Reiner Stenzel

Last updated

Reiner Stenzel
Born
Reiner Ludwig Stenzel

Germany
DiedDecember 9, 2023(2023-12-09) (aged 83–84)
San Francisco, California
Education Technical University of Braunschweig (Dipl. Ing.)
California Institute of Technology (Ph.D.)
Scientific career
Fields Plasma physics
Institutions UCLA
Thesis Microwave absorption and emission from magnetized afterglow plasmas  (1970)
Doctoral advisor Roy W. Gould

Reiner Ludwig Stenzel was an American plasma physicist and professor emeritus at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). [1] [2] [3] He was known for his experimental work in basic plasma physics, such as on whistler waves [4] [5] [6] and magnetic reconnection, [7] [8] and had contributed to the development of various plasma probes and antennas, [9] [10] [11] which included the microwave resonator (hairpin) probe. [12] He was a fellow of the American Physical Society. [13]

Contents

Early life and career

Stenzel completed his undergraduate education and received a Diplom-Ingenieur (Dipl.-Ing.) from the Technische Hochschule Braunschweig in 1965. He then obtained a Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology in 1970. [1] His doctoral advisor was Roy W. Gould, and for his dissertation, he worked on measuring the radiation and absorption of electromagnetic energy in a magnetized plasma column.

Upon graduation, Stenzel continued working at Caltech as a postdoc. He also held research and teaching positions at UCLA in conjunction with TRW Inc. until 1976. In 1977, Stenzel joined UCLA physics department as an associate professor, and has been there ever since until his retirement in 2011. [3]

Stenzel held visiting professorship appointments at the University of Tokyo in 1980, University of Paris in 1995, and the University of Innsbruck in 2007. [3]

Honors and awards

In 1993, Stenzel was inducted as a fellow of the American Physical Society for "pioneering studies and major advances in nonlinear energy conversion processes in plasmas, including unprecedented detailed measurements of RF and whistler wave interactions, magnetic field reconnection and current disruptions". [13]

Personal life

Stenzel was married to Hatsuko Arima, and had three children, Andreas Ryuta, Anabel and Isabel. His two daughters were both diagnosed with cystic fibrosis [14] [15] and were the subjects of the documentary The Power of Two. [16]

Stenzel was also an avid climber and served as Vice Chair of the Sierra Peaks Section from 2004 to 2006. [17] [18]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Princeton field-reversed configuration</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flux surface</span>

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References

  1. 1 2 "Reiner Stenzel". UCLA Physics & Astronomy. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  2. ↑ "UCLA Basic Plasma Physics Lab - Research". www.physics.ucla.edu. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 "Reiner L. Stenzel Memorial". UCLA Physics & Astronomy. January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  4. ↑ Stenzel, R. L. (1976). "Whistler wave propagation in a large magnetoplasma". The Physics of Fluids. 19 (6): 857–864. Bibcode:1976PhFl...19..857S. doi:10.1063/1.861551. ISSN   0031-9171.
  5. ↑ Letzter, Rafi (August 15, 2018). "Plasma Scientists Created Invisible, Whooping 'Whistlers' in a Lab". Live Science. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  6. ↑ American Institute of Physics (August 14, 2018). "New study sheds light on how ultralow frequency radio waves and plasmas interact". phys.org. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  7. ↑ Stenzel, R. L.; Gekelman, W. (1981). "Magnetic field line reconnection experiments 1. Field topologies". Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics. 86 (A2): 649–658. Bibcode:1981JGR....86..649S. doi:10.1029/JA086iA02p00649. ISSN   0148-0227.
  8. ↑ Stenzel, R. L.; Urrutia, J. M.; Griskey, M.; Strohmaier, K. (2002). "A new laboratory experiment on magnetic reconnection". Physics of Plasmas. 9 (5): 1925–1930. Bibcode:2002PhPl....9.1925S. doi:10.1063/1.1459455. ISSN   1070-664X.
  9. ↑ Stenzel, R. L. (1991). "A new probe for measuring small electric fields in plasmas". Review of Scientific Instruments. 62 (1): 130–139. Bibcode:1991RScI...62..130S. doi:10.1063/1.1142514 . Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  10. ↑ Stenzel, R. L.; Urrutia, J. M. (2014). "Magnetic antenna excitation of whistler modes. II. Antenna arrays". Physics of Plasmas. 21 (12). Bibcode:2014PhPl...21l2108S. doi:10.1063/1.4904360. ISSN   1070-664X.
  11. ↑ Stenzel, Reiner L.; Urrutia, J. Manuel (2021). "Probes to measure kinetic and magnetic phenomena in plasmas". Review of Scientific Instruments. 92 (11). Bibcode:2021RScI...92k1101S. doi:10.1063/5.0059344. ISSN   0034-6748. PMID   34852543. S2CID   244734943.
  12. ↑ Stenzel, R. L. (1976). "Microwave resonator probe for localized density measurements in weakly magnetized plasmas". Review of Scientific Instruments. 47 (5): 603–607. Bibcode:1976RScI...47..603S. doi:10.1063/1.1134697. ISSN   0034-6748.
  13. 1 2 "APS Fellow Archive". www.aps.org. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  14. ↑ Wolfson, Jill (March 7, 2012). "Two Against the Odds". Stanford Magazine. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  15. ↑ "TWIN SISTERS' LONG STRUGGLE TO OVERCOME CYSTIC FIBROSIS SUBJECT OF DOCUMENTARY, 'THE POWER OF TWO' | Japanese American National Museum". www.janm.org. February 12, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  16. ↑ Smolowitz, Marc (November 10, 2012), The Power of Two (Documentary), Ana Stenzel, Isabel Stenzel Byrnes, Hatsuko Stenzel, 13th Gen, Twin Triumph Productions, retrieved January 13, 2024
  17. ↑ "Section Officers History | Sierra Club". www.sierraclub.org. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  18. ↑ "Climbing History | Sierra Club | SPS Peak Climbs: A 10-Year History of Scheduled SPS trips from 1996 - 2006". www.sierraclub.org. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
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