Bruno Rossi

Biography

Abstract

Bruno Rossi was Professor of Physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (1946-1966). Other institutional affiliations include Cornell University and Los Alamos Laboratory. His research interests include particle physics, cosmic rays, and x-ray astronomy.

Important Dates

April 15, 1905Birth, Venice (Italy).

1927Obtained PhD, University of Bologna, Bologna (Italy).

1928 – 1932Assistant in Physics, University of Florence.

1932 – 1938Professor, University of Padua, Padua (Italy).

1938 – 1939Research Associate, Victoria University of Manchester.

1939 – 1940Research Associate, University of Chicago.

1940 – 1943Associate Professor, Cornell University.

1943 – 1946Leader, Detectors Group (1943-1944) and Leader, RaLa Method Group (1943-1946), Manhattan Project, Los Alamos Laboratory.

1946 – 1985Professor (1946-1966); Institute Professor (1966-1970); and Emeritus Institute Professor (1970-1985), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge (Mass.).

1950Member, National Academy of Sciences.

1983Awarded National Medal of Science.

1987Awarded Wolf Foundation Prize in Physics.

November 21, 1993Death, Cambridge (Mass.).

Occupation

Astrophysicist.

Places

Birth

Venice (Italy)

Graduate Education

Bologna (Italy)

Employment

Padua (Italy)

Cambridge (Mass.)

Death

Cambridge (Mass.)

Subjects

Astrophysics.

Atomic bomb.

Cosmic rays.

X-ray astronomy.

Relationships

People

Family

Minerbi, Lina

Mother.

Rossi, Nora Lombroso

Wife. Married in 1938.

Rossi, Rino

Father.

Advisors & Collaborators

Bridge, Herbert S.

Advised by Rossi at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), "Production of bursts by penetrating particles."

Clark, George W.

Advised by Rossi at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), "A study of the absorption of the N-component of cosmic rays with a double crystal scintillation counter."

Greisen, Kenneth

Advised by Rossi at Cornell University, "Intensity of Cosmic Rays at Low Altitude and the Origin of the Soft Component," and both employed at Cornell University.

Majorana, Quirino

PhD advisor at University of Bologna.

Morrison, Philip

Co-wrote a paper. Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Olbert, Stanislaw

Advised by Rossi at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), "An analysis of the meson component of cosmic rays in the atmosphere," and co-wrote "Introduction to the physics of space."

Rediker, Robert Harmon

Advised by Rossi at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), "Analysis of burst-producing penetrating particles at 10,600 feet."

Staub, Hans H.

Co-wrote "Ionization chambers and counters: experimental techniques."

Thompson, R. W. (Robert Walder), 1919-

Advised by Rossi at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), "The disintegration of mesons."

Colleagues

Allison, Samuel King, 1900-1965

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Alvarez, Luis W., 1911-1988

Both employed at the Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Bacher, Robert F. (Robert Fox), 1905-2004

Both employed at Cornell University and the Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Benedek, George Bernard, 1928-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Bertsch, George F.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Bethe, Hans A. (Hans Albrecht), 1906-2005

Both employed at Cornell University.

Birgeneau, Robert J. (Robert Joseph), 1942-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Bitter, Francis, 1902-1967

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Callen, Herbert B.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Compton, Arthur Holly, 1892-1962

Both employed at University of Chicago.

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

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Coppi, B.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Davidson, Ronald C.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Dempster, Arthur Jeffrey

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Deutsch, Martin, 1917-2002

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Drell, Sidney D. (Sidney David), 1926-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Dresselhaus, M. S.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Eckart, Carl, 1902-1973

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Enge, Harald A.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Ference, Michael, 1911-

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Fermi, Enrico, 1901-1954

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Feshbach, Herman

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Franck, James, 1882-1964

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Friedman, Jerome I. (Jerome Isaac), 1930-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Galt, John Kirtland, 1920-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Glimm, James

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Goldberger, Marvin L.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Goldstone, Jeffrey

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Guth, Alan H.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Haroche, S.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Jackiw, Roman W.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Jackson, John David, 1925-2016

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Javan, Ali, 1926-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Joannopoulos, J. D. (John D.), 1947-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kastner, Marc A.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kendall, Henry W. (Henry Way), 1926-1999

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kerst, Donald William, 1911-1993

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Keyes, Frederick G. (Frederick George), 1885-1976

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Klein, Martin J.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kleppner, Daniel

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kraushaar, William L.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Krumhansl, J. A. (James A.)

Both employed at Cornell University.

Lax, Benjamin

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Lee, P. A. (Patrick A.), 1946-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Lieb, Elliott H.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Livingston, M. Stanley (Milton Stanley)

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Low, Francis E. (Francis Eugene), 1921-2007

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

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

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Merritt, Ernest, 1865-1948

Both employed at Cornell University.

Montroll, E. W.

Both employed at Cornell University.

Morse, Philip M. (Philip McCord), 1903-1985

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Mulliken, Robert Sanderson

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Oppenheimer, J. Robert, 1904-1967

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Orowan, E. (Egon), 1902-1989

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Phillips, William D. (William Daniel), 1948-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Porkolab, Miklos

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Rasmussen, Norman C.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Schulz, George J., 1925-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Shull, Clifford Glenwood

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Slater, John C. (John Clarke), 1900-1976

Both employed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Spruch, Larry

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Stanley, H. Eugene (Harry Eugene), 1941-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Stratton, Julius Adams, 1901-1994

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Tape, Gerald Frederick, 1915-2005

Both employed at Cornell University.

Ting, S. C. C. (Samuel Chao-chung), 1936-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Townes, Charles H.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Turkevich, Anthony, 1916-2002

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Van de Graaf, Robert Jemison, 1901-1967

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Weinberg, Alvin Martin, 1915-2006

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Weinberg, Steven, 1933-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Weiss, Rainer

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Weisskopf, Victor Frederick, 1908-2002

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Wiesner, Jerome B. (Jerome Bert), 1915-1994

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Williams, John H. (John Harry), 1908-

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Wilson, Robert R., 1914-2000

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Zacharias, Jerrold Reinach, 1905-1986

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Additional

Blackett, P. M. S. (Patrick Maynard Stuart), Baron Blackett, 1897-1974

Bloch, Felix, 1905-

Clapp, Roger Edge, 1919-1990

Jesse, William Polk, 1891-1974

King, John, 1925-2014

Occhialini, Giuseppe, 1907-1993

Oda, Minoru, 1923-

Peters, B. (Bernard), 1910-

Rohrlich, F.

Shane, Charles Donald, 1895-1983

Shapiro, Maurice M. (Maurice Mandel), 1915-

Veskler, V. I. (Vladimir Iosifovich)

Wallace, Alfred Russel, 1823-1913

Institutions

Major Positions

Cornell University. Department of Physics

Associate Professor.

Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory

Leader, Detectors Group and Leader, RaLA Method Group, Manhattan Project.

Manhattan Project (U.S.)

Leader, Detectors Group and Leader, RaLA Method Group, Los Alamos Laboratory.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics

Professor; Institute Professor; and Emeritus Institute Professor.

Università di Firenze

Assistant in Physics.

Università di Padova

Professor of Physics.

University of Chicago. Department of Physics

Research Associate.

University of Manchester. Physics Department

Research Associate.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member.

Università di Bologna

Obtained PhD (1927).

Wolf Foundation Prizes

1987 Wolf Foundation Prize in Physics recipient.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

Bruno Rossi papers, 1927-1985.

Institute Archives and Special Collections

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

Fritz Rohrlich notes from the Pocono Conference on Physics, 1948.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

History of Modern Astrophysics collection, 1849-1979.

Library.

American Philosophical Society

105 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

Notes on physics courses given at Los Alamos, 1943-1946.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Bruno Benedetto Rossi, 1976 July 21.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Physical Science Study Committee records, circa 1958-1971

Institute Archives and Special Collections

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

The worlds of Philip Morrison [video and audio recording], 1986.

Institute Archives and Special Collections

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

Subject

Bernard Peters papers, 1947-1992.

Niels Bohr Archive

Blegdamsvej 17, Copenhagen, Denmark

Conference notes prepared informally and unofficially by John A. Wheeler, 1948.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Education Development Center records, 1957-1971.

Institute Archives and Special Collections

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

Enrico Fermi papers, 1918-1974.

The Joseph Regenstein Library. Department of Special Collections

University of Chicago

1100 East 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA

Hans Bethe papers, circa 1931-1992.

Carl A. Kroch Library. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections

Cornell University

2B Carl A Kroch Library, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA

Oral history interview with Charles Donald Shane, 1978 July 14.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Geoffrey Burbidge, 1975 June 4

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with George Whipple Clark, 1976 July 15.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Giuseppe Occhialini, 1971 April 5, 6, May 16, 17, and November 18.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with John G. King, 2009 November 17.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Maurice Mandel Shapiro, 1978 May 30.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Minoru Oda, 1988 August 5.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with P. M. S. Blackett, 1962 December 17.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Rochester Conference on High Energy Nuclear Physics proceedings, 1952 and 1955.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Roger Edge Clapp papers, 1914-1991 (bulk 1940-1991).

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

V. I. Veksler papers, 1907-1966.

Archive.

Russian Academy of Sciences

ul. Novocheremushkinskaia, 34, Moscow, 117218, Russia

William P. Jesse scientific autobiography, 1968.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Author

"Arcetri, 1928-1932," in Early History of Cosmic Ray Studies, ed. Yataro Sekido and Harry Elliot (Boston: D. Reidel: 1985), 53-73

"The Decay of 'Mesotrons' (1939-1943): Experimental Particle Physics in the Age of Innocence," in The Birth of Particle Physics, ed. Laurie M. Brown and Lillian Hoddeson (New York: Cambridge University Press: 1983), 183-205

Cosmic rays [by] Bruno Rossi.

High-energy particles.

Introduction to the physics of space / [by] Bruno Rossi [and] Stanislaw Olbert.

Ionization chambers and counters : experimental techniques / by Bruno B. Rossi and Hans H. Staub.

Moments in the life of a scientist / Bruno Rossi.

Optics.

The evolution of x-ray binaries : College Park, MD October 1993 / editors: Stephen S. Holt, Charles S. Day.

Subject

"Bruno Benedetto Rossi: 1905-1993", Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences

"The Contributions of Bruno B. Rossi to Particle Physics and Astrophysics," in Atti del XXV Congresso Nazionale di Storia della Fisica e dell’Astronomia, Milano, 10-12 novembre 2005 (Milan: SISFA: 2005), R1.1-R1.16

"Walther Bothe and Bruno Rossi: The Birth and Development of Coincidence Methods in Cosmic-Ray Physics," American Journal of Physics 79 (2011): 1133-1150

Bruno Rossi and the Racial Laws of Fascist Italy, Phys. Perspective 13 (2011) 58-90

From cosmic ray physics to cosmic ray astronomy: Bruno Rossi and the opening of new windows on the universe Astroparticle Physics 53 (2014) 67-85

International scientific cooperation during the 1930s. Bruno Rossi and the development of the status of cosmic rays into a branch of physics, Annals of Science 71(3): 355-409