Biographical Memoirs Volume 83 (2003) / Chapter Skim
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Peter Meyer
Peter Meyer
Pages 140-159
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From page 141... ...
These many intense activities seemed only to refresh him for his continuing scientific assault on the elusive cosmic rays. Peter hac!
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From page 142... ...
In 1953 Meyer came to the Unitecl States en cl accepted an invitation from John Simpson to work in the pursuit of cosmic rays as a research associate in the Institute for Nuclear Studies at the University of Chicago. His scientific prowess as an experimentaTist was soon appreciates!
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From page 143... ...
with John Simpson in pursuit of the mysterious time variations of the cosmic-ray intensity. It must be unclerstoocl that the term "cosmic rays" is a generic term for the ionizing racliation coming clown through the atmosphere of Earth.
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From page 144... ...
Thus, besides the five neutron monitor stations set up by Simpson at geomagnetic latitucles from 0° to 60°, Simpson and Meyer exploited the magnetic field of Earth as a spectrometer with extensive north-south flights with neutron monitors, etc., in aircraft supplier!
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From page 145... ...
by a slow clecTine, indicating that the inner Solar System is open out to about the orbit of Mars en cl enclosecl by magnetic fielcis beyond (1956~. Together with the energy clepenclence of the ciay-by-ciay time variations inferred from the neutron monitor stations, it became clear that the variations of the cosmic rays couIcl be a consequence only of time-varying magnetic fielcis in interplanetary space, implying that space was Flee with plasma (ionized gas)
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From page 146... ...
First, lames Earl of the University of Minnesota succeeded by visualizing the characteristic showers generated by electrons in a multiplate cloucl chamber flown on balloons. Peter Meyer with his graduate student Rochus Vogt clevelopec!
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From page 147... ...
So there was incleec! an electron component of the cosmic rays, of the same general magnitude as estimated from the observed non thermal syn chro tron radio emission from the Galaxy.
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From page 148... ...
Meyer en cl Hilclebrancl clevelope cl a sophisticate cl in strumen t much along the lines of the electron detector but with a strong magnetic fielcl between the poles of a permanent magnet, through which the particles hacl to pass if they were to be recorclecI. The electrons were cleflectec!
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From page 149... ...
Jupiter orbits the Sun at a distance of 5 AU, en cl the electrons clash from Jupiter along the spiral magnetic field! in interplanetary space.
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From page 150... ...
by reflections from the magnetic fielcis of moving interstellar gas cloucis. The graclual acceleration was originally suggested by Fermi as a possible origin of the cosmic rays.
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From page 151... ...
A flare often produces a burst of fast particles, sometimes called solar cosmic rays, although their numbers diminish more rapidly with increasing energy than the true galactic cosmic-ray particles, en cl the relative abundances of the nuclei show a strong enhancement of elements with low first ionization potential. Meyer, assisted by Paul Evenson en cl S
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From page 152... ...
of light en cl they enjoy only a 15-minute half-life. They clecay into protons of the same kinetic energy, which then channel along the spiral interplanetary magnetic field and can be cletectecl whenever a suitable particle detector meets that spiral.
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From page 153... ...
by the plastic fibers. The transition racliation was soft X rays en cl was detected in xenon-fi~led proportional chambers interspersed between layers of fiber material.
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From page 154... ...
As was aIreacly known at lower energies, the ciata indicate the enhanced abundance of nuclei with Tow first ionization potential, much as one fincis for energetic nuclei from solar flares, etc. Detailecl comparisons with the relative abundances of cosmicray nuclei at Tower energies begins to give a picture of the conditions uncler which cosmic rays are created in their various sources.
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From page 155... ...
wife, the renowned! microbiologist Patricia Spear, who is chair of microbiology-microimmunology at the Northwestern University Meclical School, by his two sons, Stephan Meyer, professor of astronomy en c!
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From page 156... ...
Solar cosmic rays of February 1956 and their propagation through interplanetary space.
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From page 157... ...
The primary cosmic ray electron spectrum in the energy range 300 MeV to 4 BeV from 1964 to 1966. Canad.
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From page 158... ...
Energy spectra and composition of primary cosmic rays. Astrophys.
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