Brown, Robert Hanbury

Brown, Robert Hanbury
▪ 2003

      British astronomer (b. Aug. 31, 1916, Aravankadu, India—d. Jan. 16, 2002, Andover, Hampshire, Eng.), overcame scientific hurdles and the skepticism of his colleagues in the 1950s to invent the optical intensity spectrometer, a telescopic instrument that measures the sizes of stars. After showing how to determine the angular diameter of radio-emitting stars by collecting their signals at two widely separated dish antennas and combining them properly, he reapplied the technique to light from the star Sirius, using two handmade optical telescopes. He then constructed a more powerful optical intensity spectrometer, with R.Q. Twiss, in Narrabri, N.S.W., Australia, where he measured some 30 stars between 1963 and 1972. Brown recounted his pioneering work in his autobiography, Boffin: A Personal Story of the Early Days of Radar, Radio Astronomy and Quantum Optics (1991). After graduating from the University of London in 1935, Brown assisted in secret work to perfect military uses for radar, which continued through World War II. In 1949 he began studying under Sir Bernard Lovell of Manchester University at the Jodrell Bank Observatory. It was there, with several colleagues, that Brown achieved his first successes with his radio and optical measurements of stars. The opportunity to construct a larger optical intensity spectrometer led him to leave his professorship at Manchester (1960–63) for one at the University of Sydney (1964–81).

* * *

▪ British astronomer
born August 31, 1916, Aruvankadu, India
died January 16, 2002, Andover, Hampshire, England

      British astronomer and writer noted for his design, development, and use of the intensity interferometer.

      Brown graduated from the University of London in 1935. During and after World War II he worked with Robert Alexander Watson-Watt (Watson-Watt, Sir Robert Alexander) and then E.G. Bowen to develop radar and its uses in aerial combat. In the 1950s he applied his experience with radar to radio astronomy, developing radio telescope technology at Jodrell Bank Observatory and mapping radio sources in the sky. This work led him to design a radio interferometer capable of resolving radio stars while eliminating atmospheric distortion from the image (1952). With Richard Q. Twiss, Brown applied the principles of radio interferometry to measuring the angular size of bright visible stars, thus developing the technique of intensity interferometry. Brown and Twiss set up an intensity interferometer at Narrabri in New South Wales, Australia, for the measuring of hot stars. From 1964 to 1981 Brown was a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Sydney. He later served as president (1982–85) of the International Astronomical Union. His major books include The Exploration of Space by Radio (1957; with A.C.B. Lovell), The Intensity Interferometer (1974), and Man and the Stars (1978). His autobiography, Boffin, was published in 1991.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Robert Hanbury Brown — AC (31 August, 1916 ndash; 16 January, 2002) was a British astronomer and physicist born in Aruvankadu, India. He studied electrical engineering at the University of London, from where he received a Master s degree in telecommunication in 1935.… …   Wikipedia

  • Robert Hanbury Brown — (* 31. August 1916 in Aruvankadu, Indien; † 16. Januar 2002 in Andover, Hampshire, England) war ein englischer Physiker und Radioastronom. Brown studierte an der Universität London und machte 1935 seinen Abschluss als Master of Science. Von 1936… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Robert Brown — can refer to:Politicians*Sir Robert Brown, 1st Baronet, of Westminster (died 1760), British Member of Parliament *Bob Brown (born 1944), Australian Greens senator *Bob Brown (Australian Labor politician), Australian Labor Party politician from… …   Wikipedia

  • Brown (Familienname) — Brown ist ein englischer Familienname. Herkunft und Bedeutung Der Name ist die englische Entsprechung des deutschen Namens Braun. Varianten Browne, Broun Bekannte Namensträger Inhaltsverzeichnis A B C D E F G …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Robert Brown — ist der Name folgender Personen: Robert Brown (Pennsylvania) (1744–1823), US amerikanischer Politiker Robert Brown (britischer Botaniker) (1773–1858), britischer Botaniker, Namensgeber der Brownschen Molekularbewegung Robert Brown… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Hanbury Brown and Twiss effect — The Hanbury Brown and Twiss effect (HBT) is any of a variety of correlation and anti correlation effects in the intensities received by two detectors from a beam of particles. HBT effects can generally be attributed to the dual wave particle… …   Wikipedia

  • Aaron Brown — Brown ist ein englischer Familienname. Herkunft und Bedeutung Der Name ist die englische Entsprechung des deutschen Namens Braun. Varianten Browne, Broun Bekannte Namensträger A Aaron V. Brown (1795–1859), US amerikanischer Politiker Alan Brown… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Brown — I. /braʊn/ (say brown) noun 1. Sir Arthur Whitten, 1886–1948, English aviator. See Alcock. 2. Bill (William A Brown), 1912–2008, Australian Test cricketer; noted as a batsman. 3. Bob (Robert James Brown), born 1944, Australian conservationist,… …  

  • List of people with surname Brown — Brown is a common English language surname derived from the color brown as a personal feature. This list provides links to biographies of people who share this common surname, organized by area of endeavor.Activism* H. Rap Brown, American civil… …   Wikipedia

  • Liste der Biografien/Brn–Bro — Biografien: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”