William Coblentz

William Weber Coblentz ( born November 20, 1873 in North Lima, Ohio; † September 15, 1962 in Washington, DC) was an American physicist and astronomer. He made significant research in infrared spectroscopy and infrared astronomy.

Life

Coblentz had German -Swiss ancestors and grew up in modest circumstances in the country, so that he could finish high school until 1896. He studied from 1896 Physics at Case Western Reserve University (formerly Case School of Applied Science ) with a bachelor's degree in 1900 and at Cornell University where in 1901 he received his Master's degree ( Infra -Red Spectra of Asphalt ) and 1903 for Edward L received his doctorate. Nichols ( Some Optical Properties of Iodine, Physical Review, Volume 16, 1913, pp.35- 50). After that, he conducted research for two years with a grant from the Carnegie Foundation at Cornell University before 1905, the National Bureau of Standards joined whose radiometric department he founded in 1905 and directed until his retirement in 1945.

Coblentz in the U.S. is a pioneer in infrared spectroscopy. He measured many spectra with high accuracy, using a method developed by him spectrometer and published them in a book in 1905. His studies were the first indication of the possibility of demonstrating functional groups in chemistry in the spectra and the infrared spectrum to be used as a fingerprint of molecular groups however, this was added much later. He also measured the infrared radiation of stars, planets and nebulae. A first infrared detector he developed in 1913 for the Lick Observatory. With Carl Lampland (1873-1951) from the Lowell Observatory he found out the differences in the infrared spectra of Mars during the day and night indications of a thin atmosphere. His determination of the constants of the black-body radiation Planck's law of radiation confirmed. In addition, he also dealt with other areas of physics, such as bioluminescence ( firefly ), in later years with UV radiation and their medical application (therapeutic (1938 ) and as a cause of skin cancer ( 1948) ) and even with parapsychology. He held ten patents, including patents for a solar cell.

In 1924 he married Catherine Cate Coblentz, an author of children's books.

In recognition of his achievements in infrared astronomy craters were named on the Moon and Mars after him. The Coblentz Society, which is dedicated to the vibrational spectroscopy is named in his honor and assigns a Coblentz Medal. 1920 Coblentz received the Jansen medal of the French Academy of Sciences. He received the 1910 Howard N. Potts Medal of the Franklin Institute, the Rumford Medal of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and Frederic Ives Medal of the 1945 Optical Society of America.

Writings

• Investigations of Infra -Red Spectra, Carnegie Institution in 1905 (the book was later reprinted several times ), online
• From the life of a researcher, New York, Philosophical Library, 1951 ( autobiography)