Maurice Goldhaber (June 18 1911 – November 1 2011) was an American experimental physicist noted for his contributions to nuclear physics, particle physics, and the study of elementary particles. His work includes the discovery of the magnetic moment of the neutron, the experimental determination of neutrino helicity, and influential research on β‑decay and weak interactions.
Early life and education
- Born in New York City to a family of Jewish immigrants.
- Earned a B.S. in physics from Columbia University in 1930.
- Completed his Ph.D. in physics at the University of California, Berkeley in 1935, working under Ernest Lawrence.
Academic and research career
- Joined the University of Illinois at Urbana‑Champaign (UIUC) in 1945, where he remained until his retirement in 1980, eventually becoming a professor of physics.
- Early research focused on nuclear magnetic resonance and the magnetic properties of nuclei. In 1949, Goldhaber and his collaborators measured the magnetic moment of the neutron, establishing that it is non‑zero.
- In 1958, Goldhaber led an experiment (the “Goldhaber experiment”) that demonstrated that neutrinos emitted in beta decay have left‑handed helicity, confirming a key prediction of the V‑A theory of weak interactions.
- Developed the Goldhaber–Treiman relation, connecting the axial‑vector coupling constant in β‑decay to pion–nucleon coupling constants, which provided insight into the symmetries of weak interactions.
- Conducted pioneering work on the polarization of photons and on atomic parity violation.
Honors and recognitions
- Elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (1964).
- Received the Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award from the U.S. Department of Energy (1963).
- Awarded the National Medal of Science by the President of the United States (1995) for his contributions to experimental nuclear and particle physics.
- Honored with the Wolf Prize in Physics (1979) for his fundamental experimental discoveries concerning weak interactions and neutrino properties.
Later life and legacy
- After retirement, Goldhaber remained active in scientific discourse, authoring historical and philosophical essays on physics.
- He lived to the age of 100, passing away in Urbana, Illinois. His experimental techniques and results continue to influence contemporary research in particle physics and neutrino astronomy.
