Overview
- First, comprehensive biography of one of the founders of the field of accelerator physics
- Contains material and insights obtained from previously restricted archives
- Treats both his work and life on an equal footing
Part of the book series: Springer Biographies (SPRINGERBIOGS)
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Table of contents (7 chapters)
Keywords
About this book
This Open Access biography chronicles the life and achievements of the Norwegian engineer and physicist Rolf Widerøe. Readers who meet him in the pages of this book will wonder why he isn't better known.
The first of Widerøe's many pioneering contributions in the field of accelerator physics was the betatron, the second, the linear accelerator, both summarized in a 27 page PhD. The betatron revolutionized the fields of cancer treatment through radiation therapy and also nondestructive testing; hospitals worldwide installed Widerøe's machine and today’s modern radiation treatment equipment is based on his inventions. The most recent renaissance of the linac provides unprecedented x-ray intensities at Free Electron Laser (FEL) facilities in operation and construction worldwide. .Widerøe’s story also includes a fair share of drama, particularly during World War II when both Germans and the Allies vied for his collaboration.Widerøe held leading positions in multinational industry groups and was one of the consultants for building the world's largest nuclear laboratory, CERN, in Switzerland. He gained over 200 patents, received several honorary doctorates and a number of international awards.
The author, a professional writer and maker of TV documentaries, has gained access to hitherto restricted archives in several countries, which provided a wealth of new material and insights, in particular in relation to the war years. She tells here a gripping and illuminating story.
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About the author
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Obsessed by a Dream
Book Subtitle: The Physicist Rolf Widerøe – a Giant in the History of Accelerators
Authors: Aashild Sørheim
Translated by: Frank Stewart
Series Title: Springer Biographies
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26338-6
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2020
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-26337-9Published: 07 November 2019
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-26340-9Published: 11 September 2020
eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-26338-6Published: 05 November 2019
Series ISSN: 2365-0613
Series E-ISSN: 2365-0621
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XXXIV, 511
Number of Illustrations: 14 b/w illustrations, 14 illustrations in colour
Topics: Popular Science in Physics, Particle Acceleration and Detection, Beam Physics, Cancer Research, History and Philosophical Foundations of Physics