Tihomir Novakov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tihomir Novakov
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| Born | March 16, 1929 Sombor, Kingdom of Yugoslavia
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| Died | January 2, 2015 (aged 85) Kensington, California, U.S.
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| Alma mater | University of Belgrade |
| Occupation | Physicist |
| Spouse(s) |
Marica Cvetković
(m. 1954–2014) |
| Children | Anna Novakov |
Tihomir Novakov, also known as Tica Novakov, was a scientist born in Serbia who became an American physicist. He was born on March 16, 1929, and passed away on January 2, 2015. As a scientist, Novakov was famous for his research on "black carbon". This work helped us understand air quality and climate change. Another famous scientist, James Hansen, even called him "the godfather of black carbon" because of his important work.
Early Life and Education
Tihomir Novakov was born in Sombor, Serbia, in 1929. His father was a veterinarian, and his mother was a homemaker. Even when he was in high school, Novakov loved science. He taught himself by building things like X-ray tubes and radios.
After finishing high school, he went to the University of Belgrade. There, he earned his PhD in nuclear physics. He then taught at the University of Belgrade and worked at the Vinča Nuclear Institute. In 1963, Novakov moved to the United States. He started working as a research scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Later, he created a special group called the Aerosol Research Group. This group traveled all over the world to study climate change.
Discovering Black Carbon
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Novakov's team made a big discovery. They were the first to use special tools to study tiny particles in the air, called aerosols. These tools helped them find a lot of "soot" in the air. Soot is a dark, powdery substance. They found it in cities and even in faraway places like the Arctic. This soot looked a lot like graphite, which is what pencil lead is made of.
After these discoveries, Novakov came up with the name "black carbon". This term describes the part of air pollution that absorbs sunlight. His research group, which included scientists like Hal Rosen and Anthony Hansen, also created new ways to measure black carbon. The most famous tool they invented is called the aethalometer. The name "aethalometer" comes from a Greek word meaning "to blacken with soot." Today, it is the most widely used tool around the world for measuring black carbon in the air.
In 1978, Novakov organized the first big meeting about carbon particles in the atmosphere. This meeting was held at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. It gave scientists a place to talk about this new and important field of study. This conference series still happens today, switching between Berkeley and Vienna every few years.
Novakov was also a respected member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.
Family Life
Tihomir Novakov was married to Marica Cvetković. They were married for a long time, from 1954 until her death in 2014. They had one daughter, Anna Novakov. Anna is now a professor who teaches about art history at Saint Mary's College of California.
Tihomir Novakov passed away on January 2, 2015. He was 85 years old and died from natural causes in Kensington, California.
