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Biography
AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjectsRelationships
PeopleInstitutionsResources
Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as AuthorPublished as SubjectHannes Alfvén
Dates
May 30, 1908 – April 2, 1995
Authorized Form of Name
Alfvén, Hannes, 1908-1995
Additional Forms of Names
Alfven, Hannes, 1908-1995
Alfvén, H. (Hannes), 1908-1995
Alfvén, Hannes (Hannes Olof Gösta), 1908-1995
Alfvén, Hannes Olof Gösta, 1908-1995
Alʹfven, Kh, 1908-1995
Alʹven, G, 1908-1995
Alʹven, Kh. (Khannes), 1908-1995
Alʹven, Khannes, 1908-1995
Johannesson, Olof, 1908-1995
Biography
Abstract
Hannes Alfvén was a physicist focusing on the study of magnetohydrodynamics and plasma physics. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics "for his contributions and fundamental discoveries in magneto-hydrodynamics and their fruitful applications in different areas of plasma physics.”
Important Dates
May 30, 1908Birth, Norrköping (Sweden).
1934Obtained PhD in Mathematics and Physics, Uppsala University (Uppsala universitet), Uppsala (Sweden).
1934 – 1937Professor of Physics, Uppsala University (Uppsala universitet).
1937Research physicist, Nobel Institute, Stockholm (Sweden).
1940 – 1991Professor Theory of Electricity (1940-1945); Professor of Electronics (1945-1963); and Professor of Plasma Physics (1963-1991), Royal Institute of Technology (Kungl. Tekniska högskolan), Stockholm (Sweden).
1948Wrote "Cosmical Electrodynamics".
1954 – 1955Fulbright Scholar, University of Maryland, College Park (Md.).
1956Wrote "Origin of the Solar System".
1967 – 1991Professor, University of California, San Diego, San Diego (Calif.).
1970Awarded Nobel Prize in Physics "for his contributions and fundamental discoveries in magneto-hydrodynamics and their fruitful applications in different areas of plasma physics".
1971Awarded Lomonosov Gold Medal.
1995Death, Stockholm (Sweden).
Occupation
Magnetohydrodynamics and plama physicist.
Places
Birth
Graduate Education
Employment
Death
Subjects
Relationships
People
Family
Alfvén, Anna-Clara Romanus
Mother.
Alfvén, Johannes
Father.
Alfvén, Kerstin Maria Erikson
Wife.
Advisors & Collaborators
Lundqvist, Stig, 1925-
Advised by Alfvén at Uppsala University.
PhD advisor at Uppsala universitet.
Wilcox, John M. (John Marsh), 1925-
Advised by Alfvén at Swedish Royal Institute of Technology.
Colleagues
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
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 California, San Diego.
Nelson, Ann E. (Ann Elizabeth)
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
O'Neil, T. M. (Thomas Michael), 1940-
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
York, Herbert F. (Herbert Frank)
Both employed at University of California, San Diego.
Additional
Arrhenius, Gustaf
Biermann, Ludwig, 1907-1986
Breck, Allen D.
Cowling, T. G. (Thomas George)
Falthammar, Carl-Gunne
Herlofson, Nicolai, 1916-
Hoberman, John M. (John Milton), 1944-
Kockel, B. (Bernhard), 1909-
Macke, Wilhelm
Both won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1970 for separate projects.
Papapetrou, Achilles
Peters, B. (Bernard), 1910-
Urey, Harold Clayton, 1893-1981
Van Allen, James A. (James Alfred), 1914-2006
Yourgrad, Wolfgang H. J.
Institutions
Major Positions
Kungl. Tekniska högskolan
Professor Theory of Electricity; Professor of Electronics; and Professor of Plasma Physics.
Norske Nobelinstitutt
Research Physicist.
University of California, San Diego. Department of Physics
Professor of Physics.
Uppsala universitet
Obtained PhD in Mathematics and Physics (1934). Professor of Physics.
Professional Activities & Affiliations
Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs
President.
University of Maryland at College Park. Department of Physics and Astronomy
Fulbright Scholar.
Resources
Archival Resources
Author
Hannes Alfven papers, 1931-1992.
Kungl Tekniska Högskolan
UF Juridik, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
Hannes Alfvén papers, 1945-1991.
Mandeville Special Collections Library
University of California, San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
Subject
Bernard Peters papers, 1947-1992.
Niels Bohr Archive
Blegdamsvej 17, Copenhagen, Denmark
James Van Allen papers, 1938-1990.
Main Library. Archives
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA 52242-1420, USA
John Marsh Wilcox papers, 1955-1990 (bulk 1955-1983).
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Stanford University
Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
Oral history interview with Ludwig Franz Benedikt Biermann, 1978 June 23 and July 6.
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
Published Resources
Author
Atom, man, and the universe; the long chain of complications. Translated by John M. Hoberman.
Cosmical electrodynamics / Hannes Alfvén.
Cosmical electrodynamics; fundamental principles, by Hannes Alfvén and Carl-Gunne Fälthammar.
Evolution of the solar system / Hannes Alfvén, Gustaf Arrhenius.
On the origin of the solar system, by H. Alfvén.
Worlds -- antiworlds; antimatter in cosmology.
Subject
Hannes Alfvén (1908-1995) obituary
Hannes Alfven Dies at 86 Washington Post obituary.
Hannes Alfven Nobel Prize biography
Hannes Alfvén Physics Today obituary.
Hannes Alfven, 86, Founder of Field in Physics, is Dead New York Times obituary.
Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings: Research Profile Hannes Alfven