Roger Blandford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Roger David Blandford
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Roger Blandford in 2016.
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| Born | 28 August 1949 Grantham, Lincolnshire, England
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| Alma mater | Magdalene College, Cambridge St John's College, Cambridge Institute for Advanced Study |
| Awards | Helen B. Warner Prize (1982) Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics (1998) Eddington Medal (1999) Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (2013) Shaw Prize (2020) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomy |
| Institutions | California Institute of Technology Stanford Linear Accelerator Center Stanford University Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology |
| Doctoral advisor | Martin Rees |
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Roger David Blandford, born in 1949, is a brilliant British scientist who studies space. He is known as a theoretical astrophysicist, which means he uses math and physics to understand how things work in the universe. He's especially famous for his important work on mysterious objects called black holes. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Royal Astronomical Society.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Roger Blandford was born in Grantham, a town in England. He grew up in the city of Birmingham. He went on to study at Magdalene College, Cambridge and St John's College, Cambridge. He also studied at the Institute for Advanced Study.
Exploring Black Holes and Cosmic Jets
Roger Blandford is well-known in the science world for his ideas about how black holes work.
The Blandford–Znajek Process
One of his most famous ideas is called the Blandford–Znajek process. This idea explains how black holes can create powerful beams of energy and particles, known as relativistic jets. These jets are formed by taking energy from a spinning black hole. Imagine a giant cosmic vacuum cleaner that shoots out energy!
- Scientists used the Blandford–Znajek idea to understand the jets coming from a supermassive black hole. This black hole is located in a huge galaxy called M87.
- The Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration, which took the first picture of a black hole's shadow, used this idea to explain the power of these jets.
Other Jet Formation Ideas
Blandford also thought about other ways jets might form. He suggested that strong magnetic winds coming from accretion disks could also create these jets. An accretion disk is a swirling disk of gas and dust that falls into a black hole.
- He helped create a model called the Blandford–Königl conical jet model. This model helps scientists predict how these jets look and behave. It's used to understand radio signals from space.
Understanding Supernovae
Beyond black holes, Roger Blandford has also made big contributions to understanding supernovae. Supernovae are huge explosions that happen when a star dies.
- He extended a famous solution called the Sedov–Taylor blast wave. This helped scientists understand the ultra-fast explosions of supernovae, known as the Blandford–McKee solution.
Advocating for Space Science
Roger Blandford cares deeply about space science. In 2005, he wrote a letter to the astronomy community. He shared his concerns about how space science research was being supported in the United States.
- He also led a very important project called Astro2010. This project helps decide which astronomy research projects in the U.S. should receive funding for the next ten years. The Astro2010 report was released in 2010.
Current Roles and Honors
Roger Blandford holds many important positions in the scientific community.
- He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a very prestigious group of scientists.
- He is also a Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.
- He is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- Currently, he is a professor at Stanford University and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) National Accelerator Laboratory.
- From 2003 to 2013, he was the director of the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology.
- He also served as a co-editor for the Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics journal from 2005 to 2011.
Awards and Recognitions
Roger Blandford has received many awards for his amazing contributions to astrophysics.
- 2020 – Elected a Legacy Fellow of the American Astronomical Society
- 2020 – Shaw Prize in Astronomy
- 2016 – Crafoord Prize
- 2013 – Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society
- 2011 – Humboldt Prize
- 1999 – Eddington Medal
- 1998 – Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics
- 1982 – Helen B. Warner Prize for Astronomy
