Carole Jordan
Encyclopedia
Professor Dame Carole Jordan, DBE
, FRS
, FInstP
, (born 19 July 1941) was the first ever female president of the Royal Astronomical Society
. She was also only the third female recipient of its Gold Medal
(in 2005, following Caroline Herschel
in 1828 and Vera Rubin
in 1996).
(BSc 1962; PhD 1965; Fellow 1991). Her first paper, written while she was still an undergraduate, was on the distortion of lunar craters.
Her PhD studies under C. W. Allen included crucial identification of iron and other lines in the solar spectrum
, early ionisation-balance calculations, development of density-diagnostic methods using the iron lines, calculation of relative element abundances and modelling from emission-measure distributions. She published a paper on problems in coronal research in 1965.
She has published papers on astrophysical plasma spectroscopy and structure and energy balance in cool star coronae.
(DBE) on 17 June 2006.
satellite in 1978, she turned her attention to stellar corona
l and chromospheric
activity. Her knowledge of solar activity enabled her to help develop this new branch of astrophysics. Since about 1980, she has been a key member of nearly every team, in the UK, Europe and the US, concerned with the development and use of instruments for the studies of ultra-violet and x-ray
spectra
of the sun and of the stars.
from 1971 until 1983.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, FRS
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"...
, FInstP
Institute of Physics
The Institute of Physics is a scientific charity devoted to increasing the practice, understanding and application of physics. It has a worldwide membership of around 40,000....
, (born 19 July 1941) was the first ever female president of the Royal Astronomical Society
Royal Astronomical Society
The 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...
. She was also only the third female recipient of its Gold Medal
Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society
-History:In the early years, more than one medal was often awarded in a year, but by 1833 only one medal was being awarded per year. This caused a problem when Neptune was discovered in 1846, because many felt an award should jointly be made to John Couch Adams and Urbain Le Verrier...
(in 2005, following Caroline Herschel
Caroline Herschel
Caroline Lucretia Herschel was a German-British astronomer, the sister of astronomer Sir Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel with whom she worked throughout both of their careers. Her most significant contribution to astronomy was the discovery of several comets and in particular the periodic comet...
in 1828 and Vera Rubin
Vera Rubin
Vera Rubin is an American astronomer who pioneered work on galaxy rotation rates. She is famous for uncovering the discrepancy between the predicted angular motion of galaxies and the observed motion, by studying galactic rotation curves...
in 1996).
Education
Carole Jordan was educated at Harrow County Grammar School for Girls and at University College LondonUniversity College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
(BSc 1962; PhD 1965; Fellow 1991). Her first paper, written while she was still an undergraduate, was on the distortion of lunar craters.
Her PhD studies under C. W. Allen included crucial identification of iron and other lines in the solar spectrum
Spectrum
A spectrum is a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary infinitely within a continuum. The word saw its first scientific use within the field of optics to describe the rainbow of colors in visible light when separated using a prism; it has since been applied by...
, early ionisation-balance calculations, development of density-diagnostic methods using the iron lines, calculation of relative element abundances and modelling from emission-measure distributions. She published a paper on problems in coronal research in 1965.
Career
- Research associate, Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics, University of Colorado, BoulderUniversity of Colorado at BoulderThe University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
, 1966 - Assistant Lecturer, Department of Astronomy, UCL, attached to the Spectroscopy Division of UKAEA Culham Laboratory, 1966–69
- During this time, she completed her ionisation-balance calculations and the identification of some forbidden lines and satellite lines. In 1969, she started to devise methods to obtain the structure of the Solar transition regionSolar transition regionThe solar transition region is a region of the Sun's atmosphere, between the chromosphere and corona. It is visible from space using telescopes that can sense ultraviolet...
.- Astrophysics Research Unit, Culham Laboratory:
- Post-doctoral research assistant, 1969–71
- Senior Scientific Officer, 1971–73
- Principal Scientific Officer, 1973–76
- WolfsonIsaac WolfsonSir Isaac Wolfson, 1st Baronet FRS was a businessman and philanthropist. He was managing director of Great Universal Stores 1932-1947 and chairman 1947-1987. He established the Wolfson Foundation to distribute most of his fortune to good causes. Great Universal Stores was a mail order business...
Tutorial Fellow in Natural Science, Somerville College, OxfordSomerville College, OxfordSomerville College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and was one of the first women's colleges to be founded there...
, 1976 - - University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
: reader in physics, 1994–96, professor of physics 1996-, head of the Rudolf PeierlsRudolf PeierlsSir Rudolf Ernst Peierls, CBE was a German-born British physicist. Rudolf Peierls had a major role in Britain's nuclear program, but he also had a role in many modern sciences...
Centre for Theoretical Physics, 2003–2008
- Astrophysics Research Unit, Culham Laboratory:
She has published papers on astrophysical plasma spectroscopy and structure and energy balance in cool star coronae.
Affiliations
- Royal Astronomical Society: Fellow, 1966; secretary, 1981–90; vice-president, 1990–91 and 1996–97; president, 1994–96.
- Member of the International Astronomical UnionInternational Astronomical UnionThe International Astronomical Union IAU is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy...
, 1967 - Editor of The ObservatoryThe Observatory (astronomy)The Observatory is a publication, variously described as a journal, a magazine and a review, devoted to astronomy. It has appeared regularly since 1877, and is currently published every two months....
, 1968–73 - Fellow of the Institute of PhysicsInstitute of PhysicsThe Institute of Physics is a scientific charity devoted to increasing the practice, understanding and application of physics. It has a worldwide membership of around 40,000....
, 1973 - 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"...
, 1990 - Doctor of the University of SurreyUniversity of SurreyThe University of Surrey is a university located within the county town of Guildford, Surrey in the South East of England. It received its charter on 9 September 1966, and was previously situated near Battersea Park in south-west London. The institution was known as Battersea College of Technology...
, 1991 - Member of the Science and Engineering Research CouncilScience and Engineering Research CouncilThe Science and Engineering Research Council used to be the UK agency in charge of publicly funded scientific and engineering research activities including astronomy, biotechnology and biological sciences, space research and particle physics...
, 1985-90 (Chairman, Solar System Committee, 1983–86; Member, Astronomy, Space and Radio Board, 1979–86; Member, Astronomy and Planetary Science Board, 1986–90) - Member of the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research CouncilParticle Physics and Astronomy Research CouncilThe Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council was one of a number of Research Councils in the United Kingdom. It directed, coordinated and funded research in particle physics and astronomy for the people of the UK...
, 1994–97
Damehood
Carole Jordan was created a Dame Commander of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(DBE) on 17 June 2006.
Scientific work
Following the launch of the International Ultraviolet ExplorerInternational Ultraviolet Explorer
The International Ultraviolet Explorer was an astronomical observatory satellite primarily designed to take ultraviolet spectra. The satellite was a collaborative project between NASA, the UK Science Research Council and the European Space Agency...
satellite in 1978, she turned her attention to stellar corona
Corona
A corona is a type of plasma "atmosphere" of the Sun or other celestial body, extending millions of kilometers into space, most easily seen during a total solar eclipse, but also observable in a coronagraph...
l and chromospheric
Chromosphere
The chromosphere is a thin layer of the Sun's atmosphere just above the photosphere, roughly 2,000 kilometers deep....
activity. Her knowledge of solar activity enabled her to help develop this new branch of astrophysics. Since about 1980, she has been a key member of nearly every team, in the UK, Europe and the US, concerned with the development and use of instruments for the studies of ultra-violet and x-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
spectra
Spectrum
A spectrum is a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary infinitely within a continuum. The word saw its first scientific use within the field of optics to describe the rainbow of colors in visible light when separated using a prism; it has since been applied by...
of the sun and of the stars.
Personal
She was married to her Culham Laboratory/ARU colleague Richard PeckoverRichard Peckover
Richard Stuart Peckover FInstP, FIMA, FRMetS, FRAS, FSaRS was Chief Safety Adviser to the UK Atomic Energy Authority, 2000–2002. He married Carole Jordan in 1971; they divorced in 1983...
from 1971 until 1983.
External links
Sources
- Astronomy and Geophysics, August 2005, p. 439 (Gold medal citation)
- The Observatory, October 2005, pp. 294–95 (Account of presentation of Gold medal)