Herrick. L. Johnston
Encyclopedia
Herrick Lee Johnston was an American scientist specializing in cryogenics, born in Jacksonville
, Ohio
He was a researcher at the University of California at Berkeley 1925-28 and an associate of cryogenics
pioneer William Giauque
when his experiments proved the existence of oxygen isotopes with atomic masses 17 and 18. Previously it had been believed that oxygen only existed as 16O; as atomic masses of other elements were calculated on the basis of 16.0 not 16.0035, this was a significant discovery. The work, published in 1929, also led to the discovery in 1939 of heavy hydrogen (deuterium
) by Harold C Urey
. Giauque was awarded the 1949 Nobel Prize for chemistry for this work, and did not forget to recognise Johnston's contribution.
Johnston was appointed assistant professor at Ohio State University
in 1929 with plans to create a cryogenics laboratory to rival that at Berkeley, but sufficient funds were not available until 1939, boosted by federal money earmarked for war-related research, notably the Manhattan Project
, for which he was a director from 1942-46. A new building (titled War Research Building) was completed around the end of 1942 and the first liquid hydrogen was produced in February 1943. Johnston had a reputation for working himself and his staff hard, especially under tight deadlines. He was impatient with bureaucracy, and frequently ran into trouble with his propensity to cut corners. Despite, or perhaps because of these characteristics, he was admired by students and inspired great loyalty. One of his researchers, engineer Gwynne A Wright, remained with him for 16 years. One of his PhD students, Paul J Flory
, who won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1974, cited Johnston's 'boundless zeal' as an inspiration.
He was appointed associate professor 1933-38, then professor 1938-54. During this time he also saw work at the University of Göttingen, Germany (1933) and General Electric
laboratories at Schenectady, NY (1937).
and even larger mobile plants for generating liquid hydrogen, for the US Air Force. He remained on the staff at Ohio State University all this time, but with a greatly reduced presence.
They had two sons - William Vanderbilt and Robert Edgar and a daughter Margaret Louise.
Jacksonville, Ohio
Jacksonville is a village in Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 544 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Jacksonville is located at , along Sunday Creek....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
He was a researcher at the University of California at Berkeley 1925-28 and an associate of cryogenics
Cryogenics
In physics, cryogenics is the study of the production of very low temperature and the behavior of materials at those temperatures. A person who studies elements under extremely cold temperature is called a cryogenicist. Rather than the relative temperature scales of Celsius and Fahrenheit,...
pioneer William Giauque
William Giauque
William Francis Giauque was an American chemist and Nobel laureate recognised in 1949 for his studies in the properties of matter at temperatures close to absolute zero...
when his experiments proved the existence of oxygen isotopes with atomic masses 17 and 18. Previously it had been believed that oxygen only existed as 16O; as atomic masses of other elements were calculated on the basis of 16.0 not 16.0035, this was a significant discovery. The work, published in 1929, also led to the discovery in 1939 of heavy hydrogen (deuterium
Deuterium
Deuterium, also called heavy hydrogen, is one of two stable isotopes of hydrogen. It has a natural abundance in Earth's oceans of about one atom in of hydrogen . Deuterium accounts for approximately 0.0156% of all naturally occurring hydrogen in Earth's oceans, while the most common isotope ...
) by Harold C Urey
Harold Urey
Harold Clayton Urey was an American physical chemist whose pioneering work on isotopes earned him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1934...
. Giauque was awarded the 1949 Nobel Prize for chemistry for this work, and did not forget to recognise Johnston's contribution.
Johnston was appointed assistant professor at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
in 1929 with plans to create a cryogenics laboratory to rival that at Berkeley, but sufficient funds were not available until 1939, boosted by federal money earmarked for war-related research, notably the Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
, for which he was a director from 1942-46. A new building (titled War Research Building) was completed around the end of 1942 and the first liquid hydrogen was produced in February 1943. Johnston had a reputation for working himself and his staff hard, especially under tight deadlines. He was impatient with bureaucracy, and frequently ran into trouble with his propensity to cut corners. Despite, or perhaps because of these characteristics, he was admired by students and inspired great loyalty. One of his researchers, engineer Gwynne A Wright, remained with him for 16 years. One of his PhD students, Paul J Flory
Paul Flory
Paul John Flory was an American chemist and Nobel laureate who was known for his prodigious volume of work in the field of polymers, or macromolecules...
, who won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1974, cited Johnston's 'boundless zeal' as an inspiration.
He was appointed associate professor 1933-38, then professor 1938-54. During this time he also saw work at the University of Göttingen, Germany (1933) and General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
laboratories at Schenectady, NY (1937).
Business
Johnston saw the US Government's decision to pursue research on a fission weapon (hydrogen bomb) as an opportunity to utilise his expertise in volume production, storage and transportation of liquid hydrogen (and deuterium). In 1952 he founded his own company H L Johnston Company Inc. to produce deuterium for the first 'thermonuclear device' which was successfully tested at Eniwetok Atoll on 1 November 1952. His company developed huge mobile refrigerated dewars for transporting bulk liquid hydrogenLiquid hydrogen
Liquid hydrogen is the liquid state of the element hydrogen. Hydrogen is found naturally in the molecular H2 form.To exist as a liquid, H2 must be pressurized above and cooled below hydrogen's Critical point. However, for hydrogen to be in a full liquid state without boiling off, it needs to be...
and even larger mobile plants for generating liquid hydrogen, for the US Air Force. He remained on the staff at Ohio State University all this time, but with a greatly reduced presence.
Personal life
Johnston married Margaret Vanderbilt (1901-1996) on 14 June 1923They had two sons - William Vanderbilt and Robert Edgar and a daughter Margaret Louise.
Recognition
In 1970 the War Research Building at Ohio State University was renamed Johnston Laboratory in his honour.External links
- http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4404/ch2-2.htm
- http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4404/ch4-2.htm