Daniel Barbier (10 December 1907 – 1 April 1965) was a French astronomer born in Lyon, France.
Career and Research
Between 1930 and 1965, Barbier published nearly 100 scientific papers on astronomy. His research encompassed studies of stellar atmospheres, lunar occultations, and lunar eclipses. He also conducted investigations of the upper atmosphere, the aurora borealis, the zodiacal light, and the night airglow.
Barbier earned his D.Sc. from the Université de Paris in 1934, with a dissertation titled "Les étoiles doubles à longue période. Propriétés statistiques et valeurs hypothétiques de leurs éléments" (Long-period double stars: statistical properties and hypothetical values of their elements). His doctoral advisors were Ernest Esclangon and Jules Baillaud. According to the Mathematics Genealogy Project, he had one student, Victor Maitre (1944).
Scientific Contributions
Barbier's name remains associated with the Eddington–Barbier relationships in analytical radiative transfer, a foundational concept in astrophysics (Barbier 1943; Paletou 2018). He also authored the book "Les Atmosphères stellaires" (Stellar Atmospheres), published by Flammarion in 1952.
Honors
- The lunar impact crater Barbier (located on the far side of the Moon, at 23.8°S, 157.9°E, diameter 66 km) was named after him in 1970.
- The asteroid 37853 Danielbarbier, discovered by Eric Elst at La Silla Observatory in 1998, was named in his honor. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 5 October 2017 (M.P.C. 106501).
Other Individuals Named Daniel Barbier
The name "Daniel Barbier" also refers to several other living individuals, including:
- A professor of physics and semiconductor materials at INSA Lyon (Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon), who has authored numerous publications on semiconductor annealing, microsystems, and nano-fabrication, and served as Deputy Director of Research and Doctoral Studies at INSA Lyon.
- A mayor of La Machine (Nièvre, France) since 2001 and President of the Association of Mayors and Intercommunalities of Nièvre.
- Various other professionals in architecture, masonry, engineering, and the performing arts.
