Aldo Pontremoli
Encyclopedia
Aldo Pontremoli was an Italian physicist who held a chair of theoretical physics at the University of Milan
from 1926 and who founded and directed the Institute of Advanced Physics at the University of Milan
from 1924 until his disappearance and presumed death in May 1928. Pontremoli was one of the six men who disappeared with the airborne envelope of the airship
Italia after it had crashed on the Arctic
ice on 25 May 1928.
in Milan, where Temistocle Calzecchi-Onesti
was one of his teachers. After two years' further study at the Politecnico di Milano (Milan Polytechnic), he transferred to study physics at the Università degli studi di Roma "La Sapienza". His studies were interrupted when he volunteered for military service in World War I
. He received both the Silver Medal of Military Valor
and the Croce di Guerra
.
After resuming his studies in Rome and graduating in 1920 he became an assistant of Professor Orso Mario Corbino
. He then received a scholarship to study at the University of Cambridge
where he worked in the Cavendish Laboratory
under the direction of Ernst Rutherford.
, which he continued to direct until his disappearance in 1928. In 1926 he was appointed to a newly created chair of theoretical physics assigned to the University of Milan (as were Enrico Fermi
in Rome and Enrico Persico
in Florence).
Pontremoli's research was primarily concerned theoretical physics, optics, nuclear physics and hydrodynamics.
His successor in the chair of theoretical physics at Milan was Giovanni Polvani.
who was in command of the airship Italia. Along with the Czech physicist František Běhounek
, Pontremoli was responsible for taking measurements of the Earth's magnetic field
and cosmic rays; most of the data they gathered were lost in the subsequent crash.
On 25 May 1928, while attempting to return to its base at Ny-Ålesund
, Spitzbergen from the North Pole
, the airship crash landed on the ice. The force of the impact smashed open the control cabin leaving one dead and nine living members of the crew on the ice. After the crash, Pontremoli was observed on board the airship envelope, alive and conscious. The airship envelope, carrying Pontremoli and six other people drifted away. No trace of it or of those aboard has ever been found.
University of Milan
The University of Milan is a higher education institution in Milan, Italy. It is one of the largest universities in Europe, with about 62,801 students, a teaching and research staff of 2,455 and a non-teaching staff of 2,200....
from 1926 and who founded and directed the Institute of Advanced Physics at the University of Milan
University of Milan
The University of Milan is a higher education institution in Milan, Italy. It is one of the largest universities in Europe, with about 62,801 students, a teaching and research staff of 2,455 and a non-teaching staff of 2,200....
from 1924 until his disappearance and presumed death in May 1928. Pontremoli was one of the six men who disappeared with the airborne envelope of the airship
Airship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
Italia after it had crashed on the Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
ice on 25 May 1928.
Education
Pontremoli was educated in a liceoLyceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies between countries; usually it is a type of secondary school.-History:...
in Milan, where Temistocle Calzecchi-Onesti
Temistocle Calzecchi-Onesti
-References:* at radiomarconi.com* at browsebiography.com...
was one of his teachers. After two years' further study at the Politecnico di Milano (Milan Polytechnic), he transferred to study physics at the Università degli studi di Roma "La Sapienza". His studies were interrupted when he volunteered for military service in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He received both the Silver Medal of Military Valor
Silver Medal of Military Valor
The Silver Medal of Military Valor is an Italian medal for gallantry.Italian medals for valor were first instituted by Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia on May 21, 1793, with a gold medal, and, below it, a silver medal...
and the Croce di Guerra
Croce di Guerra
The Croce di Guerra al Valor Militare is an Italian decoration for military valour.- Past recipients :* Edouard Izac, Lieutenant, United States Navy* Douglas MacArthur, General, United States Army...
.
After resuming his studies in Rome and graduating in 1920 he became an assistant of Professor Orso Mario Corbino
Orso Mario Corbino
Orso Mario Corbino was an Italian physicist and politician. He served as the minister for education in 1921 and as the minister for economy in 1921. He also served as professor in Messina and in Rome...
. He then received a scholarship to study at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
where he worked in the Cavendish Laboratory
Cavendish Laboratory
The Cavendish Laboratory is the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge, and is part of the university's School of Physical Sciences. It was opened in 1874 as a teaching laboratory....
under the direction of Ernst Rutherford.
Academic career
In 1924 Pontremoli founded an institute of advanced physics at the University of MilanUniversity of Milan
The University of Milan is a higher education institution in Milan, Italy. It is one of the largest universities in Europe, with about 62,801 students, a teaching and research staff of 2,455 and a non-teaching staff of 2,200....
, which he continued to direct until his disappearance in 1928. In 1926 he was appointed to a newly created chair of theoretical physics assigned to the University of Milan (as were Enrico Fermi
Enrico Fermi
Enrico Fermi was an Italian-born, naturalized American physicist particularly known for his work on the development of the first nuclear reactor, Chicago Pile-1, and for his contributions to the development of quantum theory, nuclear and particle physics, and statistical mechanics...
in Rome and Enrico Persico
Enrico Persico
Enrico Persico was an Italian physicist notable for propagating the field of quantum mechanics in Italy. He was a professor at the University of Turin and is also notable as the doctoral advisor of Ugo Fano.-Career:...
in Florence).
Pontremoli's research was primarily concerned theoretical physics, optics, nuclear physics and hydrodynamics.
His successor in the chair of theoretical physics at Milan was Giovanni Polvani.
The Italia expedition
In 1928 Pontremoli joined the polar expedition of General Umberto NobileUmberto Nobile
Umberto Nobile was an Italian aeronautical engineer and Arctic explorer. Nobile was a developer and promoter of semi-rigid airships during the Golden Age of Aviation between the two World Wars...
who was in command of the airship Italia. Along with the Czech physicist František Běhounek
František Behounek
František Běhounek was a Czech scientist , explorer and writer.The asteroid 3278 Běhounek is named after him.- Biography :Běhounek studied physics and mathematics at Charles University, later radiology in France at Marie Curie-Skłodowska. In 1920s, he was one of the founders of State Radiological...
, Pontremoli was responsible for taking measurements of the Earth's magnetic field
Earth's magnetic field
Earth's magnetic field is the magnetic field that extends from the Earth's inner core to where it meets the solar wind, a stream of energetic particles emanating from the Sun...
and cosmic rays; most of the data they gathered were lost in the subsequent crash.
On 25 May 1928, while attempting to return to its base at Ny-Ålesund
Ny-Ålesund
Ny-Ålesund is one of the four permanent settlements on the island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago. It is located on the Brøgger peninsula at Kongsfjorden...
, Spitzbergen from the North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
, the airship crash landed on the ice. The force of the impact smashed open the control cabin leaving one dead and nine living members of the crew on the ice. After the crash, Pontremoli was observed on board the airship envelope, alive and conscious. The airship envelope, carrying Pontremoli and six other people drifted away. No trace of it or of those aboard has ever been found.