royal Norwegian Scientific Academy, and the American Physical Society
American Physical Society
The American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...
. Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
awarded him an honorary doctorate of philosophy in 1980.
Mackintosh was also noted for a widely quoted 1988 article in Scientific American
Scientific American
Scientific American is a popular science magazine. It is notable for its long history of presenting science monthly to an educated but not necessarily scientific public, through its careful attention to the clarity of its text as well as the quality of its specially commissioned color graphics...
where he argued for wider recognition of John Vincent Atanasoff
John Vincent Atanasoff
John Vincent Atanasoff was an American physicist and inventor.The 1973 decision of the patent suit Honeywell v. Sperry Rand named him the inventor of the first automatic electronic digital computer...
's key role as the inventor of the first electronic digital computer (the Atanasoff-Berry Computer
Atanasoff-Berry Computer
The Atanasoff–Berry Computer was the first electronic digital computing device. Conceived in 1937, the machine was not programmable, being designed only to solve systems of linear equations. It was successfully tested in 1942...
).
He married the Danish-born Jette Stannow, whom he met in Cambridge, in 1958. The couple had one son, Paul Erik (born 1962), and two daughters, Anne Karen (born 1959) and Ida Alys (born 1964).
He died in 1995 in Roskilde, Denmark after a car accident.
External links
- Allan Mackintosh's work opened up a new era in the understanding of magnetism - Obituary, The Independent (UK), 1996
- Magnetism in Metals: A Symposium in Memory of Allan Mackintosh - The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, 1997
- "Allan Roy Mackintosh" - Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 43 (Nov. 1997), pp. 323-331
- A. R. Mackintosh, “Dr. Atanasoff’s Computer,” Scientific American, August 1988 (Archived 2009-10-31)
- Jens Jensen and Allan R. Mackintosh: Rare Earth Magnetism, 1991