Melvin B. Gottlieb
Encyclopedia
Melvin Burt Gottlieb was a high-energy physicist and director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
(1961-1980). With Van Allen
he did the early studies of the magnetosphere
, and he later led US
fusion
research.
. He was married on June 26, 1948 to Golda Gehrman and they had two daughters.
Gottlieb worked on radar
counter-measures and with Van Allen
on early cosmic ray studies.
In 1950 Gottlieb accepted an appointment as assistant professor at the State University of Iowa where he continued to work with Van Allen. Starting in 1952 he went on several expeditions to the Arctic
on behalf of the Office of Naval Research
, where balloons, attached to ion chambers, and launched from rockets were used to study the magnetosphere
.
for the federal government. The work was at the time highly classified. When he arrived Lyman Spitzer
’s Stellarator
was in its early development. His administrative abilities were quickly recognized and as early as 1958 he was testifying before congress about the need for adequate funds for fusion research.
The declassification of fusion research in 1958 brought Gottlieb’s work international attention at the Atoms-for-Peace Conference in 1958. He became director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
in 1961 succeeding Lyman Spitzer, Jr.
Fusion research had reached an impasse with its inability to control the high-energy plasma. This impasse was not broken until the 1969 Russian development of the tokamak (doughnut-shaped) electromagnetic plasma container. Despite doubts of other American physicists, Gottlieb seized upon the tokamak concept, even visiting the Institute of Atomic Energy in Moscow in 1969. In 1971, funded by the US Air Force
, he traveled throughout western Europe visiting plasma research facilities, and by 1972 had managed to get the $13 million funding to build the Princeton Large Torus. He subsequently obtained the funding for the follow-on Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor
(TFTR), but didn’t stay as director to see it finally completed in 1982. He was succeeded as director in 1981 by Harold Furth
.
In the 1980s he was employed by Grumman Aerospace Corporation, as a technical advisor and "de facto" lobbyist.
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory for plasma physics and nuclear fusion science located on Princeton University's Forrestal Campus in Plainsboro Township, New Jersey. Its primary mission is research into and development of fusion as an...
(1961-1980). With Van Allen
James Van Allen
James Alfred Van Allen was an American space scientist at the University of Iowa.The Van Allen radiation belts were named after him, following the 1958 satellite missions in which Van Allen had argued that a Geiger counter should be used to detect charged particles.- Life and career :* September...
he did the early studies of the magnetosphere
Magnetosphere
A magnetosphere is formed when a stream of charged particles, such as the solar wind, interacts with and is deflected by the intrinsic magnetic field of a planet or similar body. Earth is surrounded by a magnetosphere, as are the other planets with intrinsic magnetic fields: Mercury, Jupiter,...
, and he later led US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
fusion
Nuclear fusion
Nuclear fusion is the process by which two or more atomic nuclei join together, or "fuse", to form a single heavier nucleus. This is usually accompanied by the release or absorption of large quantities of energy...
research.
Personal life
Gottlieb was born on May 25, 1917 to Ezra Benjamin Gottlieb and Sara Gottlieb née Holtz in Chicago and received his bachelors in mathematics and doctorate in physics from the University of ChicagoUniversity of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. He was married on June 26, 1948 to Golda Gehrman and they had two daughters.
Early physics
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Gottlieb worked on radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
counter-measures and with Van Allen
James Van Allen
James Alfred Van Allen was an American space scientist at the University of Iowa.The Van Allen radiation belts were named after him, following the 1958 satellite missions in which Van Allen had argued that a Geiger counter should be used to detect charged particles.- Life and career :* September...
on early cosmic ray studies.
In 1950 Gottlieb accepted an appointment as assistant professor at the State University of Iowa where he continued to work with Van Allen. Starting in 1952 he went on several expeditions to the Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
on behalf of the Office of Naval Research
Office of Naval Research
The Office of Naval Research , headquartered in Arlington, Virginia , is the office within the United States Department of the Navy that coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S...
, where balloons, attached to ion chambers, and launched from rockets were used to study the magnetosphere
Magnetosphere
A magnetosphere is formed when a stream of charged particles, such as the solar wind, interacts with and is deflected by the intrinsic magnetic field of a planet or similar body. Earth is surrounded by a magnetosphere, as are the other planets with intrinsic magnetic fields: Mercury, Jupiter,...
.
Fusion
Beginning in 1954 Gottlieb started work on fusion research at the Princeton Plasma Physics LaboratoryPrinceton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory for plasma physics and nuclear fusion science located on Princeton University's Forrestal Campus in Plainsboro Township, New Jersey. Its primary mission is research into and development of fusion as an...
for the federal government. The work was at the time highly classified. When he arrived Lyman Spitzer
Lyman Spitzer
Lyman Strong Spitzer, Jr. was an American theoretical physicist and astronomer best known for his research in star formation, plasma physics, and in 1946, for conceiving the idea of telescopes operating in outer space...
’s Stellarator
Stellarator
A stellarator is a device used to confine a hot plasma with magnetic fields in order to sustain a controlled nuclear fusion reaction. It is one of the earliest controlled fusion devices, first invented by Lyman Spitzer in 1950 and built the next year at what later became the Princeton Plasma...
was in its early development. His administrative abilities were quickly recognized and as early as 1958 he was testifying before congress about the need for adequate funds for fusion research.
The declassification of fusion research in 1958 brought Gottlieb’s work international attention at the Atoms-for-Peace Conference in 1958. He became director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory for plasma physics and nuclear fusion science located on Princeton University's Forrestal Campus in Plainsboro Township, New Jersey. Its primary mission is research into and development of fusion as an...
in 1961 succeeding Lyman Spitzer, Jr.
Lyman Spitzer
Lyman Strong Spitzer, Jr. was an American theoretical physicist and astronomer best known for his research in star formation, plasma physics, and in 1946, for conceiving the idea of telescopes operating in outer space...
Fusion research had reached an impasse with its inability to control the high-energy plasma. This impasse was not broken until the 1969 Russian development of the tokamak (doughnut-shaped) electromagnetic plasma container. Despite doubts of other American physicists, Gottlieb seized upon the tokamak concept, even visiting the Institute of Atomic Energy in Moscow in 1969. In 1971, funded by the US Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, he traveled throughout western Europe visiting plasma research facilities, and by 1972 had managed to get the $13 million funding to build the Princeton Large Torus. He subsequently obtained the funding for the follow-on Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor
Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor
The Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor was an experimental tokamak built at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory circa 1980. Following on from the PDX and PLT devices, it was hoped that TFTR would finally achieve fusion energy break-even. Unfortunately, the TFTR never achieved this goal...
(TFTR), but didn’t stay as director to see it finally completed in 1982. He was succeeded as director in 1981 by Harold Furth
Harold Furth
Harold P. Furth was an Austrian-American physicist.Furth emigrated to the United States in 1941. He graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor's degree in 1951 and received his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1960...
.
In the 1980s he was employed by Grumman Aerospace Corporation, as a technical advisor and "de facto" lobbyist.