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Biography
AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjectsRelationships
PeopleInstitutionsResources
Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as AuthorPublished as SubjectWalter M. Elsasser
Dates
March 20, 1904 – October 14, 1991
Authorized Form of Name
Elsasser, Walter M., 1904-
Additional Forms of Names
Elsässer, Walter Maurice, 1904-1991
Biography
Abstract
Walter M. Elsasser was Adjunct Professor of Geophysics at Johns Hopkins University (1975-1991). Other institutional affiliations include the University of Maryland and Princeton University. His research interest included geophysics and biology.
Important Dates
March 20, 1904Birth, Mannheim (Germany).
1927Obtained PhD in Physics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen (Germany).
1927Assistant in Physics, University of Leiden.
1928Assistant in Physics, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule, Zurich.
1928 – 1930Assistant in Physics, Technische Hochschule, Berlin.
1930 – 1933Instructor in Physics, University of Frankfurt.
1933 – 1936Research Fellow, Institute Henri Poincare, University of Paris (Universite de Paris IV: Paris-Sorbonne).
1936 – 1941Assistant in Meteorology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (Calif.).
1941 – 1942Research Associate, Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory, Harvard University.
1942 – 1944Researcher, Signal Corps Laboratories, Fort Monmouth, United States Army.
1944 – 1945Member, Office of Scientific Research and Development, Radio Wave Propagation Committee, National Defense Research Committee.
1945 – 1947Industrial Research on Electronics Laboratories, Radio Corporation of America.
1947 – 1950Associate Professor of Physics, University of Pennsylvania.
1950 – 1956Professor of Physics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City (Utah).
1956 – 1960Professor, Scripps Institute of Oceanography.
1957Member, National Academy of Sciences.
1960 – 1962Professor, University of California, San Diego.
1962 – 1968Professor of Geophysics, Princeton University, Princeton (N.J.).
1968 – 1974Research Professor of Geophysics, Institute of Fluid Dynamics and Applied Mathematics, University of Maryland, College Park (Md.).
1972Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
1975 – 1991Adjunct Professor of Geophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (Md.).
1987Awarded National Medal of Science.
October 14, 1991Death, Baltimore (Md.).
Occupation
Geophysicist.
Places
Birth
Graduate Education
Employment
Death
Subjects
Dynamo theory (Cosmic physics).
Greenhouse effect, Atmospheric.
Physics -- Study and teaching.
Relationships
People
Advisors & Collaborators
PhD advisor at University of Göttingen.
Advisor at Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich.
Colleagues
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.
Both employed at University of Maryland.
Both employed at Johns Hopkins University.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at Johns Hopkins University.
Both employed at University of Maryland.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Mayer, Maria Goeppert, 1906-1972
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Schiff, Leonard I. (Leonard Isaac), 1915-1971
Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
York, Herbert F. (Herbert Frank)
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Additional
Brooks, Charles Franklin, 1891-1958
Casimir, H. B. G. (Hendrik Brugt Gerhard), 1909-2000
Cowling, T. G. (Thomas George)
Davisson, Clinton Joseph, 1881-1958
Inglis, David Rittenhouse, 1905-1995
Jordan, Pascual, 1902-1980
McLachlan, Dan, 1905-
Parker, E. N. (Eugene Newman), 1927-
Polanyi, Michael, 1891-1976
Runcorn, S. K.
Sponer, Hertha, 1895-1968
Tamm, I. E. (Igor' Evgen'evich), 1895-1971
Uhlenbeck, George Eugène, 1900-1988
Von Kármán, Theodore, 1881-1963
Institutions
Major Positions
Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory
Research Associate.
California Institute of Technology. Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences.
Assistant in Meteorology.
Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich. Departement Physik
Assistant in Physics.
Johns Hopkins University. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Adjunct Professor of Geophysics.
Princeton University. Department of Geosciences
Professor of Geophysics.
Radio Corporation of America
Industrial Research on Electronics Laboratories.
Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden
Assistant in Physics.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Professor.
Technische Universität Berlin
Assistant in Physics.
United States. Army. Signal Corps
Researcher, Signal Corps Laboratories, Fort Monmouth.
United States. Office of Scientific Research and Development. National Defense Research Committee
Member, Radio Wave Propagation Committee.
Universität Frankfurt am Main
Instructor in Physics.
Universite de Paris IV: Paris-Sorbonne
Research Fellow, Institute Henri Poincare.
University of California, San Diego. Department of Physics
Professor.
University of Maryland, College Park. Institute for Fluid Dynamics and Applied Mathematics
Research Professor of Geophysics.
University of Pennsylvania. Department of Physics and Astronomy
Associate Professor of Physics.
University of Utah. Department of Physics & Astronomy
Professor of Physics.
Professional Activities & Affiliations
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Fellow.
California Institute of Technology. Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy
National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)
Member.
Universität Göttingen
Obtained PhD in Physics (1927).
Resources
Archival Resources
Author
Oral history interview with Walter M. Elsasser, 1962 May 29.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Walter M. Elsasser, 1985 November 21.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Walter M. Elsasser, 1986 March 12.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Walter M Elsasser response to History of Geophysics Survey, 1988.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Walter M. Elsasser papers, 1927-1987.
Special Collections, Milton S. Eisenhower Library
Johns Hopkins University
3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
Subject
Conversations with David Inglis, [videorecording] Feb.-May 1989.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Dan McLachlan incoming correspondence, 1940-1974.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Electronic Computer Project (ECP) records, 1940-1967.
Shelby White and Leon Levy Archives Center
Institute for Advanced Study
1 Einstein Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
Eugene N. Parker response to History of Geophysics Survey, 1997.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Igor E. Tamm papers, 1921-1971. [In private hands]
contact Tamm family
In private hands
Moscow
Niels Bohr collection of manuscripts by other authors, 1910-1961.
Niels Bohr Archive
Blegdamsvej 17, Copenhagen, Denmark
Oral history interview with Egon Orowan, 1981 October 4.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Ernst Pascual Jordan, 1963 June 17, 18, 19 and 20.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Eugene Feenberg, 1973 April 13 and 14.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Hendrik Brugt Gerhard Casimir, 1963 July 5 and 6.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with James Chadwick, 1969 April 15, 16, 17 and 20.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Michael Polanyi, 1962 February 15.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Otto Laporte, 1964 January 29 and 31.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with S. Keith Runcorn, 1993 September 16 and 17.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Thomas George Cowling, 1978 March 22.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history joint interview with James Franck and Hertha Sponer-Franck, 1962 July 9 to 14.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Responses to History of Geophysics Survey, 1988.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Published Resources
Author
Atmospheric radiation tables, by Walter M. Elsasser, with Margaret F. Culbertson.
Atom and organism; a new approach to theoretical biology, by Walter M. Elsasser.
Subject
"Walter M. Elsasser: 1904-1991", Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences