Marietta Blau
Encyclopedia
Marietta Blau was an Austrian physicist. After having obtained the general certificate of education from the girls' high school run by the Association for the Extended Education of Women, she studied physics and mathematics at the University of Vienna
from 1914 to 1918; her Ph. D. graduation was in March 1919.
of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
in Vienna. A stipend by the Austrian Association of University Women made it possible for her to do research also in Göttingen and Paris (1932/1933).
In her Vienna years, Blau's main interest was the development of the photographic method
of particle detection. The methodical goals which she pursued were the identification of particles, in particular alpha-particles and protons, and the determination of their energy based on the characteristics of the tracks they left in emulsions. For this work, Blau and her former student Hertha Wambacher
received the Lieben Prize
of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in 1937. It was her greatest success when, also in 1937, she and Wambacher discovered "disintegration stars" in photographic plates that had been exposed to cosmic radiation at an altitude of 2,300 metres (≈7,500 feet) above sea level. These stars are the patterns of particle tracks from nuclear reactions (spallation events
) of cosmic-ray particles with nuclei of the photographic emulsion.
Because of her Jewish descent, Blau had to leave Austria in 1938, a fact which caused a severe break in her scientific career. She first went to Oslo. Then, through the intercession of Albert Einstein
, she obtained a teaching position at the Polytechnical Institute in Mexico City
. But since conditions in Mexico made research extremely difficult for her, she seized an opportunity to move to the United States in 1944.
, Brookhaven National Laboratory
and the University of Miami
. At these institutions, she was responsible for the application of the photographic method of particle detection in high-energy experiments at particle accelerators.
In 1960, Blau returned to Austria and conducted scientific work at the Institute for Radium Research until 1964 – again without pay. She headed a working group analyzing particle-track photographs from experiments at CERN
and supervised a dissertation in this field. In 1962, she received the Erwin Schrödinger Prize
of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
, but an attempt to make her also a corresponding member of the Academy was not successful.
for the development of the photographic method for particle detection and the discovery of the pion
by use of this method. He had made this method the subject of his work in nuclear physics in 1938 when Walter Heitler
had drawn his attention to this method and to Blau and Wambacher's pioneering work in this field.
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
from 1914 to 1918; her Ph. D. graduation was in March 1919.
Pre World War 2
From 1919 to 1923, Blau held several positions in industrial and University research institutions in Austria and Germany. From 1923 on, she worked as an unpaid scientist at the Institute for Radium ResearchInstitute for Radium Research, Vienna
The Institute for Radium Research was an Austrian research institute associated with the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna. The Institute's researchers won multiple Nobel Prizes...
of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
Austrian Academy of Sciences
The Austrian Academy of Sciences is a legal entity under the special protection of the Federal Republic of Austria. According to the statutes of the Academy its mission is to promote the sciences and humanities in every respect and in every field, particularly in fundamental research...
in Vienna. A stipend by the Austrian Association of University Women made it possible for her to do research also in Göttingen and Paris (1932/1933).
In her Vienna years, Blau's main interest was the development of the photographic method
Nuclear emulsion
In a Particle and Nuclear physics, a nuclear emulsion plate is a photographic plate with a particularly thick emulsion layer and with a very uniform grain size. Like bubble chambers, cloud chambers, and wire chambers nuclear emulsion plates record the tracks of charged particles passing through...
of particle detection. The methodical goals which she pursued were the identification of particles, in particular alpha-particles and protons, and the determination of their energy based on the characteristics of the tracks they left in emulsions. For this work, Blau and her former student Hertha Wambacher
Hertha Wambacher
Hertha Wambacher was an Austrian physicist. After having obtained the general certificate of education from the girls' high school run by the Association for the Extended Education of Women in 1922, she studied first chemistry, then physics at the University of Vienna.Wambacher's dissertation at...
received the Lieben Prize
Lieben Prize
The Ignaz Lieben Prize is an annual Austrian award for young scientists working in the fields of molecular biology, chemistry, or physics.The Ignaz Lieben Prize has been called the Austrian Nobel Prize. It is similar in intent but somewhat older than the Nobel Prize. The Austrian merchant Ignaz L...
of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in 1937. It was her greatest success when, also in 1937, she and Wambacher discovered "disintegration stars" in photographic plates that had been exposed to cosmic radiation at an altitude of 2,300 metres (≈7,500 feet) above sea level. These stars are the patterns of particle tracks from nuclear reactions (spallation events
Spallation
In general, spallation is a process in which fragments of material are ejected from a body due to impact or stress. In the context of impact mechanics it describes ejection or vaporization of material from a target during impact by a projectile...
) of cosmic-ray particles with nuclei of the photographic emulsion.
Because of her Jewish descent, Blau had to leave Austria in 1938, a fact which caused a severe break in her scientific career. She first went to Oslo. Then, through the intercession of Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
, she obtained a teaching position at the Polytechnical Institute in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. But since conditions in Mexico made research extremely difficult for her, she seized an opportunity to move to the United States in 1944.
Post-war
In the United States, Blau worked in industry until 1948, afterwards (until 1960) at Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, Brookhaven National Laboratory
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Brookhaven National Laboratory , is a United States national laboratory located in Upton, New York on Long Island, and was formally established in 1947 at the site of Camp Upton, a former U.S. Army base...
and the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
. At these institutions, she was responsible for the application of the photographic method of particle detection in high-energy experiments at particle accelerators.
In 1960, Blau returned to Austria and conducted scientific work at the Institute for Radium Research until 1964 – again without pay. She headed a working group analyzing particle-track photographs from experiments at CERN
CERN
The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border...
and supervised a dissertation in this field. In 1962, she received the Erwin Schrödinger Prize
Erwin Schrödinger Prize
The Erwin Schrödinger Prize is an annual award presented by the Austrian Academy of Sciences for lifetime achievement by Austrians in the fields of mathematics and natural sciences...
of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
Austrian Academy of Sciences
The Austrian Academy of Sciences is a legal entity under the special protection of the Federal Republic of Austria. According to the statutes of the Academy its mission is to promote the sciences and humanities in every respect and in every field, particularly in fundamental research...
, but an attempt to make her also a corresponding member of the Academy was not successful.
Death
Marietta Blau died in Vienna from cancer in 1970. Her illness may be related to her unprotected handling of radioactive substances as well as her cigarette smoking over many years. No obituary appeared in any scientific publication.Legacy
In 1950, Cecil Powell received the Nobel prizeNobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
for the development of the photographic method for particle detection and the discovery of the pion
Pion
In particle physics, a pion is any of three subatomic particles: , , and . Pions are the lightest mesons and they play an important role in explaining the low-energy properties of the strong nuclear force....
by use of this method. He had made this method the subject of his work in nuclear physics in 1938 when Walter Heitler
Walter Heitler
Walter Heinrich Heitler was a German physicist who made contributions to quantum electrodynamics and quantum field theory...
had drawn his attention to this method and to Blau and Wambacher's pioneering work in this field.
Literature
- Robert Rosner & Brigitte Strohmaier (eds.): Marietta Blau – Sterne der Zertrümmerung. Biographie einer Wegbereiterin der modernen Teilchenphysik. Böhlau, Vienna 2003, ISBN 3205-77088-9 (in German)
- Brigitte Strohmaier & Robert Rosner: Marietta Blau – Stars of Disintegration. Biography of a pioneer of particle physics. Ariadne, Riverside, California 2006, ISBN 9781572411470
- Leopold Halpern & Maurice Shapiro: "Marietta Blau" in of the Shadows: Contributions of 20th Century Women to Physics, Nina Byers and Gary Williams, ed., Cambridge University Press 2006 ISBN 0-5218-2197-1.
External links
- "Marietta Blau" in CWP at UCLA