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__NOTOC__
__NOTOC__
[[Image:Tor Hagfors.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Tor Hagfors<br />photo by Andreas Blome]]
[[Image:Tor Hagfors.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Tor Hagfors<br />photo by Andreas Blome]]
'''Tor Hagfors''' ([[1930]] &ndash; [[17 January]] [[2007]]) was a
'''Tor Hagfors''' (1930 &ndash; [[17 January]] [[2007]]) was a
Norwegian scientist, radio astronomer, radar expert and a pioneer in the
Norwegian scientist, radio astronomer, radar expert and a pioneer in the
studies of the interactions between [[electromagnetic waves]] (radio
studies of the interactions between [[electromagnetic waves]] (radio
Line 10: Line 10:
Tor Hagfors was born in [[Oslo]] in 1930.
Tor Hagfors was born in [[Oslo]] in 1930.
He studied at the [[Norwegian Institute of Technology]] (NTH), and he
He studied at the [[Norwegian Institute of Technology]] (NTH), and he
received his doctorate degree in [[1959]] from the [[University of Oslo]].
received his doctorate degree in 1959 from the [[University of Oslo]].
He worked at the [[Norwegian Defence Research Establishment]] from
He worked at the [[Norwegian Defence Research Establishment]] from
[[1955]] to [[1963]], interrupted by a [[sabbatical]] at
1955 to 1963, interrupted by a [[sabbatical]] at
[[Stanford University]] from [[1959]] to [[1960]].
[[Stanford University]] from 1959 to 1960.
He was employed at the [[Lincoln Laboratory]] in
He was employed at the [[Lincoln Laboratory]] in
[[Lexington, Massachusetts]] in two periods, from [[1963]] to [[1967]] and
[[Lexington, Massachusetts]] in two periods, from 1963 to 1967 and
from [[1969]] to [[1971]].
from 1969 to 1971.
From [[1967]] to [[1969]] he was director of the [[Jicamarca Radio Observatory]] in
From 1967 to 1969 he was director of the [[Jicamarca Radio Observatory]] in
[[Lurigancho]], outside [[Lima]], [[Peru]].
[[Lurigancho]], outside [[Lima]], [[Peru]].
He was lecturing electrical engineering at NTH from [[1973]] to [[1982]],
He was lecturing electrical engineering at NTH from 1973 to 1982,
and in the period from [[1975]] to [[1982]] he also served as director of
and in the period from 1975 to 1982 he also served as director of
[[EISCAT]], when the organization's facilities in northern [[Scandinavia]] were
[[EISCAT]], when the organization's facilities in northern [[Scandinavia]] were
constructed.
constructed.


From [[1982]] to [[1991]] Hagfors was director of
From 1982 to 1991 Hagfors was director of
[[National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center]]
[[National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center]]
which operates the [[Arecibo Observatory]] in [[Puerto Rico]], and
which operates the [[Arecibo Observatory]] in [[Puerto Rico]], and
Line 30: Line 30:
[[Cornell University]].
[[Cornell University]].


In [[1992]] he was appointed director of the
In 1992 he was appointed director of the
[[Max Planck Institute for Aeronomy]] in
[[Max Planck Institute for Aeronomy]] in
[[Lindau (Katlenburg-Lindau)]] in [[Germany]], a position he held until
[[Lindau (Katlenburg-Lindau)]] in [[Germany]], a position he held until
his retirement in [[1998]].
his retirement in 1998.
Hagfors was chairman of EISCAT Council from [[1995]] to [[1996]], chairman
Hagfors was chairman of EISCAT Council from 1995 to 1996, chairman
of the space science committee in the Norwegian Research Council from
of the space science committee in the Norwegian Research Council from
[[1992]] to [[1997]], and member of the Norwegian academy of science
1992 to 1997, and member of the Norwegian academy of science
([[:no:Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi|Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi]]) since [[1995]]. He was
([[:no:Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi|Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi]]) since 1995. He was
guest professor at the [[University of Tromsø]], [[Norway]],
guest professor at the [[University of Tromsø]], [[Norway]],
[[Nagoya University]] in [[Japan]], and [[Lancaster University]] in
[[Nagoya University]] in [[Japan]], and [[Lancaster University]] in
Line 51: Line 51:


Asteroid 1985 VD<sub>1</sub> was named “7279 Hagfors” in the year
Asteroid 1985 VD<sub>1</sub> was named “7279 Hagfors” in the year
[[2000]]<ref>[[List of asteroids named after people#Physicists|List of asteroids named after physicists]].</ref>.
2000<ref>[[List of asteroids named after people#Physicists|List of asteroids named after physicists]].</ref>.


Tor Hagfors died of a heart attack in [[Puerto Rico]] on [[17 January]] [[2007]].
Tor Hagfors died of a heart attack in [[Puerto Rico]] on [[17 January]] [[2007]].
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== Awards ==
== Awards ==


* [[1987]] [[URSI|URSI]] [[Balthasar van der Pol|Van der Pol]] Gold Medal<ref>[http://www.ursi.org/Chicago08/Awards08/List%20laureates.htm Laureates] of the URSI Awards. Downloaded [[16 June]] 2007</ref>
* 1987 [[URSI|URSI]] [[Balthasar van der Pol|Van der Pol]] Gold Medal<ref>[http://www.ursi.org/Chicago08/Awards08/List%20laureates.htm Laureates] of the URSI Awards. Downloaded [[16 June]] 2007</ref>
* [[1989]] Senior Humboldt fellowship
* 1989 Senior Humboldt fellowship
* [[1995]] Member of [[:no:Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi|Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi]]
* 1995 Member of [[:no:Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi|Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi]]
* [[1998]] Associate member, [[Royal Astronomical Society|Royal Astronomical Society]]
* 1998 Associate member, [[Royal Astronomical Society|Royal Astronomical Society]]
* [[2002]] [[EISCAT]]'s [[Sir Granville Beynon]] medal
* 2002 [[EISCAT]]'s [[Sir Granville Beynon]] medal
* [[2002]] Doctor honoris causa [[University of Oulu]]<ref>[http://www.oulu.fi/promootio2002/honorary.html List of honorary doctorates] awarded at the Universitetet of Oulu on [[25 May]] 2002. Downloaded [[16 June]] 2007.</ref>
* 2002 Doctor honoris causa [[University of Oulu]]<ref>[http://www.oulu.fi/promootio2002/honorary.html List of honorary doctorates] awarded at the Universitetet of Oulu on [[25 May]] 2002. Downloaded [[16 June]] 2007.</ref>
* [[2003]] Honorary doctor [[University of Tromsø]]<ref>[http://uit.no/nyheter/903/501 Article in [[:no:Tromsøflaket (avis)|Tromsøflaket]], the University's internal newspaper]. Downloaded [[16 June]] 2007.</ref>
* 2003 Honorary doctor [[University of Tromsø]]<ref>[http://uit.no/nyheter/903/501 Article in [[:no:Tromsøflaket (avis)|Tromsøflaket]], the University's internal newspaper]. Downloaded [[16 June]] 2007.</ref>
* [[2003]] [[William E. Gordon]] and Elva Gordon distinguished lecture at the [[Arecibo Observatory]] on November 3, 2003.
* 2003 [[William E. Gordon]] and Elva Gordon distinguished lecture at the [[Arecibo Observatory]] on November 3, 2003.


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 12:07, 19 September 2008

Tor Hagfors
photo by Andreas Blome

Tor Hagfors (1930 – 17 January 2007) was a Norwegian scientist, radio astronomer, radar expert and a pioneer in the studies of the interactions between electromagnetic waves (radio waves) and a plasma. He was one of several theorists who developed the theory underlying incoherent scattering in the early 1960ies.

Tor Hagfors was born in Oslo in 1930. He studied at the Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH), and he received his doctorate degree in 1959 from the University of Oslo. He worked at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment from 1955 to 1963, interrupted by a sabbatical at Stanford University from 1959 to 1960. He was employed at the Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Massachusetts in two periods, from 1963 to 1967 and from 1969 to 1971. From 1967 to 1969 he was director of the Jicamarca Radio Observatory in Lurigancho, outside Lima, Peru. He was lecturing electrical engineering at NTH from 1973 to 1982, and in the period from 1975 to 1982 he also served as director of EISCAT, when the organization's facilities in northern Scandinavia were constructed.

From 1982 to 1991 Hagfors was director of National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center which operates the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, and professor of astronomy and electrical engineering at Cornell University.

In 1992 he was appointed director of the Max Planck Institute for Aeronomy in Lindau (Katlenburg-Lindau) in Germany, a position he held until his retirement in 1998. Hagfors was chairman of EISCAT Council from 1995 to 1996, chairman of the space science committee in the Norwegian Research Council from 1992 to 1997, and member of the Norwegian academy of science (Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi) since 1995. He was guest professor at the University of Tromsø, Norway, Nagoya University in Japan, and Lancaster University in Great Britain.

Hagfors's research was very broad, comprising amongst other things ionospheric modification (heating), radar astronomy within our solar system, observations of planetary surfaces from space, techniques in radio remote sensing, scattering from rough surfaces, thermal fluctuations in complex plasmas, antennas and radio wave propagation. He published around 170 scientific papers.

Asteroid 1985 VD1 was named “7279 Hagfors” in the year 2000[1].

Tor Hagfors died of a heart attack in Puerto Rico on 17 January 2007.

Career

Preceded by
Don Farley
 Director, Jicamarca Radio Observatory
1967-1969 		Succeeded by
Ron Woodman
Preceded by
New title
 Director, EISCAT Scientific Association
1975-1982 		Succeeded by
Murray Baron
Preceded by
 
 Director of National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center
1982-1992 		Succeeded by
Paul Goldsmith
Preceded by
Ian Axford
 Director of Max Planck Institute for Aeronomy
1992-1998 		Succeeded by

Awards

References

  • Obituary, Astronomy and Geophysics, June 2007, 48(3) p.3.37
  1. ^ List of asteroids named after physicists.
  2. ^ Laureates of the URSI Awards. Downloaded 16 June 2007
  3. ^ List of honorary doctorates awarded at the Universitetet of Oulu on 25 May 2002. Downloaded 16 June 2007.
  4. ^ Article in Tromsøflaket, the University's internal newspaper. Downloaded 16 June 2007.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tor_Hagfors&oldid=239540346"