Martin A. Pomerantz R. Allan Baker 2 November, 2008
Page 2 MAPO Martin A. Pomerantz Observatory
Page 3 Born: 17 December, 1916, New York, New York Died: 25 October, 2008 Field: Physics Institution: Bartol Research Institute, served as president 1959 to1987 Alma mater: Syracuse University (B.A. 1937) University of Pennsylvania (M.S. 1938) Temple University (Ph.D 1951) Honors and Awards: – 1970, Centennial Medal from Syracuse University – 1985, Prix de la Belgica – 1987, Distinguished Public Servant Award, NSF – 1990, NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal – 1995, Martin A. Pomerantz Observatory (MAPO) – Pomerantz Tableland, in Usarp Mountains named after him Martin A. Pomerantz
Page 4 Pioneer in solar observations, studying the interior of the sun by a technique known as helioseismology. Leader in the fields of submillimeter astronomy, cosmic and gamma rays, and measurements of cosmic background radiation. Led several National Geographic expeditions Worked on eight national and international scientific communities Member of several prestigious science and space research organizations Fellow of the American Physical Society, the American Geophysical Union, and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Martin A. Pomerantz
Page 5 Pioneer in balloon- born cosmic ray research in the 1940s and 1950s 1960 installed cosmic ray detector in McMurdo He first foresaw the potential of the South Pole in 1964 while working on a cosmic ray experiment Martin A. Pomerantz
Page 6 First Solar Observations from Pole In 1979, he made the first serious solar observations from the Pole. These observations were not formally authorized. “We had to find a way to convince people that the South pole was the place for astronomy. Sometimes you need to circumvent the rules. Our bootleg experiment enabled us to obtain the clearest pictures of the sun that had ever been obtained from any place on earth. It proved once and for all this was a superb place for astronomy.”
Page 7 EMILIE--the first submillimeter astronomy instrument at Pole Emilie (Emission Millimetrique) was a collaboration between Martin Pomerantz and several French scientists.
Page 8 LHe dewar delivery to EMILIE
Page 9 Martin at the telescope was taken during the season
Page 10 First Cosmic Microwave Background Experiment from the Pole, 1986 Mark Dragovan, Bob Pernic, Martin Pomerantz, Bob Brown, Tony Stark
Page 11 Supervised the installation of a stationary cosmic ray detector at Thule Air Base in Greenland
Page 12 MAPO SPIREX AMANDA RICE DASI Cobra Python Viper SPARO ACBAR QUAD BICEP 2
Page 13 Comments "Much of what we currently know about the universe and its formation, we owe to Dr. Pomerantz," President David P. Roselle, UMD “Pomerantz had developed and operated instruments in Antarctica for observing similar sun-quake signals in the newly emerging field of helioseismology, a discipline in which he was one of the true Pioneers. The Pomerantz legacy is both a spirit of adventure in scientific research, as well as the maintenance of very high standards. ” Bartol President Norman F. Ness
Page 14 Many Thanks Bill Spindler Bob Morse Tony Stark John Carlstrom Jeff Peterson BK Grant Paul Evenson