Hannes Alfvén

Hannes Olof Gösta Alfvén (May 30, 1908; Norrköping, Sweden - April 2, 1995; Djursholm, Sweden) was a Swedish plasma physicist who won the 1970 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work developing the theory of magnetohydrodynamics. He was originally trained as an electrical power engineer and later moved to research and teaching in the fields of plasma physics. Alfvén made many contributions to plasma physics, including theories describing the behavior of aurorae, the Van Allen radiation belts, the effect of magnetic storms on the Earth's magnetic field, the terrestrial magnetosphere, and the dynamics of plasmas in our galaxy (plasma cosmology).

Introduction

In 1937 Alfvén argued that if plasma pervaded the universe, it could then carry electric currents capable of generating a galactic magnetic fieldAlfvén, H., 1937 "Cosmic Radiation as an Intra-galactic Phenomenon", Ark. f. mat., astr. o. fys. 25B, no. 29.. After winning the Nobel Prize for his works in magnetohydrodynamics, he emphasized that:

"In order to understand the phenomena in a certain plasma region, it is necessary to map not only the magnetic but also the electric field and the electric currents. Space is filled with a network of currents which transfer energy and momentum over large or very large distances. The currents often pinch to filamentary or surface currents. The latter are likely to give space, as also interstellar and intergalactic space, a cellular structure"Hannes Alfvén, "Cosmology in the Plasma Universe: An Introductory Exposition" (1990) IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science (ISSN 0093-3813), vol. 18, Feb. 1990, p. 5-10

In 1974, his theoretical work on field-aligned electric currents in the aurora (based on earlier work by Kristian Birkeland) was confirmed by satellite observations, resulting in the discovery of Birkeland currents. Plasma Cosmology, an alternative theory to the Big Bang, is based on Alfvén's work.

Education

Alfvén received his PhD from the University of Uppsala in 1934. His thesis was titled "Investigations of the Ultra-short Electromagnetic Waves."

Early years

In 1934, Alfvén taught physics at both the University of Uppsala and the Nobel Institute for Physics in Stockholm, Sweden. In 1940, he became professor of electromagnetic theory and electrical measurements at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. In 1945, he acquired the nonappointive position of Chair of Electronics. His title was changed to Chair of Plasma Physics in 1963. In 1967, after leaving Sweden and spending time in the Soviet Union, he moved to the United States. Alfvén worked in the departments of electrical engineering at both the University of California, San Diego and the University of Southern California.

Alfvén considered himself an electrical engineer foremost. During his scientific career, prior to winning the Nobel Prize, Alfvén was not generally recognized as a leading innovator in the scientific community (though they were using his work). He enjoyed the assertion that he was guilty of a fault or offence by the entry into areas not previously explored in astrophysics leveled by other cosmologists and theoreticians .

Research, awards, and contributions

Alfvén's work was disputed for many years by the senior scientist in space physics, the British-American geophysicist Sydney Chapman. Alfvén's disagreements with Chapman stemmed in large part from trouble with the peer review system. Alfvén rarely benefited from the acceptance generally afforded senior scientists in scientific journals. He once submitted a paper on the theory of magnetic storms and auroras to the American journal Terrestrial Magnetism and Atmospheric Electricity and his paper was rejected on the ground that it did not agree with the theoretical calculations of conventional physics of the time. He was regarded as a person with unorthodox opinions in the field by many physicists, David J. Miller, Michel Hersen, Research Fraud in the Behavioral and Biomedical Sciences 1992. They describe the "renegade Nobel Prize winner physicist Hannes Alfven", RH Stuewer noting that ".. he remained an embittered outsider, winning little respect from other scientists even after he received the Nobel Prize.."RH Stuewer, Book Reviews (2006) Physics in Perspective Volume 8, No 1, March 2006, pp.104-112 Springer., and often forced to publish his papers in obscure journals; Alfvén recalls:

"When I describe the phenomena according to this formulism most referees do not understand what I say and turn down my papers. With the referee system which rules US science today, this means that my papers are rarely accepted by the leading US journals."Hanes Alfven, "Memoirs of a Dissident Scientist", American Scientist, May-June 1988, pp.249-251. Quoted in Joseph Paul Martino, Science Funding: Politics and Porkbarrel 1992, Transaction Publishers, ISBN: 1-56000-03303

He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1970 for his work with magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). In 1988, Alfvén was awarded the Bowie medal by the American Geophysical Union for his work on comets and plasmas in the solar system.

Awards

Alfvén was also awarded:

Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (1967)

Gold Medal of the Franklin Institute (1971)

Lomonosov Gold Medal of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1971)

Memberships

Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (life fellow)

European Physical Society

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Yugoslav Academy of Sciences

Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs

Alfvén was one of the few scientists who was a foreign member of both the U.S. and Soviet Academies of Sciences.

Research

Alfvén played a central role in the development of:

Plasma physics

Charged particle beams

Interplanetary physics

Magnetospheric physics

Magnetohydrodynamics

Solar phenomena investigation (such as the solar wind)

Aurorae science

In 1939, Alfvén proposed the theory of magnetic storms and auroras and the theory of plasma dynamics in the earth's magnetosphere.

Applications of Alfvén's research in space science include:

Van Allen radiation belt theory

Reduction of the Earth's magnetic field during magnetic storms

Magnetosphere (protective plasma covering the earth)

Formation of comet tails

Formation of the solar system

Dynamics of plasmas in the galaxy

Fundamental nature of the universe

Alfvén's views followed those of the founder of magnetospheric physics, Kristian Birkeland. At the end of the nineteenth century, Birkeland proposed (backed by extensive data) that electric currents flowing down along the earth's magnetic fields into the atmosphere caused the aurora and polar magnetic disturbances.

Inventions inspired in part by Alfvén's contributions include:

Particle beam accelerators

Controlled thermonuclear fusion

Hypersonic flight

Rocket propulsion

Reentry braking of space vehicles

Contributions to astrophysics:

Galactic magnetic field (1937)

Identified nonthermal synchrotron radiation from astronomical sources (1950)

In 1963, Alfvén first predicted the large scale filamentary structure of the universe based on his experience with plasma.

Alfvén waves (low frequency hydromagnetic plasma oscillations) are named in his honor. Many of his theories about the solar system were verified as late as the 1980s through external measurements of cometary and planetary magnetospheres. He is also known for developing plasma cosmology, a non-standard alternative to the Big Bang theory. But Alfvén himself noted that astrophysical textbooks poorly represented known plasma phenomena:

"A study of how a number of the most used textbooks in astrophysics treat important concepts such as double layers, critical velocity, pinch effects, and circuits is made. It is found that students using these textbooks remain essentially ignorant of even the existence of these concepts, despite the fact that some of them have been well known for half a century (e.g, double layers, Langmuir, 1929; pinch effect, Bennet, 1934)"Alfven, Hannes, "Double layers and circuits in astrophysics" (1986) IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science (ISSN 0093-3813), vol. PS-14, Dec. 1986, p. 779-793.

Alfvén reported that of 17 of the most used textbooks on astrophysics, none mention the pinch effect, none mentioned critical ionization velocity, only two mention circuits, and three mentioned double layers.

Alfvén not always credited. For example, scientific historian Stephen G. Bush noted:

"... most of the scientific community refuses to follow it or to give Alfvén credit for his achievements although many of his basic concepts are now accepted",Stephen G. Brush, "Alfvén's Programme in Solar System Physics". IEEE Trans. Plasma Science, Vol. 20 No. 6, Dec 1992.

Alfvén versus the Big Bang

Alfvén and colleagues proposed an alternative cosmological theory, the Alfvén-Klein model to both the steady state and the Big Bang cosmologies. There is also an ambiplasma version. Alfvén believed the problem with the Big Bang was that astrophysicists tried to extrapolate the origin of the universe from mathematical theories developed on the blackboard. The Big Bang was a myth devised to explain creation, according to Alfvén. He confided with close friends that he felt the theory tried to make science compatible with the authoritative religious declaration of creatio ex nihilo.

Alfvén proposed a "plasma universe", from which he proposed a plasma cosmology, and after receiving a cold reception in the wider scientific community, stated that he thought 'the theory may take time to be accepted by the popular consciousness'.

Later years

In 1991, Alfvén retired as professor of electrical engineering at the University of California, San Diego and professor of plasma physics at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm .

Alfvén spent his adult life alternating between California and Sweden. He died at the age of 86.

The asteroid 1778 Alfvén was named in his honour.

Personal life

Alfvén had a good sense of humor and he participated in a variety of social issues and worldwide disarmament movements. He had a long-standing distrust of computers. Alfvén studied the history of science and oriental philosophy and religion. He spoke Swedish, English, German, French, and Russian, and some Spanish and Chinese.

Alfvén was married for 67 years to his wife Kirsten. They raised five children, one boy and four girls. His son became a physician, while one daughter became a writer and another a lawyer in Sweden.

Bibliography

Cosmical Electrodynamics, International Series of Monographs on Physics, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1950. (See also 2nd Ed. 1963, co-authored with Carl-Gunne Fälthammar)
Worlds-Antiworlds: Antimatter in Cosmology (1966)
The Great Computer: A Vision (1968) (a political-scientific satire under the pen name Olof Johannesson; publ. Gollancz, ISBN 05750-0059-7)
Atom, Man, and the Universe: A Long Chain of Complications (1969)
Living on the Third Planet (1972).
Cosmic Plasma, Astrophysics and Space Science Library, Vol. 82 (1981) Springer Verlag. ISBN 90-277-1151-8

Footnotes

External links

Hannes Alfvén (Nobel Foundation)
Hannes Alfvén bio (Los Alamos)
Papers of Hannes Olof Gosta Alfven
Hannes Alfvén Medal - awarded for outstanding scientific contributions towards the understanding of plasma processes in the solar system and other cosmical plasma environments
Timeline of Nobel Prize Winners: Hannes Olof Gosta Alfven
Hannes Alfven Papers (1945 - 1991) in the Mandeville Special Collections Library.