Leonard B. Loeb

Biography

Abstract

Physicist (electrical phenomena, gaseous electronics, atomic and molecular physics). On the physics faculty at University of California at Berkeley from 1923; consultant, United States Naval Ordnance Laboratory, 1945-1955; member, subcommittee on physics, National Research Council, 1928-1938. Died in 1978.

Important Dates

September 16, 1891Birth, Zurich (Switzerland).

1912Obtained B.S. (organic chemistry), University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).

1914 – 1916Assistant in Physics, University of Chicago.

1916Obtained Ph.D. (physics) with a focus on measuring the mobility of gaseous ions in high electrical fields, University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).

1916 – 1917Laboratory Assistant and Assistant Physicist, U.S. Bureau of Standards.

1917 – 1919Second Lieutenant, Air Service, U.S. Army, A.E.F.

1918Received citation from the French Ministry of War for service during World War I.

January 1918 – February 1919Served in the U.S. Army and was deployed in Europe for this period.

1919 – 1923Fellow at University of Chicago, National Research Council.

1923 – 1978Assistant Professor (1923-25), Associate Professor (1925-29), Professor (1929-59), and Emeritus Professor of Physics (1959-1978), University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley (Calif.).

1929 – 1935Secretary, Pacific Coast Section, American Physical Society (APS).

1941 – 1945On active duty with the U.S. Naval Reserve.

1945 – 1955Consultant, U.S. Naval Ordnance Laboratory.

1947Kelvin Lecturer, Institute of Electrical Engineers (London).

1948 – 1951Consultant, U.S. Naval Ordnance Testing Station.

1950 – 1953Associate Editor, Journal of Applied Physics.

June 17, 1978Death, Monterey (Calif.).

Occupation

Atomic physicist.

Places

Birth

Zurich (Switzerland)

Undergraduate Education

Berkeley (Calif.)

New York (N.Y.)

Chicago (Ill.)

Graduate Education

Chicago (Ill.)

Employment

Berkeley (Calif.)

Death

Monterey (Calif.)

Subjects

Atomic and molecular physics.

Atomic theory.

Electricity.

Electrons.

Gas dynamics.

Nuclear physics.

Quantum theory.

Citations

From the manuscript biography of Leonard B. Loeb, Niels Bohr Library and Archives.

Relationships

People

Family

Lane, Lora

First wife, married June 9, 1928. Divorced in 1940. Co-wrote an article.

Leonard, Anne

Mother.

Loeb, Anne Leonard

Daughter.

Loeb, Diana Benedict

Daughter.

Loeb, Jacqueline Lora

Daughter.

Loeb, Jacques, 1859-1924

Father.

Loeb, Robert F. (Robert Frederick), 1895-1973

Brother.

Loeb, Valerie Jean

Daughter.

Pearson, Charlotte

Second wife, married May 9, 1941.

Advisors & Collaborators

Adams, Arthur S. (Arthur Stanton), 1896-1980

Co-wrote a book.

Ashley, Muriel F.

Advised by Loeb at University of California, Berkeley.

Blackwood, Oswald H. (Oswald Hance), 1888-1953

Advised by Loeb at University of Chicago.

Bradbury, Norris, 1909-1997

Co-wrote two articles.

Condon, Edward Uhler, 1902-1974

Co-wrote multiple articles.

Cravath, A. M.

Co-wrote an article.

Du Sault, Lucille

Co-wrote an article.

Fisher, Leon H. (Leon Harold), 1918-

Advised by Loeb at University of California, Berkeley in electrical discharge through gases.

Geballe, Ronald, 1918-

Advised by Loeb at University of California, Berkeley in ionization by collision in a Townsend Gap.

Hooper, William J.

Advised by Loeb at University of California, Berkeley.

Ioffe, A. F. (Abram Fedorovich), 1880-1960

Loeb edited a book by Ioffe.

Keck, Paul Henry

Co-wrote an article.

Kip, Arthur F.

Advised by Loeb at University of California, Berkeley in corona studies.

Marshall, Lauriston C.

Advised by Loeb at University of California, Berkeley.

McCoy, Herbert Newby, 1870-1945

Advisor at University of Chicago while Loeb was pursuing a Ph.D. in chemistry.

Meek, J. M. (John M.)

Co-wrote a book and an article.

Millikan, Robert Andrews, 1868-1953

Ph.D. advisor by at the University of Chicago in the mobility of gaseous ions in high electrical fields.

Pohl, Frederick Julius, 1889-1991

Co-wrote an article.

Varney, Robert N.

Co-wrote multiple articles.

Wahlin, H. B. (Hugo Bernard)

Unofficiallly advised by Loeb at University of Chicago.

Zartman, Ira F.

Loeb provided guidance with an experiment and subsequent article.

Colleagues

Acrivos, A.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Allison, Samuel King, 1900-1965

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Alvarez, Luis W., 1911-1988

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Arnowitt, Richard

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Birge, Raymond T. (Raymond Thayer), 1887-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Brackett, Frederick Sumner, 1896-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Brode, Robert B. (Robert Bigham), 1900-1986

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Chamberlain, O. (Owen)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Chew, Geoffrey F.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Chu, Steven

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Clarke, John, 1942-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Clauser, John F. (John Francis), 1942-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Cohen, Marvin L.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Commins, Eugene D.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Corson, Dale R.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Dershem, Elmer

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Dickinson, Hobart C. (Hobart Cutler)

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Dorsey, N. Ernest (Noah Ernest), 1873-

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Evans, Robley Dunglison, 1907-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley while Evans completed a National Research Fellowship.

Falicov, L. M. (Leopoldo Maximo), 1933-1995

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Fetter, Alexander L., 1937-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Furry, W. H. (Wendell Hinkle), 1907-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Glaser, D. A.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Glashow, Sheldon L.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Goldhaber, Gerson

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Hahn, E. L. (Erwin Louis), 1921-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Hall, Elmer E. (Elmer Edgar), 1870-1932

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Helmholz, August Carl, 1915-2003

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Hildebrand, Joel Henry, 1881-1983

Performed work together during World War I and both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Holdren, John P.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Hopfield, John J.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Jackson, John David, 1925-2016

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Jeffries, C. D., 1922-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Jenkins, Francis A. (Francis Arthur), 1899-1960

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Jones, Lloyd Theodore

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Kittel, Charles

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Knight, Walter D.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Lawrence, Ernest Orlando, 1901-1958

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Lenzen, Victor F. (Victor Fritz), 1890-1975

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Leuschner, Armin Otto, 1868-

Leuschner influenced Loeb to accept a position at University of California, Berkeley.

Lewis, E. Percival (Exum Percival), 1863-1925

Lewis influenced Loeb to accept a position at University of California, Berkeley.

Lewis, Gilbert Newton, 1875-1946

Performed work together during World War I and both employed at the University of California, Berkeley.

Livingston, M. Stanley (Milton Stanley)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Mandelstam, Stanley

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

McKee, Christopher, 1942-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

McMillan, Edwin M. (Edwin Mattison), 1907-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Minor, Ralph S.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Moyer, Burton J., 1912-1973

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Nierenberg, William Aaron, 1919-2000

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Oppenheimer, J. Robert, 1904-1967

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Panofsky, Wolfgang K. H. (Wolfgang Kurt Hermann), 1919-2007

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Price, Paul Buford

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Reynolds, John Hamilton, 1923-2000

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Rice, Oscar Knefler, 1903-1978

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Richards, Paul L. (Paul Linford)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Ruderman, Malvin A.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Schiff, Leonard I. (Leonard Isaac), 1915-1971

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Schwinger, Julian, 1918-1994

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Seaborg, Glenn T. (Glenn Theodore), 1912-1999

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Segrè, Emilio

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Serber, R. (Robert)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Shen, Y. R.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Smoot, George

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Steiner, Herbert M.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Teller, Edward, 1908-2003

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Thomas, Gareth, 1932-2014

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Tinkham, Michael

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Townes, Charles H.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Trilling, George H.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Waidner, Charles William

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Watson, Kenneth M.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Weinberg, Steven, 1933-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Wick, G. C. (Gian Carlo)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Wu, C. S. (Chien-shiung), 1912-1997

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

York, Herbert F. (Herbert Frank)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Additional

Biondi, Manfred Anthony, 1924-

Bragg, William Henry, 1862-1942

Chapman, Seville, 1912-

Colli, Laura

Compton, Arthur Holly, 1892-1962

Compton, K. T. (Karl Taylor), 1887-1954

Crompton, R. W. (Robert Woodhouse)

Curie, Marie, 1867-1934

Debye, Peter J. W. (Peter Josef William), 1884-1966

Dempster, Arthur Jeffrey

Ehrenkranz, Florence

Einstein, Albert, 1879-1955

Foote, Paul D. (Paul Darwin), 1888-1971

Franck, James, 1882-1964

Gale, Henry Gordon, 1874-1942

Loeb took graduate courses from Hale at University of Chicago.

Hershey, A. D. (Alfred Day), 1908-

Huxley, L. G. H. (Leonard George Holden)

Langmuir, Irving, 1881-1957

Lillie, Frank Rattray, 1870-1947

Lin, Chun C.

Lorentz, H. A. (Hendrik Antoon), 1853-1928

Luhr, Overton, 1907-1942

MacPherson, Herbert Grenfell

Michelson, Albert A. (Albert Abraham), 1852-1931

Loeb took graduate courses from Michelson at University of Chicago.

Mohler, F. L. (Fred Loomis), 1893-

Morrison, Philip

Moulton, Forest Ray, 1872-1952

Muray, Julius J.

Overhauser, Albert Warner, 1925-

Perrin, Jean, 1870-1942

Loeb briefly worked in Perrin's laboratory in Paris.

Phelps, Arthur V. (Arthur Van Rensselaer), 1923-

Planck, Max, 1858-1947

Posin, Daniel Q.

Rutherford, Ernest, 1871-1937

Loeb briefly worked in Rutherford's laboratory in Manchester.

Tate, John T. (John Torrence), 1889-1950

Urey, Harold Clayton, 1893-1981

Von Hippel, Arthur R. (Arthur Robert), 1898-

Waymouth, John F., 1926-

Webster, David Locke, 1888-1976

Weissler, G. L.

White, Harry J. (Harry James), 1905-

Wilson, Robert R., 1914-2000

Yen, Kia-Lok

Institutions

Major Positions

United States. Army

Served during World War I in Europe.

United States. Army. Air Service

Second Lieutenant.

United States. National Bureau of Standards

Laboratory Assistant and Assistant Physicist

University of California, Berkeley. Department of Physics

Attended for undergraduate education. Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, and Emeritus Professor of Physics.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Association for the Advancement of Science

American Association of Physics Teachers

American Association of University Professors

American Chemical Society

American Geophysical Union

American Institute of Physics

Associate Editor, "Journal of Applied Physics."

American Physical Society

Fellow and Pacific Coast Section Secretary.

Columbia University. Department of Physics

Attended for undergraduate education.

Cosmos Club (Washington, D.C.)

Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft (1963- )

Franklin Institute (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Gaseous Electronics Conference

Institution of Electrical Engineers

Kelvin lecturer.

National Geographic Society (U.S.).

Navy League of the United States

New York Academy of Sciences

Nihon Butsuri Gakkai

Optical Society of America

Phi Beta Kappa

Philosophical Society of Washington (Washington, D.C.)

Physical Society (Great Britain)

Fellow.

Society of the Sigma Xi

Sons of the American Revolution

United States Naval Institute

University of Chicago. Department of Physics

Obtained B.S. (organic chemistry) and Ph.D. (physics). Fellow, National Research Council.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

Abstracts of the first Gaseous Electronics Conference, 1948.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Autobiography of Leonard B. Loeb, typescript.

The Bancroft Library

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA, 94720-6000, USA

Leonard B. Loeb addition to papers, 1928-1977.

The Bancroft Library

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA, 94720-6000, USA

Leonard B. Loeb student notebooks, 1914-1915.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Leonard Benedict Loeb papers, 1916-1970.

The Bancroft Library

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA, 94720-6000, USA

Leonard Loeb autobiography, 1962.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Leonard B. Loeb, 1962 August 7.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Subject

Edward Condon papers, circa 1920-1974.

Library

American Philosophical Society

105 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

History of the Gaseous Electronics Conference, 1948-2010.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Arthur Frederic Kip, 1982 June 16.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Arthur V. Phelps, 2008 October 14.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Arthur von Hippel, 1981 October 6.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Chun C. Lin, 2008 October 14.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with John F. Waymouth, 2008 October 14.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Leon H. Fisher and Robert N. Varney, 2008 July 26.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Manfred Biondi, 2008 August 16.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Norris Edwin Bradbury, 1976 February 11.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Philip Morrison, 2003 February 22 and August 1.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Robert W. Crompton, 2011 May 20.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Robley D. Evans, 1972 May 2, 3, 1974 May 5 and 1978 June 14.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Ronald Geballe papers, 1938-1990.

University Archives

University of Washington

Mailstop #0-10. Seattle, WA 98195, USA

Published Resources

Author

A laboratory manual of electricity and magnetism / by Leonard B. Loeb.

Atomic structure / by Leonard B. Loeb …

Atomic structure [microform] / by Leonard B. Loeb …

Basic processes of gaseous electronics.

Fundamental processes of electrical discharge in gases / by Leonard B. Loeb …

Fundamentals of electricity & magnetism.

Fundamentals of electricity and magnetism / by Leonard B. Loeb.

Fundamentals of electricity and magnetism, by Leonard B. Loeb …

Kinetic theory of gases, being a text and reference book whose purpose is to combine the classical deductions with recent experimental advances in a convenient form for student and investigator, by Leonard B. Loeb …

Lecture notes on intermediate heat [kinetic theory and thermodynamics].

Static electrification.

The development of physical thought : a survey course of modern physics / by Leonard B. Loeb ... and Arthur S. Adams …

The development of physical thought [microform] : a survey course of modern physics / by Leonard B. Loeb ... and Arthur S. Adams …

The kinetic theory of gases : being a text and reference book whose purpose is to combine the classical deductions with recent experimental advances in a convenient form for student and investigator / by Leonard B. Loeb …

The mechanism of the electric spark / by Leonard B. Loeb and John M. Meek.

The nature of a gas / by Leonard B. Loeb …

The nature of a gas.

The physics of crystals / by Abram F. Joffé … edited by Leonard B. Loeb …

The physics of crystals [microform] / by Abram F. Joffé ... edited by Leonard B. Loeb …

Subject

Leonard B. Loeb Physics Today obituary