Pressemeddelelse
ESO-teleskopdesigneren Raymond Wilson vinder den prestigefyldte Kavli-pris i astrofysik
4. juni 2010
Raymond Wilson har fået tildelt Kavli-prisen 2010 i astrofysik. Hans banebrydende forskning i optik ved ESO har muliggjort nutidens gigantiske teleskoper takket være den teknologi, der kaldes ”aktiv optik”. Wilson, der er grundlæggeren og den oprindelige leder af optik- og teleskopgruppen ved ESO, deler million-dollar prisen med to amerikanske forskere, Jerry Nelson og Roger Angel.
Prisen, der uddeles hvert andet år af det norske videnskabsakademi, Kavli Fonden og det norske ministerium for uddannelse og forskning, blev stiftet i 2008. Den gives til forskere, der i væsentlig grad har gjort fremskridt indenfor områderne nanovidenskab, neurovidenskab og astrofysik, og virker som et supplement til Nobelprisen. Prisen er opkaldt efter og finansieret af Fred Kavli, den norske iværksætter og filantrop, der senere grundlage Kavlico Corporation i USA – i dag en af verdens største leverandører af sensorer til luftfart, motorer og industrielle anvendelser.
Wilson, der kom til ESO i 1972, arbejdede for at opnå optisk perfektion og udviklede konceptet aktiv optik, som en måde til at øge størrelsen af teleskopers primærspejle. Det er størrelsen af disse spejle, der bestemmer et teleskops evne til at indsamle lys og studere svage og fjerne objekter. Før aktiv optik var spejle over seks meter i diameter en umulighed, fordi de var for tunge, dyre og ville bøje ved tyngde- og temperaturændringer. Brugen af aktiv optik, som sikrer optimal billedkvalitet ved løbende at justere spejlets form under observationer, har gjort lettere og tyndere såkaldte ”meniskspejle” mulige.
Wilson stod først i spidsen for implementeringen af aktiv optik i det revolutionerende New Technology Telescope på ESO’s La Silla-observatorium, og fortsatte derefter med at udvikle og forbedre teknologien indtil sin pensionering i 1993. Siden da er aktiv optik blevet standard i moderne astronomi, og anvendes i alle store teleskoper. Det gælder også ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), der er et teleskopanlæg med fire individuelle teleskoper med 17, 5 cm tykke spejle med en diameter på 8,2 meter. Aktiv optik har bidraget til at gøre VLT til verdens mest succesfulde jordbaserede observatorium og vil også blive en integreret del af ESO’s projekt European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT). Aktiv optik er også en del af de to 10 meter Keck-teleskoper, Subaru-teleskopets 8,2 meter spejl og de to 8,1 meter Gemini-teleskoper.
De to andre prisvindere, Jerry Nelson og Roger Angel, er henholdsvis pionerer indenfor brug af segmentering af teleskopers primærspejle – som anvendt på Keck-teleskoperne – og udviklingen af letvægtsspejle med korte brændvidder.
En webcast fra Oslo i Norge, hvor prisvinderne annonceres, er tilgængelig på www.kavliprize.no og www.kavlifoundation.org.Mere information
ESO, det Europæiske Syd Observatorium, er den mest fremtrædende internationale astronomi-organisation i Europa og verdens mest produktive astronomiske observatorium. ESO har i dag følgende 14 medlemslande: Belgien, Danmark, Finland, Frankrig, Holland, Italien, Portugal, Schweiz og Storbritannien, Spanien, Sverige, Tjekkiet, Tyskland og Østrig. Flere lande har udtrykt interesse i medlemskab. ESO’s aktiviteter er fokuseret på design, konstruktion og drift af jordbaserede observationsfaciliteter for astronomi for at muliggøre vigtige videnskabelige opdagelser. ESO spiller også en ledende rolle for at fremme og organisere samarbejdet inden for astronomisk forskning. I Chile driver ESO tre unikke observatorier i verdensklasse: La Silla, Paranal og Chajnantor. På Paranal driver ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT), der er verdens mest avancerede astronomiske observatorium til observationer i synligt lys, og VISTA, som er verdens største kortlægningsteleskop. ESO er den europæiske partner i et revolutionerede astronomisk teleskop kaldet ALMA, det største igangværende astronomiske projekt. ESO planlægger i øjeblikket et 42 meter optisk/nær-infrarødt teleskop kaldet European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT), der vil blive ”verdens største øje mod himlen”.
Links
- Den officielle motivation: http://www.kavlifoundation.org/2010-astrophysics-citation
- Om Kavli-prisen: www.kavliprize.no
- Aktiv optik: www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/technology/active_optics.html
Kontakter
Jason Spyromilio
ESO, Head of the E-ELT Telescope Project Office
Garching, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6411
E-mail: jspyromi@eso.org
Lars Lindberg Christensen
ESO, Head of ESO education and Public Outreach Department
Garching, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6761
Mobil: +49 173 387 2621
E-mail: lars@eso.org
Ole J. Knudsen (Pressekontakt Danmark)
ESOs formidlingsnetværk
og Aarhus Space Centre, Aarhus Universitet
Aarhus, Danmark
Tel: +45 8715 5597
E-mail: eson-denmark@eso.org
Om pressemeddelelsen
| Pressemeddelelse nr.: | eso1022da |
| Navn: | Raymond Wilson |
| Type: | Unspecified : People : Scientist |
| Facility: | Other |
Billeder
tekst kun tilgængelig på engelsk
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