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Luis W. Alvarez


Luis Alvarez (June 13, 1911 – September 1, 1988) was a physicist and inventor throughout adulthood. He was one of the scientists responsible for the creation of the first nuclear bombs. Some of his work concerned optics and cosmic rays. However for several years, he concentrated on nuclear physics. He also came up with one theory of the extinction of dinosaurs.

Early Career
Alvarez received his Ph.D in physics from the University of Chicago in 1936. His work was concentrated on cosmic rays and optics at this point in his career. He was one of the co-discoverers of the "East-West" effect which concerns cosmic rays and how they are able to enter the Earth's atmosphere at certain trajectories. When the U.S entered World War II, Alvarez responsible for some important flight systems. The three systems he made were: the microwave early warning system, the "Eagle" high altitude bombing system, and a radar to assist in a "blind" landing of an airplane. The microwave early warning system was used to take pictures of the sky on an overcast or cloudy day to see airplane movement. The "Eagle" bombing system was used to bomb objects on the ground that could not be seen by the pilot. The Ground Controlled Aproach radar was to help pilots land in conditions where the runway was not visible. In 1943, Alvarez joined the Manhattan Project. He was also one of the lead scientists in developing the nuclear bombs. He invented the detonators for the bombs. He was in an airplane to examine the bomb test in Alamogordo, NM. He was also on the Enola Gay when it dropped a bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. Hydrogen Bubble Chamber

After the War
After the war, Alvarez focussed his research on particle accelerators. Particle physics involves creating particles in an accelerator, and being able to detect and identify those particles. After 1950, Alvarez focussed on particle detection. Alvarez met Donald Glaser, who invented the bubble chamber. The chamber detects particles by particles as they pass through a container of superheated fluid. As the particles move through the liquid, they form ions that act as nuclei on which the superheated material can begin to boil, causing the formation of tiny bubbles that shows the path taken by the particles. Alvarez thought the chamber could be improved to detect more particles when coordinated with the synchrocyclotron at Berkeley. By doing this, particles with very short lifespans, also known as resonance states. Alvarez's work with these particles led him to a Nobel Prize in physics. At the awards ceremony in Stockholm, Swedish Academy of Science's Sten von Friesen told Alvarez that because of his work with the bubble chamber, "Entirely new possibilities for research into high-energy physics present themselves. . . Practically all the discoveries that have been made in this important field [of particle physics] have been possible only through the use of methods developed by Professor Alvarez."

Particle Accelerator

How did the Dinosaurs go extinct?
Luis Alvarez and his son Walter discovered a band of sedimentary rock in Italy that contained an unsually high amount of rare metal. This metal is iridium. The band of rock was dated to about 65 million years ago, about the time dinosaurs went extinct. The Alvarezes predicted that a meteor hit the Earth which killed the dinosaurs in the surrounding area, while the dust and dirt it launched into the air which created clouds that lasted for an extended period of time. Those clouds led to plants dying, which caused the dinosaurs that were herbivores to die out, leading to other species dying out. Although the theory has some solid evidence and is supported by many other scientists, the subject is still debatable.

Misc.
Luis Alvarez invented an indoor golf practice machine for President Eisenhower. Alvarez's hobbies included flying, golf, music, and inventing. Alvarez assisted in investigating the Kennedy assassination. Alvarez received 9 honors including the Nobel Prize for physics. Alvarez died on September 1, 1988 of cancer.