Évry Schatzman
Encyclopedia
Evry Léon Schatzman was a French astrophysicist.
His father, Benjamin Schatzman, was a dentist
born in Tulcea
, Romania and emigrated at a young age with his family in Palestine. Schatzman began his studies at the École Normale Supérieure
in November 1939. After the German invasion of France
, Schatzman, who was Jewish, fled occupied France, arriving in Lyon
in January 1942. He worked there for a year and then moved to Haute-Provence Observatory
. He began work at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique
(CNRS) in the fall of 1945 and received his doctorate
in March 1946. He then worked at Copenhagen Observatory and Princeton University
before beginning to teach at the University of Paris
in 1949, where he remained for 27 years. During this period Schatzman also taught at the Université Libre de Bruxelles
(Free University of Brussels). Schatzman became an associate professor at the University of Paris in 1954. In 1976 he moved to Nice Observatory
, where he eventually became a full-time researcher. Schatzman retired in the fall of 1989.
Schatzman worked on white dwarf
s during the 1940s. He realized that the atmospheres of white dwarfs should be gravitationally stratified, with hydrogen
on top and heavier elements below,, §5–6 and explained pressure ionization in white dwarf atmospheres. He was one of the proponents of the wave heating theory of the solar corona
.
Schatzman wrote the astrophysics textbook Astrophysique Générale and contributed greatly to the popularity of astrophysics in France. He received the Prix Jules Janssen
of the French Astronomical Society in 1973, the Holweck award in 1985, and the Gold Medal of the CNRS in 1983. He became a member of the French Academy of Sciences
in 1985.
His father, Benjamin Schatzman, was a dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
born in Tulcea
Tulcea
Tulcea is a city in Dobrogea, Romania. It is the administrative center of Tulcea county, and has a population of 92,379 as of 2007. One village, Tudor Vladimirescu, is administered by the city.- History :...
, Romania and emigrated at a young age with his family in Palestine. Schatzman began his studies at the École Normale Supérieure
École Normale Supérieure
The École normale supérieure is one of the most prestigious French grandes écoles...
in November 1939. After the German invasion of France
World 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...
, Schatzman, who was Jewish, fled occupied France, arriving in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
in January 1942. He worked there for a year and then moved to Haute-Provence Observatory
Haute-Provence Observatory
The Observatoire de Haute-Provence was established in 1937 as a national facility for French astronomers. Astronomical observations began in 1943 using the 1.20 m telescope, and the first research papers based on observations made at the observatory were published in 1944...
. He began work at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique
Centre national de la recherche scientifique
The National Center of Scientific Research is the largest governmental research organization in France and the largest fundamental science agency in Europe....
(CNRS) in the fall of 1945 and received his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in March 1946. He then worked at Copenhagen Observatory and Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
before beginning to teach at the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
in 1949, where he remained for 27 years. During this period Schatzman also taught at the Université Libre de Bruxelles
Université Libre de Bruxelles
The Université libre de Bruxelles is a French-speaking university in Brussels, Belgium. It has 21,000 students, 29% of whom come from abroad, and an equally cosmopolitan staff.-Name:...
(Free University of Brussels). Schatzman became an associate professor at the University of Paris in 1954. In 1976 he moved to Nice Observatory
Nice Observatory
The Observatoire de Nice is an astronomical observatory located in Nice, France on the summit of Mont Gros. The observatory was initiated in 1879 by the banker Raphaël Bischoffsheim...
, where he eventually became a full-time researcher. Schatzman retired in the fall of 1989.
Schatzman worked on white dwarf
White dwarf
A white dwarf, also called a degenerate dwarf, is a small star composed mostly of electron-degenerate matter. They are very dense; a white dwarf's mass is comparable to that of the Sun and its volume is comparable to that of the Earth. Its faint luminosity comes from the emission of stored...
s during the 1940s. He realized that the atmospheres of white dwarfs should be gravitationally stratified, with hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
on top and heavier elements below,, §5–6 and explained pressure ionization in white dwarf atmospheres. He was one of the proponents of the wave heating theory of the solar 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...
.
Schatzman wrote the astrophysics textbook Astrophysique Générale and contributed greatly to the popularity of astrophysics in France. He received the Prix Jules Janssen
Prix Jules Janssen
The Prix Jules Janssen is the highest award of the French Astronomical Society. Created in 1897 and awarded annually, it is usually given in alternate years to a French astronomer, and to an astronomer of another nationality. It is distinct from the Janssen Medal , which is awarded by the French...
of the French Astronomical Society in 1973, the Holweck award in 1985, and the Gold Medal of the CNRS in 1983. He became a member of the French Academy of Sciences
French Academy of Sciences
The French Academy of Sciences is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research...
in 1985.
Selected works
- Origine et évolution des mondes, Paris: A. Michel, 1957. Translated into Spanish by Raquel Rabiela de Gortari and Arcadio PovedaArcadio PovedaArcadio Poveda Ricalde is a prominent Mexican astronomer who developed a method to calculate the mass of elliptical galaxies. He received Mexico's National Prize for Arts and Sciences in 1975, chaired its National Astronomical Observatory from 1968 to 1980 and was elected to The National College...
as Origen y evolución del universo, México: UNAM, 1960; translated into English by Bernard and Annabel Pagel as The origin and evolution of the universe, New York: Basic Books, 1965. - White Dwarfs, Amsterdam: North-Holland, 1958.
- (with Jean Claude Pecker) Astrophysique Générale, Paris: Masson, 1959.
- Our Expanding Universe, New York: McGraw–Hill, 1992, ISBN 0-07-055174-X.
- (with Françoise Praderie) Les Etoiles, Paris: Paris Interéditions et ed. du CNRS, 1990, ISBN 2-7296-0299-2. Translated into English by A. R. King as The Stars, Berlin: Springer, 1993, ISBN 3-540-54196-9.