Microwave Pioneers: John C. Mather “A Singular Purpose”

Peter H Siegel

doi:10.1109/jmw.2020.3025239

Abstract

This article is the first in a continuing series of biographical pieces on individuals who have made significant and continuous contributions to microwave science, technology, and applications over the course of their careers. It is intended to bring to the reader, especially those new to the field, a portrait of an individual who serves as a role model for the community and a detailed description of their accomplishments. At the same time, it tries to bridge with commonality, the experiences of the subject with those of the scientists, engineers, and technologists who are following in their footsteps or hope to establish a similar record of success. The articles are composed only after an extensive face-to-face interview with the subject and are helped immensely by additional input and editing by the subjects themselves. The focus of this article is Dr. John C. Mather, recipient of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics, for the first complete measurement of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) blackbody spectrum, and the first confirmed findings of CMB anisotropy. For astronomers and cosmologists at least, these were arguably two of the most important and influential experimental discoveries of the 20th century. For microwave engineers, the satellite mission that Dr. Mather conceived and worked on for more than fifteen years is a crowning achievement in a very large suite of successful microwave science instruments that NASA has developed, built, and delivered to space.

Highlights

Cromwell Mather, taught at the local school
Despite being warned by his parents that the wider world might harbor more significant rivalry, John ended up doing very well in highly competitive summer courses at Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts and Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, which he attended in 10th and 11th grades. By this time his general interest in origins had moved from biology to physics, as he found he was much happier deriving than memorizing
The team was looking for discrete spectral lines that might explain the greater than expected 2.7 K blackbody power flux that had been recorded by earlier rocket and balloon measurements, especially near 450 GHz. They saw no extra-terrestrial line signatures within their resolution limits, and were able to set a lower bound to any spectral line contribution to the cosmic microwave background (CMB) flux [5]. At this point things were looking promising for John, as his first experience with a complex instrument and difficult observations, had proven successful, if not physically demanding – spending significant time at 3,800 meters is both cold and dizzying! When Paul Richards returned from a sabbatical in UK in 1972, touting the virtues of the newly invented MartinPuplett interferometer (Derek Martin is a past subject of the precursor to this series [6]), and suggesting a balloonborne spectrometer instrument to get much more sensitive CMB measurements, John and groupmate, Dave Woody, began working on the payload

Summary

Introduction

Cromwell Mather, taught at the local school. This rural setting is where John grew up, which he described as “having as many cows as people.” It had a major influence on how he spent his time and more importantly, how he learned. Following his sobering experience with the unsuccessful balloon flight, John thought a changeover to a somewhat less challenging area of experimental astrophysics might serve him well, and he accepted a post-doctoral appointment at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in NYC working in a small research group led by astronomer, Pat Thaddeus.

Results

Conclusion