Yoshio Nishina
Encyclopedia
was the founding father of modern physics research in Japan. He co-authored the well-known Klein–Nishina formula. He was a principal investigator of RIKEN
and mentored generations
of physicists, including two Nobel Laureates: Hideki Yukawa
and Sin-Itiro Tomonaga
. During World War II
he was the head of the Japanese atomic program
. The crater Nishina
on the Moon is named in his honor.
Nishina was born in Satoshō
, Okayama
and graduated from Tokyo Imperial University in 1918. After graduation, he became a staff member at the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (now RIKEN
). In 1921 he was sent to Europe for research. He visited some European universities and institutions, including Cavendish Laboratory
, Georg August University of Göttingen, and University of Copenhagen
. In Copenhagen
he did research with Niels Bohr
and they became good friends. In 1928 he wrote a paper on incoherent or Compton scattering
with Oskar Klein
in Copenhagen, from which the Klein–Nishina formula derives.
In 1929 he returned to Japan, where he endeavored to foster an environment for the study of quantum mechanics
. He established Nishina Laboratory at the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research in 1931 and invited some Western scholars to Japan including Heisenberg
, Dirac
and Bohr
to stimulate Japanese physicists. His research was concerned with cosmic ray
s and particle accelerator
development for which he constructed a few cyclotron
s at RIKEN. In particular, he detected what turned out to be the muon
in cosmic rays, independently of Anderson et al. He also discovered the uranium-237 isotope
and pioneered the studies of symmetric fission phenomena occurring upon fast neutron irradiation of uranium (1939–1940). His laboratory was severely damaged during World War II and most equipment had to be discarded and rebuilt after the war.
In 1946 Nishina was awarded the Order of Culture
by the Emperor of Japan
.
Nishima died from liver cancer in 1951.
RIKEN
is a large natural sciences research institute in Japan. Founded in 1917, it now has approximately 3000 scientists on seven campuses across Japan, the main one in Wako, just outside Tokyo...
and mentored generations
of physicists, including two Nobel Laureates: Hideki Yukawa
Hideki Yukawa
né , was a Japanese theoretical physicist and the first Japanese Nobel laureate.-Biography:Yukawa was born in Tokyo and grew up in Kyoto. In 1929, after receiving his degree from Kyoto Imperial University, he stayed on as a lecturer for four years. After graduation, he was interested in...
and Sin-Itiro Tomonaga
Sin-Itiro Tomonaga
was a Japanese physicist, influential in the development of quantum electrodynamics, work for which he was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 along with Richard Feynman and Julian Schwinger.-Biography:...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he was the head of the Japanese atomic program
Japanese atomic program
The Japanese program to develop nuclear weapons was conducted during World War II. Like the German nuclear weapons program, it suffered from an array of problems, and was ultimately unable to progress beyond the laboratory stage before the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Japanese...
. The crater Nishina
Nishina (crater)
Nishina is the remnant of a lunar crater that is located in the southern hemisphere on the far side of the Moon. It lies to the south-southwest of the crater Maksutov, to the southeast of Finsen and Leibniz....
on the Moon is named in his honor.
Nishina was born in Satoshō
Satosho, Okayama
is a town located in Asakuchi District, Okayama, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 10,908 and a density of 891.91 persons per km²...
, Okayama
Okayama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Okayama.- History :During the Meiji Restoration, the area of Okayama Prefecture was known as Bitchū Province, Bizen Province and Mimasaka Province.- Geography :...
and graduated from Tokyo Imperial University in 1918. After graduation, he became a staff member at the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (now RIKEN
RIKEN
is a large natural sciences research institute in Japan. Founded in 1917, it now has approximately 3000 scientists on seven campuses across Japan, the main one in Wako, just outside Tokyo...
). In 1921 he was sent to Europe for research. He visited some European universities and institutions, including 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....
, Georg August University of Göttingen, and University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
. In Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
he did research with Niels Bohr
Niels Bohr
Niels Henrik David Bohr was a Danish physicist who made foundational contributions to understanding atomic structure and quantum mechanics, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922. Bohr mentored and collaborated with many of the top physicists of the century at his institute in...
and they became good friends. In 1928 he wrote a paper on incoherent or Compton scattering
Compton scattering
In physics, Compton scattering is a type of scattering that X-rays and gamma rays undergo in matter. The inelastic scattering of photons in matter results in a decrease in energy of an X-ray or gamma ray photon, called the Compton effect...
with Oskar Klein
Oskar Klein
Oskar Benjamin Klein was a Swedish theoretical physicist.Klein was born in Danderyd outside Stockholm, son of the chief rabbi of Stockholm, Dr. Gottlieb Klein from Homonna in Hungary and Antonie Levy...
in Copenhagen, from which the Klein–Nishina formula derives.
In 1929 he returned to Japan, where he endeavored to foster an environment for the study of quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics, also known as quantum physics or quantum theory, is a branch of physics providing a mathematical description of much of the dual particle-like and wave-like behavior and interactions of energy and matter. It departs from classical mechanics primarily at the atomic and subatomic...
. He established Nishina Laboratory at the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research in 1931 and invited some Western scholars to Japan including Heisenberg
Werner Heisenberg
Werner Karl Heisenberg was a German theoretical physicist who made foundational contributions to quantum mechanics and is best known for asserting the uncertainty principle of quantum theory...
, Dirac
Paul Dirac
Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac, OM, FRS was an English theoretical physicist who made fundamental contributions to the early development of both quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics...
and Bohr
Niels Bohr
Niels Henrik David Bohr was a Danish physicist who made foundational contributions to understanding atomic structure and quantum mechanics, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922. Bohr mentored and collaborated with many of the top physicists of the century at his institute in...
to stimulate Japanese physicists. His research was concerned with cosmic ray
Cosmic ray
Cosmic rays are energetic charged subatomic particles, originating from outer space. They may produce secondary particles that penetrate the Earth's atmosphere and surface. The term ray is historical as cosmic rays were thought to be electromagnetic radiation...
s and particle accelerator
Particle accelerator
A particle accelerator is a device that uses electromagnetic fields to propel charged particles to high speeds and to contain them in well-defined beams. An ordinary CRT television set is a simple form of accelerator. There are two basic types: electrostatic and oscillating field accelerators.In...
development for which he constructed a few cyclotron
Cyclotron
In technology, a cyclotron is a type of particle accelerator. In physics, the cyclotron frequency or gyrofrequency is the frequency of a charged particle moving perpendicularly to the direction of a uniform magnetic field, i.e. a magnetic field of constant magnitude and direction...
s at RIKEN. In particular, he detected what turned out to be the muon
Muon
The muon |mu]] used to represent it) is an elementary particle similar to the electron, with a unitary negative electric charge and a spin of ½. Together with the electron, the tau, and the three neutrinos, it is classified as a lepton...
in cosmic rays, independently of Anderson et al. He also discovered the uranium-237 isotope
Isotope
Isotopes are variants of atoms of a particular chemical element, which have differing numbers of neutrons. Atoms of a particular element by definition must contain the same number of protons but may have a distinct number of neutrons which differs from atom to atom, without changing the designation...
and pioneered the studies of symmetric fission phenomena occurring upon fast neutron irradiation of uranium (1939–1940). His laboratory was severely damaged during World War II and most equipment had to be discarded and rebuilt after the war.
In 1946 Nishina was awarded the Order of Culture
Order of Culture
The is a Japanese order, established on February 11, 1937. The order has one class only, and may be awarded to men and women for contributions to Japan's art, literature or culture; recipients of the order also receive an annuity for life...
by the Emperor of Japan
Hirohito
, posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...
.
Nishima died from liver cancer in 1951.