Susumu Okubo
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
theoretical physicist at the University of Rochester
.
Ōkubo began study at the University of Tokyo
in 1949 and received his bachelor's degree there in 1952. He became a graduate student at the University of Rochester
in 1954, where he earned his PhD in 1958 with Robert Marshak
as thesis advisor. Afterwards, he was a postdoc in 1959/60 at the University of Naples, in 1960/61 at CERN
, after that for a short time in Japan because he had a problem obtaining a US visa, and then in 1962 again at the University of Rochester, where he became a professor in 1964 and retired in 1996 as an emeritus professor.
Ōkubo works primarily on elementary particle physics. He is famous for the Gell-Mann-Okubo mass formula
for mesons and baryons in the quark model; this formula correctly predicts the relations of masses of the members of SU(3) multiplets in terms of hypercharge
and isotopic spin
.
In 2005 he received the Sakurai Prize
from the American Physical Society
for "For groundbreaking investigations into the pattern of hadronic masses and decay rates, which provided essential clues into the development of the quark model, and for demonstrating that CP violation permits partial decay rate asymmetries".
In 1976 the Nishina Memorial Prize
in Japan and in 2006 the Wigner Medal. In 1966 he was a Guggenheim Fellow and in 1969 a Ford Fellow. He is a member of the American Physical Society and the American Mathematical Society
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
theoretical physicist at the University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
.
Ōkubo began study at the University of Tokyo
University of Tokyo
, abbreviated as , is a major research university located in Tokyo, Japan. The University has 10 faculties with a total of around 30,000 students, 2,100 of whom are foreign. Its five campuses are in Hongō, Komaba, Kashiwa, Shirokane and Nakano. It is considered to be the most prestigious university...
in 1949 and received his bachelor's degree there in 1952. He became a graduate student at the University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
in 1954, where he earned his PhD in 1958 with Robert Marshak
Robert Marshak
Robert Eugene Marshak was an American physicist dedicated to learning, research, and education.-History:...
as thesis advisor. Afterwards, he was a postdoc in 1959/60 at the University of Naples, in 1960/61 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...
, after that for a short time in Japan because he had a problem obtaining a US visa, and then in 1962 again at the University of Rochester, where he became a professor in 1964 and retired in 1996 as an emeritus professor.
Ōkubo works primarily on elementary particle physics. He is famous for the Gell-Mann-Okubo mass formula
Gell-Mann-Okubo mass formula
In physics, the Gell-Mann–Okubo mass formula provides a sum rule for baryon and meson masses within a specific multiplet determined by particle spin. The rule was first formulated by Murray Gell-Mann in 1961 and independently proposed by Susumu Okubo in 1962...
for mesons and baryons in the quark model; this formula correctly predicts the relations of masses of the members of SU(3) multiplets in terms of hypercharge
Hypercharge
In particle physics, the hypercharge Y of a particle is related to the strong interaction, and is distinct from the similarly named weak hypercharge, which has an analogous role in the electroweak interaction...
and isotopic spin
Spin (physics)
In quantum mechanics and particle physics, spin is a fundamental characteristic property of elementary particles, composite particles , and atomic nuclei.It is worth noting that the intrinsic property of subatomic particles called spin and discussed in this article, is related in some small ways,...
.
In 2005 he received the Sakurai Prize
Sakurai Prize
The J. J. Sakurai Prize for Theoretical Particle Physics, is presented by the American Physical Society at its annual "April Meeting", and honors outstanding achievement in particle physics theory...
from the American Physical Society
American Physical Society
The American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...
for "For groundbreaking investigations into the pattern of hadronic masses and decay rates, which provided essential clues into the development of the quark model, and for demonstrating that CP violation permits partial decay rate asymmetries".
In 1976 the Nishina Memorial Prize
Nishina Memorial Prize
is the oldest and most prestigious physics award in Japan. Since 1955, the Prize has been awarded annually by the Nishina Memorial Foundation. The Foundation was established to commemorate Yoshio Nishina, who was the founding father of modern physics research in Japan and a mentor of the first two...
in Japan and in 2006 the Wigner Medal. In 1966 he was a Guggenheim Fellow and in 1969 a Ford Fellow. He is a member of the American Physical Society and the American Mathematical Society
American Mathematical Society
The American Mathematical Society is an association of professional mathematicians dedicated to the interests of mathematical research and scholarship, which it does with various publications and conferences as well as annual monetary awards and prizes to mathematicians.The society is one of the...
.
Works
- Introduction to Octonion and other associative algebras in physics. Cambridge University Press, 2005