Carl-Gunne Fälthammar
Encyclopedia
Carl-Gunne Fälthammar is Professor Emeritus at the Royal Institute of Technology
in Stockholm, Sweden, specialising in space and plasma physics
in the School of Electrical Engineering. He succeeded Hannes Alfvén
as Professor of Plasma Physics in 1975.
His research interests include plasma electrodynamics
, with application to space and astrophysical plasma
s, especially in the context of aurora
l and magnetospheric physics
. He is also the Associate Editor of the journal Astrophysics and Space Science.
(approximately assistant professor), all from the Royal Institute of Technology
in Stockholm
.
as Professor of Plasma Physics there.
, Finland
. He is also a recipient of the Golden Badge Award of the European Geophysical Society and the Basic Sciences Award of the International Academy of Astronautics
. In 1998 he was awarded the Hannes Alfvén Medal of the European Geophysical Society in recognition of his services as Editor of the Society’s journal Annales Geophysicae.
Royal Institute of Technology
The Royal Institute of Technology is a university in Stockholm, Sweden. KTH was founded in 1827 as Sweden's first polytechnic and is one of Scandinavia's largest institutions of higher education in technology. KTH accounts for one-third of Sweden’s technical research and engineering education...
in Stockholm, Sweden, specialising in space and plasma physics
Astrophysical plasma
An astrophysical plasma is a plasma the physical properties of which are studied as part of astrophysics. Much of the baryonic matter of the universe is thought to consist of plasma, a state of matter in which atoms and molecules are so hot, that they have ionized by breaking up into their...
in the School of Electrical Engineering. He succeeded Hannes Alfvén
Hannes Alfvén
Hannes Olof Gösta Alfvén was a Swedish electrical engineer, plasma physicist and winner of the 1970 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on magnetohydrodynamics . He described the class of MHD waves now known as Alfvén waves...
as Professor of Plasma Physics in 1975.
His research interests include plasma electrodynamics
Plasma (physics)
In physics and chemistry, plasma is a state of matter similar to gas in which a certain portion of the particles are ionized. Heating a gas may ionize its molecules or atoms , thus turning it into a plasma, which contains charged particles: positive ions and negative electrons or ions...
, with application to space and astrophysical plasma
Astrophysical plasma
An astrophysical plasma is a plasma the physical properties of which are studied as part of astrophysics. Much of the baryonic matter of the universe is thought to consist of plasma, a state of matter in which atoms and molecules are so hot, that they have ionized by breaking up into their...
s, especially in the context of aurora
Aurora (astronomy)
An aurora is a natural light display in the sky particularly in the high latitude regions, caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere...
l and magnetospheric physics
Magnetosphere
A magnetosphere is formed when a stream of charged particles, such as the solar wind, interacts with and is deflected by the intrinsic magnetic field of a planet or similar body. Earth is surrounded by a magnetosphere, as are the other planets with intrinsic magnetic fields: Mercury, Jupiter,...
. He is also the Associate Editor of the journal Astrophysics and Space Science.
Education
In 1956 he earned the Swedish equivalent to a Master's degree (civilingenjör), and in 1960 the equivalent of a Ph.D. (Tekn. lic.), and in 1966 the position of DocentDocent
Docent is a title at some European universities to denote a specific academic appointment within a set structure of academic ranks below professor . Docent is also used at some universities generically for a person who has the right to teach...
(approximately assistant professor), all from the Royal Institute of Technology
Royal Institute of Technology
The Royal Institute of Technology is a university in Stockholm, Sweden. KTH was founded in 1827 as Sweden's first polytechnic and is one of Scandinavia's largest institutions of higher education in technology. KTH accounts for one-third of Sweden’s technical research and engineering education...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
.
Career
From July 1967 until June 1997, Fälthammar headed the Division of Plasma Physics of the Alfvén Laboratory. In 1969, he became Associate Professor of Plasma Physics at the Royal Institute of Technology, and in 1975, succeeded Hannes AlfvénHannes Alfvén
Hannes Olof Gösta Alfvén was a Swedish electrical engineer, plasma physicist and winner of the 1970 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on magnetohydrodynamics . He described the class of MHD waves now known as Alfvén waves...
as Professor of Plasma Physics there.
Awards
In 1989, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor's degree by the Faculty of Science of the University of OuluUniversity of Oulu
The University of Oulu is one of the largest universities in Finland, located in the city of Oulu. It was founded on July 8, 1958. The university has around 16,000 students and 3,000 staff...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. He is also a recipient of the Golden Badge Award of the European Geophysical Society and the Basic Sciences Award of the International Academy of Astronautics
International Academy of Astronautics
The International Academy of Astronautics is an international community of experts committed to expanding the frontiers of space. It is a non-governmental organisation established in Stockholm on August 16, 1960....
. In 1998 he was awarded the Hannes Alfvén Medal of the European Geophysical Society in recognition of his services as Editor of the Society’s journal Annales Geophysicae.
Papers
Books
- Magnetospheric Physics - Achievements and prospects (1993) co-authored with Bengt Hultqvist, Plenum Publ. Co. Ltd., London, UK, 1990, 190 pp., hard cover. $65.00/s. ISBN 0-306-43804-6.
- Cosmical electrodynamics: fundamental principles (1962) co-authored with Hannes Alfvén, Clarendon Press, Oxford.