Draft:Frederick D. Seward
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Frederick D. Seward Ph.D. | |
|---|---|
 Seward in his office at the Center for Astrophysics in 2005 | |
| Born | December 28, 1931 Goshen,_New_York, New York, USA |
| Citizenship | U.S.A. |
| Alma mater | Princeton University, University of Rochester |
| Known for | X-ray astronomy, Supernova remnants |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory |
| Thesis | (1958) |
Frederick D. Seward is an X-ray astronomer at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. He was one of the pioneers of X-ray astronomy, leading the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory rocket program in the 1960s, and is an expert on X-ray studies of supernova remnants. He was awarded the 2024 Van Biesbroeck Prize of the American Astronomical Society for extraordinary service to astronomy, partly for his role in pioneering open science by introducing the practice of peer reviewed guest observing opportunities to NASA space telescopes [1].
Early life and education
[edit]Frederick Downing Seward was born in 1931. He is the great-great-grandson of Edwin Polydore Seward, brother of William H. Seward. [2]
Seward received a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from Princeton University in 1953. He went on to earn a Ph.D. degree in experimental nuclear physics at the University of Rochester which he completed in 1958.[3]
Career
[edit]After his PhD, Seward joined the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to work on linear accelerator experiments but in 1960 shifted his interests from nuclear physics to astronomy and space research. As part of the Livermore group, he flew auroral X-ray radiation experiments on the Agena aft rack of several CORONA spy satellites including Discoverer 29 and Discoverer 31. Seward discovered the existence of the South Atlantic Anomaly with these data, although the result was not published at the time.[4] Seward then participated in the 1962 atmospheric nuclear test series in the Pacific, Operation Dominic, and with Jim Carruthers launched Nike-Apache sounding rockets from Johnston Island and Kauai to measure the radiation flux from the Starfish Prime high altitude nuclear explosion in July 1962 [3]
After the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the Livermore team became the readiness group, tasked with maintaining the nation's ability to perform nuclear tests should the treaty lapse. The rockets and X-ray detectors used to measure the flux of artificial nuclear explosions were repurposed to study cosmic X-rays. Seward led a research program to study extrasolar X-ray sources using sounding rockets provided by the Sandia National Laboratories, and pioneered the use of sounding rockets launched from flotation rafts in the ocean in order to study the South Atlantic Anomaly [5]
Seward showed that the X-ray emission from the binary source Sco X-1 was thermal in nature,[6] and discovered several bright X-ray sources in the southern sky. He designed detectors which operated in the soft (below 1 keV) X-ray energy band and showed that old supernova remnants emitted copiously in that energy band.
In 1976 Seward used the Ariel 5 satellite to discover X-ray emission from the unusual object SS 433, later identified as the first known microquasar.[7][8]
In 1977 Seward moved to the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory to join the HEAO-B project, renamed the Einstein Observatory after its launch in 1978. Prior to Einstein, an astronomy satellite's data was reserved for the use of the developers of the satellite's instruments. With the new satellite (along with the International Ultraviolet Explorer mission which introduced the practice around the same time) any astronomer in the world could apply for observing time. Seward led the user support team and established the policies for supporting such external observers that have served as the template for subsequent missions. Seward played a similar role in setting up user support for the Chandra X-ray Observatory.[9]
In 1995 Seward, with Phil Charles, wrote a well-regarded textbook on X-ray astronomy, Exploring the X-ray Universe.[10]
During the 1980s and 1990s Seward continued observing supernova remnants with the Einstein and ROSAT satellites, and discovered the remnant G13.3-1.3. He published a comprehensive catalog of the Einstein studies of SNRs.[11]
Seward formally retired in 2005 but as of 2024 continued to carry out active research on X-ray supernova remnants [12].
References
[edit]- ^ "CfA Astronomer Receives AAS Prize for Extraordinary Service". January 2024.
- ^ Seward, Frederick Whittlesey (1949). Obadiah Seward of Long Island, New York and his descendants. Goshen, NY: Privately published.
- ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan (October 2023). "Oral history intervew - Fred Seward".
- ^ McDowell, Jonathan (2007). "The VELA HOTEL piggyback panels on 1961 CORONA flights".
- ^ McCord,J (October 29, 1964). Hydra-Iris South Atlantic Program, UCRL-ID-124800 (Report). Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
- ^ Toor, A.; Palmieri, T.M.; Seward, F.D. (July 1976). "Evidence for thermal X-rays from the Crab Nebula". Ap.J. 207: 96. Bibcode:1976ApJ...207...96T. doi:10.1086/154471.
- ^ Seward, F.D.; Page, C.G.; Turner, M.J.L.; Pounds, K.A. (May 1976). "X-ray sources in the Aquila-Serpens-Scutum region". MNRAS. 175: 39. Bibcode:1976MNRAS.175P..39S. doi:10.1093/mnras/175.1.39P.
- ^ Seward, F.D.; Grindlay, J.; Seaquist, E.; Gilmore, W. (October 1980). "Diffuse X-ray emission from the jets of SS433". Nature. 287 (5785): 806–808. Bibcode:1980Natur.287..806S. doi:10.1038/287806a0.
- ^ "User Support Leader Steps Down". Chandra X-ray Center. March 2005.
- ^ Seward, Fred; Charles, Phil (1995). Exploring the X-ray Universe. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521437121.
- ^ Seward, Frederick (August 1990). "Einstein Observations of Galactic Supernova Remnants". Ap. J. Suppl. Ser. 73: 781. Bibcode:1990ApJS...73..781S. doi:10.1086/191489.
- ^ "At 92, award-winning Concord astrophysicist still searching the cosmos". The Concord Bridge. May 2024.