Samuel Tolansky
Encyclopedia
Samuel Tolansky born Turlausky (17 November 1907 — 4 March 1973) BSc
DThPT
PhD
(Dunelm) PhD
(Lond
) DSc
(Manc
) FRAS
FRSA FInstP
FRS. He was nominated for a Nobel Prize
, has a crater on the moon
named after him near the Apollo 14
landing site and he was a principal investigator to the NASA
lunar
project known as the Apollo program.
n-born Jews.
He met his wife, Ottilie Pinkasovich (1912–1977), in Berlin where he was conducting research and she attending the Berlin Academy of Art. They married in 1935.
He then attended Armstrong College, at the time part of Durham University
, and later Kings College, Durham. In 1928 he was awarded a Bachelor of Science (BSc
) degree with first class honours from the University of Durham. He also obtained a Diploma in the Theory and Practice of Teaching, 1928-29 with top first class honours. Afterwards he researched at Armstrong College from 1929-31 under Prof. W.E. Curtis FRS.
He then attended the Physikalisch-Technische Reichanstalt in Berlin
under Prof. F. Paschen and several spectroscopists where he learnt how to make high-reflectivity films by evaporation. Also in Berlin he met his future wife.
After Berlin he attended Imperial College London
with the award of an 1851 Exhibition Senior Studentship from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851
. There, from 1932-34 he researched interferometry under Prof. A. Fowler and began writing "Hyperfine Structure in Line Spectra and Nuclear Spin".
, 1934–47, as an Assistant Lecturer, later Senior Lecturer and Reader, under Prof William Lawrence Bragg
. At Manchester he continued work on nuclear spins and did
war work involving the optical spectroscopy of uranium-235 measuring its spin. He also development multiple-beam interferometry, continued teaching and wrote "Introduction to Atomic Physics" in 1942.
From 1947-1973 he was Professor of Physics at Royal Holloway College, University of London. In 1960 he supported the admission of male undergraduates to what was founded as a women's only college. They were finally admitted in 1965. Male postgraduates had been admitted from 1945.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
, 1947, and of the Royal Society
, 1952.
He was awarded the C. V. Boys Prize for contributions to optics by the Physical Society of London
in 1948; he was a Silver Medallist, Royal Society of Arts
in 1961.
Amongst work he carried out he was particularly interested in the optics of diamond
and, partly in this respect, investigated optical characteristics of moon dust from the Apollo 11
first moon landing.
BSC
BSC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:Science and technology* Bachelor of Science , an undergraduate degree* Base Station Controller, part of a mobile phone network; see: Base Station subsystem...
DThPT
Doctor of Practical Theology
The Doctor of Practical Theology is an advanced professional degree for professionals serving Church, non-profit, public, and private sector organizations, seeking to apply theological principles to their professional practice. The typical degree candidate is a part-time student who continues...
PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
(Dunelm) PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
(Lond
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
) DSc
DSC
-in academia:* D.Sc., Doctor of Science* Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine* Dalton State College, Georgia* Daytona State College, Florida* Deep Springs College, California* Dixie State College of Utah...
(Manc
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
) FRAS
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...
FRSA 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....
FRS. He was nominated for a Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
, has a crater on the moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
named after him near the Apollo 14
Apollo 14
Apollo 14 was the eighth manned mission in the American Apollo program, and the third to land on the Moon. It was the last of the "H missions", targeted landings with two-day stays on the Moon with two lunar EVAs, or moonwalks....
landing site and he was a principal investigator to the NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
lunar
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
project known as the Apollo program.
Personal life
His parents were LithuaniaLithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n-born Jews.
He met his wife, Ottilie Pinkasovich (1912–1977), in Berlin where he was conducting research and she attending the Berlin Academy of Art. They married in 1935.
Education
His early education was in Newcastle, first at Snow Street Primary School and then Rutherford College, a Boys' School, 1919-25.He then attended Armstrong College, at the time part of Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
, and later Kings College, Durham. In 1928 he was awarded a Bachelor of Science (BSc
BSC
BSC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:Science and technology* Bachelor of Science , an undergraduate degree* Base Station Controller, part of a mobile phone network; see: Base Station subsystem...
) degree with first class honours from the University of Durham. He also obtained a Diploma in the Theory and Practice of Teaching, 1928-29 with top first class honours. Afterwards he researched at Armstrong College from 1929-31 under Prof. W.E. Curtis FRS.
He then attended the Physikalisch-Technische Reichanstalt in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
under Prof. F. Paschen and several spectroscopists where he learnt how to make high-reflectivity films by evaporation. Also in Berlin he met his future wife.
After Berlin he attended Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
with the award of an 1851 Exhibition Senior Studentship from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851
Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851
Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 is an institution founded in 1850 to administer the international exhibition of 1851, officially called the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations, held in The Crystal Palace in London, England...
. There, from 1932-34 he researched interferometry under Prof. A. Fowler and began writing "Hyperfine Structure in Line Spectra and Nuclear Spin".
Career
He began work at University of ManchesterVictoria University of Manchester
The Victoria University of Manchester was a university in Manchester, England. On 1 October 2004 it merged with the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to form a new entity, "The University of Manchester".-1851 - 1951:The University was founded in 1851 as Owens College,...
, 1934–47, as an Assistant Lecturer, later Senior Lecturer and Reader, under Prof William Lawrence Bragg
William Lawrence Bragg
Sir William Lawrence Bragg CH OBE MC FRS was an Australian-born British physicist and X-ray crystallographer, discoverer of the Bragg law of X-ray diffraction, which is basic for the determination of crystal structure. He was joint winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1915. He was knighted...
. At Manchester he continued work on nuclear spins and did
war work involving the optical spectroscopy of uranium-235 measuring its spin. He also development multiple-beam interferometry, continued teaching and wrote "Introduction to Atomic Physics" in 1942.
From 1947-1973 he was Professor of Physics at Royal Holloway College, University of London. In 1960 he supported the admission of male undergraduates to what was founded as a women's only college. They were finally admitted in 1965. Male postgraduates had been admitted from 1945.
He was elected a Fellow 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...
, 1947, and 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"...
, 1952.
He was awarded the C. V. Boys Prize for contributions to optics by the Physical Society of London
Physical Society of London
The Physical Society of London, England, existed from 1874 to 1921. It was a scientific society and produced the Proceedings of the Physical Society of London...
in 1948; he was a Silver Medallist, Royal Society of Arts
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
in 1961.
Amongst work he carried out he was particularly interested in the optics of diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
and, partly in this respect, investigated optical characteristics of moon dust from the Apollo 11
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
first moon landing.
Publications by Tolansky
Noted from the Royal Holloway College archive:- Editor of Practical handbook on spectral analysis Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1964, ASIN: B001OP6BCG
- An introduction to interferometry (Longmans, Green and Co, London, 1955)
- Curiosities of light rays and light waves (Veneda Publishing, London, 1964)
- Fine structure in line spectra and nuclear spin (London, 1935)
- High resolution spectroscopy (Methuen and Co, London, 1947)
- Introduction to atomic physics (Longmans and Co, London, 1942)
- Multiple-beam interferometry of surfaces and films (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1948)
- Optical illusions (Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1964);
- Surface microtopography (Longmans, London, 1960); The history and use of diamond (Methuen and Co, London, 1962)
- editor of The human eye and the sun: hot and cold light (Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1965)
- Interference microscopy for the biologist (Thomas, Springfield Illinois, 1968)
- The strategic diamond (Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, 1968)
- Revolution in optics (Penguin Books, Harmondsworth, 1968)
- Microstructures of surfaces using interferometry (Arnold, London, 1968).