Hans-Hermann Hupfeld

Gustav Theodor Hans Hermann Hupfeld (November 28, 1905 – November 11, 1942) was a German physicist known for his work on the scattering of gamma rays.

Early career

Hans-Hermann Hupfeld was born on his parents' farm, in Klein-Varchow, Mecklenburg, Germany. He graduated with a degree in Physics and worked with Prof. Otto Hahn and Prof. Lise Meitner; this research resulted in the discovery of the so-called Meitner–Hupfeld effect.

The Meitner-Hupfeld effect is an anomalously large scattering of Gamma rays by heavy elements. Later on, the Meitner–Hupfeld effect was explained by a broad theory from which evolved the Standard Model, a theory for explaining the structure of the atomic nucleus. The anomalous gamma-ray behavior was eventually ascribed to electron–positron pair production and annihilation.

Although Professor Meitner was recognized for her work, [cite journal|author=Brown LM, Moyer DF |title=Lady or tiger?—The Meitner–Hupfeld effect and Heisenberg's neutron theory |journal= American Journal of Physics |year=1984 |volume=52 |issue=2 |pages=130–136 |doi=10.1119/1.13920 ] Dr. Hupfeld is usually ignored, and little or no account of his life exists.

Later career

Disgruntled by lack of recognition, Dr. Hupfeld left the Kaiser Wilhelm Institut (now known as the Max Planck Society) in Berlin and worked in private industry until his death at the age of 36 during World War II in the Russian Caucasus. According to letters sent by the German army to his widow, he fell on November 11, 1942, in Nisch Ssaniba, North Ossetia, Caucasus.

There are a number of curious coincidences in his life with notable events in Physics: the "Annus Mirabilis Papers" and the 100th anniversary of his birthday coincided with the United Nation's World Year of Physics.

Dr. Hupfeld was survived by three daughters, who now live in São Paulo in Brazil.

ee also

*Pair production
*Electron-positron annihilation

References

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