Scott Forbush

Scott Ellsworth Forbush (April 10, 1904 – April 4, 1984) was an American astronomer, physicist and geophysicist who is recognized as having laid the observational foundations for many of the central features of solar-interplanetary-terrestrial physics, which at the time was an under-developed field of study. The Forbush Effect, which in geophysics is an occasional decrease in the intensity of cosmic rays as observed on Earth, and is attributed to magnetic effects produced by solar flares, was named after him for his discovery.^[1] Scott conducted most of his research during his career at the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism (DTM) of the Carnegie Institution of Washington where he was appointed chairman of a section on theoretical geophysics in 1957.^[1]. This research specialized in the statistically sophisticated analysis of phenomena such as magnetic storms, solar activity, rotation of the Earth, and the rotation of the sun, and the correlation of this geophysical and solar phenomena with temporal variations of cosmic-ray intensity.^[2]

Scott was widowed once and married twice, the first time to Clara Lundell, concert pianist who passed in 1967, and for the second time in June of 1970, 14 years before his death, to Julie Daves, a science writer and watercolor artist. Scott passed in 1984 in Charlottesville, Virginia having suffered from pneumonia. He was survived by his wife Julie and his sister Louise Boyd of Hudson, Ohio.^[2]

Early years

Born in 1904 near Hudson, Ohio on a farm, Scott spent his childhood walking back and forth to a small school 2 miles away, and working on his parent's farm. His mother was a teacher and encouraged his curiosity and interest in learning by enrolling him in the nearby Western Reserve Academy. Scott graduated in 1920 and a year later enrolled in the Case School of Applied Science in Cleveland. In 1925 he graduated with a physics major and went on to try graduate study in physics at Ohio State University briefly, before he decided that observational geophysics was much more appealing than pure physics and began seeking employment in that field. At a later point he resumed his formal graduate work with a fresh appreciation of its direct applicability to his area of interest.In 1925 Scott gained his first employment by the National Bureau of Standards in Washington, D.C.^[2]

Starting in September of 1927, after having held his position with the National Bureau of Standards for roughly one year, he became employed by the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism (DTM) of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, which became a pivotal point for him in his professional career. As an observer at DTM's magnetic observatory, he worked in Huancayo, Peru, in the Andes 100 miles east of Lima, before joining the staff of the famous nonmagnetic sailing ship, Carnegie, two years later. Carnegie was a vessel built for DTM's worldwide survey of the geomagnetic field. After his ship suffered an explosion in November of 1929, he returned to DTM and was reassigned to Huancayo, where he was able to publish a paper entitled Huancayo Magnetic Observatory June to September, 1930 in the Journal of Geophysical Research.^[3]. In 1931 he was granted permission to finish his graduate studies in physics and mathematics at Johns Hopkins University. He became married in 1932 to Clara Lundell, concert pianist, and was widowed in 1967 upon her death. ^[2]