Jean Cabannes facts for kids

Jean Cabannes (born August 12, 1885 – died October 31, 1959) was a French physicist. He was an expert in optics, which is the study of light. He made important discoveries about how light behaves.

Jean Cabannes's Journey in Science

Jean Cabannes studied at a school called Lycée de Nice. In 1906, he joined a famous science school, the École Normale Supérieure.

From 1910 to 1914, Cabannes worked in a lab. It was led by Charles Fabry at Aix-Marseille University. They studied how gas molecules spread light. This idea was first explored by Lord Rayleigh. In 1914, Cabannes showed that even pure gases could scatter light. His work was published in 1915. His research was then paused for five years because of World War I.

Discoveries About Light and Ozone

In 1919, Cabannes returned to Fabry's lab. He finished his advanced degree, called a thesis. After that, he moved to the University of Montpellier. Later, he worked at the University of Paris.

In 1925, Cabannes and another scientist, Jean Dufay, calculated the height of the ozone layer. The ozone layer is important. It protects Earth from harmful sunlight.

In 1928, Cabannes worked with Pierre Daure and Yves Rocard. They made an exciting discovery. They found that when gases scatter a single color of light, the light's wavelength can change. This is known as the Cabannes-Daure effect.

Other scientists also found similar effects. C. V. Raman and K. S. Krishnan saw it in liquids. G. S. Landsberg and L. I. Mandelstam observed it in crystals.

A Nobel Prize Candidate

Jean Cabannes was considered for the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1929. Charles Fabry suggested him for the award. However, the prize that year went to de Broglie. The 1930 prize was given to C. V. Raman.

Awards and Recognition

Jean Cabannes received many honors for his work. In 1924, he was given the Prix Félix-Robin. In 1949, he became a member of the French Academy of Sciences (Académie des Sciences).

In 1951, he received the very first Prix des Trois Physiciens. This award came from the Fondation de France.

Cabannes was also the President of the Société astronomique de France (SAF). This is the French astronomical society. He led it from 1951 to 1953.

To honor his contributions, a lunar crater on the Moon was named after him. It is called Cabannes Crater.

Jean Cabannes's Family Life

Jean Cabannes married the daughter of Eugène Fabry. Eugène was the brother of Charles Fabry, Jean's mentor. Jean and his wife had four children. One of their children, Henri Cabannes, became a famous mathematician.

Learn More

• In Spanish: Jean Cabannes para niños