James Van Allen | |
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 Van Allen at the National Air and Space Museum, 1977 | |
| Born | James Alfred Van Allen September 7, 1914 |
| Died | August 9, 2006 (aged 91) Iowa City, Iowa, US |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Space science |
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| Thesis | Absolute cross-section for the nuclear disintegration H2 + H2 → H1 + H3 and its dependence on bombarding energy (1939) |
| Doctoral advisor | Alexander Ellett |
| Doctoral students | |
| Other notable students | Nicholas M. Smith Robert Ellis |
James Alfred Van Allen (September 7, 1914 – August 9, 2006) was an American space physicist at the University of Iowa. He was instrumental in establishing the field of magnetospheric research in space.
The Van Allen radiation belts were named after him, following his discovery using Geiger–Müller tube instruments on the 1958 satellites (Explorer 1, Explorer 3, and Pioneer 3)[2][3][4] during the International Geophysical Year. Van Allen led the scientific community in putting scientific research instruments on space satellites.
- ^ Garber, Steve (November 20, 2006). "Sputnik Biographies—James A. Van Allen (1914– )". history.nasa.gov. NASA. Archived from the original on June 24, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
- ^ "Explorer 1 Scientific instrument". NSSDCA Master Catalog. NASA. 1958-001A-01. Archived from the original on November 5, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ "Explorer 3 Scientific instrument". NSSDCA Master Catalog. NASA. 1958-003A-01. Archived from the original on September 25, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ "Pioneer 3 Scientific instrument". NSSDCA Master Catalog. NASA. 1958-008A-01. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2013.