Menu ☰

Back to Top

Physics History Network

Over 1000 biographies of physicists and histories of institutions with information pertaining to their lives, careers, and research.

Tip: Search within this page by using Ctrl + F or ⌘ + F


Search Our Catalogs

Archives Books

Collections

Emilio Segré Visual Archives Digital Collections Oral Histories Archival Finding Aids Physics History Network Member Society Portals Ethical Cataloging Statement

Preservation and Support

Donating Materials Suggest a Book Purchase Saving Archival Collections Grants to Archives Documentation Projects History Newsletters

Center for History of Physics

Scholarship & Outreach

Main Navigation

HomeAboutTopic GuidesFeedback

Table of Contents

Biography

AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjects

Relationships

PeopleInstitutions

Resources

Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as AuthorPublished as Subject

Edward Victor Appleton

Photo

Dates

September 6, 1892 – April 21, 1965

Authorized Form of Name

Appleton, Edward Victor, Sir, 1892-1965

Additional Forms of Names

Appleton, Edward, 1892-1965

Appleton, Edward Victor, 1892-1965

Appleton, Victor, 1892-1965

Biography

Abstract

Sir Edward Appleton was a space physicist, specializing in radio signals. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for "his investigations of the physics of the upper atmosphere especially for the discovery of the so-called Appleton layer."

Important Dates

September 6, 1892Birth, Bradford (England).

1913Obtained BA in Natural Science, St. John's College, Cambridge University, Cambridge (England).

1913Awarded Wiltshire Prize.

1914Obtained Physics Part II (Masters), St. John's College, Cambridge University, Cambridge (England).

1920 – 1922Assistant Demonstrator, Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge (England).

1922 – 1936Sub-rector, Trinity College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge (England).

1924Obtained DSc in Physics, London University, London (England).

1924 – 1936Professor of Physics, King's College, London University, London (England).

1936 – 1939Chair of Natural Philosophy, Cambridge University, Cambridge (England).

1939 – 1949Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, London (England).

1941Knighted.

1947Awarded Medal of Honor.

1947Officer, French Legion of Honour.

1947Awarded Nobel Prize for Physics for "his investigations of the physics of the upper atmosphere especially for the discovery of the so-called Appleton layer".

1948Pope, Pontifical Academy of Science.

1949 – 1965Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh (Scotland).

April 21, 1965Death, Edinburgh (Scotland).

Occupation

Electromagnetism and space physicist.

Places

Birth

Bradford (England)

Undergraduate Education

Cambridge (England)

Graduate Education

Cambridge (England)

London (England)

Employment

Cambridge (England)

London (England)

Edinburgh (Scotland)

Death

Edinburgh (Scotland)

Subjects

Atmosphere, Upper.

Cathode ray oscillography.

Electromagnetic fields.

Ionosphere.

Radar.

Space.

Relationships

People

Family

Appleton, Jessie Longson

Wife.

Advisors & Collaborators

Bowen, E. G.

Advised by Appleton at King's College.

Oatley, Charles W.

Research assistant of Appleton at Cambridge University.

Ratcliffe, J. A. (John Ashworth)

Research assistant of Appleton at Cambridge University.

Rutherford, Ernest, 1871-1937

PhD advisor under Wiltshire Prize and Hutchinson Research Studentship.

Thomson, J. J. (Joseph John), 1856-1940

PhD advisor under Wiltshire Prize and Hutchinson Research Studentship.

Additional

Bragg, William Henry, 1862-1942

Clark, Ronald (Ronald William), 1916-1987

Haldane, J. B. S. (John Burdon Sanderson), 1892-1964

Hartree, Douglas R. (Douglas Rayner), 1897-1958

Huxley, Julian, 1887-1975

Jeans, James Hopwood, Sir

Jones, H. Spencer (Harold Spencer), 1890-1960

Lovell, Bernard, 1913-2012

Mellanby, Edward, Sir, 1887-1955

Richardson, O. W. (Owen Willans), 1879-1959

Shenstone, A. G. (Allen Goodrich)

Stoner, Edmund Clifton

Wilson, W. (William), b. 1875

Woolley, Richard van der Riet, Sir

Institutions

Major Positions

Cavendish Laboratory (Cambridge, England)

Assistant Demonstrator.

Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (United Kingdom)

Secretary.

King's College (University of London)

Professor of Physics.

Trinity College (University of Cambridge)

Sub-rector.

University of Cambridge. Department of Physics

Chair of Natural Philosophy.

University of Edinburgh

Principal and Vice Chancellor.

University of London

Obtained DSc (1924).

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Institute of Radio Engineers

Vice President.

International Scientific Radio Union Conference

Member.

Pontificia Accademia delle scienze

Pope/President.

Royal Observatory, Edinburgh

Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

Named after Appleton.

St. John's College (University of Cambridge)

Obtained BA in Natural Science (1913) and Physics Part II (1914).

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

Miscellaneous correspondence.

Medical Research Council

London, Englank UK

O. W. Richardson papers, 1897-1959 (bulk 1920-1940).

Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center

University of Texas at Austin

P.O. Drawer 7219, Austin, TX 78713-7219, USA

Sir Edward Appleton papers and correspondence, circa 1918-1973.

University Library, Special Collections.

University of Edinburgh

George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9LJ, Scotland, UK

Subject

Allen Shenstone autobiography, 1962.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

BBC written archives, 1922-[ongoing].

BBC Written Archives Centre

Caversham Park, Reading, RG4 8TZ

Douglas R. Hartree papers, 1932-1939.

Christ's College

Cambridge B2 3BU

Edmund C. Stoner papers and correspondence, 1909-1969.

Brotherton Library, Department of Special Collections

University of Leeds

Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS2 9JT

King's College Department of Physics records, [1890]-1984.

King's College Archives

King's College

Strand, London WC2R 2LS, UK England

Oral history interview with Sir Bernard Lovell, 1971 July 6.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Richard van der Riet Woolley Papers, 1947-1975.

Department of Manuscripts and University Archives

Royal Greenwich Observation Archives

Cambridge University Library, West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DR, England UK

Royal Observatory papers of Harold Spencer Jones, 1920-1968.

Department of Manuscripts and University Archives

Royal Greenwich Observation Archives

Cambridge University Library, West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DR, England UK

Sir William Lawrence Bragg papers.

Royal Institution of Great Britain

London, Englank UK

W. Wilson papers, 1910-1957; 1960-1985.

Royal Holloway College Library

University of London

Egham Hill, Egham, Surrey, England UK

Published Resources

Author

Science and the nation.

Scientific progress / by Sir James Jeans ... Sir William Bragg ... Professor E.V. Appleton ... Professor E. Mellanby ... Professor J.S.S. Haldane ... [and] Professor Julian Huxley …

Subject

Edward V. Appleton Engineering and Technology History Wiki page.

Edward V. Appleton Nobel Prize biography.

Encyclopaedia Britannica: Sir Edward Victor Appleton, British Physicist.

Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings: Prof. Dr. Sir Edward Victor Appleton.

Sir Edward Appleton Physics Today obituary.

Sir Edward Appleton, by Ronald Clark.