[SPA] SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER, Volume XXVI, Issue 50

[Newsletter Editor]

AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER
Volume XXVI, Issue 50
Aug.27,2019

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Table of Contents

1. Edward John Smith, September 21, 1927 – August 11, 2019

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Edward John Smith, September 21, 1927 – August 11, 2019

From: Bruce Goldstein (Bruce.E.Goldstein at jpl.nasa.gov)

Dr. Edward Smith passed away August 11, 2019 in Arcadia, California after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Gloria, his four children, and grandchildren.

Ed was well known to many in the Space Physics community and was a pioneer in the measurement of magnetic fields and waves in space. He was the first to fly search coils in the Earth's magnetosphere. His magnetometers were the first to measure magnetic fields at Jupiter and Saturn and were the first to measure magnetic fields over the Sun’s poles.  Dr. Smith’s magnetometers were also the first to return magnetic field data from a comet tail.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ed’s family moved to Los Angeles when he was a teenager.  He graduated from Hollywood High School.  Ed received a B. A. with honors from UCLA in 1951, an M. A. from UCLA in 1952, and a PhD from UCLA in 1959. Following work at TRW, he was hired by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in 1959, and was involved in space science from the beginning of the space age, specializing in the measurement of magnetic fields and electromagnetic waves in space.

Ed played a key role on multiple space missions: He was Co-Investigator (Co-I) on Mariner 2 (Venus, 1962), and Principal Investigator (P.I.) of the first space search coil magnetometer experiments, flown on Orbiting Geophysical Observatories 1 - 6 in 1964-1969. He was P.I., providing Vector Helium Magnetometers (VHMs), on Mariner 4 (Mars, 1965), Mariner 5 (Venus, 1967), Pioneer 10 (Jupiter 1973), Pioneer 11 (Jupiter 1974, Saturn 1979), International Sun Earth Explorer/ International Cometary explorer (Libration Point, 1978; Distant Geotail, 1982, Comet Giacobini-Zinner, 1985). Ed was plasma wave Co-I on the three International Sun-Earth-Explorers, and Sakigake (Japan-Halley, 1986), and he was a Co-I, and supplier of the vector/scalar helium magnetometer (VHM) on the Ulysses mission on which he also served as the U.S. Project Scientist (1977 –2008). He was responsible for supplying a Dual Sensor Scalar Helium Magnetometer for the Argentine Science Applications Satellite, SAC-C (2000-2004). He was a Co-I and supplier of the VHM on the Cassini mission.

Ed was a fellow of the American Geophysical Union, member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Astronomical Union. He received two NASA medals for Exceptional Scientific Achievement and a NASA Distinguished Service medal. In 2005, he received the Arctowski Medal from the U.S Academy of Sciences in recognition of contributions to solar–terrestrial research. He was involved in the Cassini Saturn mission and the JUNO mission to Jupiter. Dr. Smith was the author or co-author of over 500 scientific articles.

Professionally active until the last year of his life, he enjoyed his daily swim workout as well as rooting for his UCLA Bruins football and basketball teams.  A lover of jazz and classical music, he supported the Pasadena Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Pasadena Conservatory of Music.

A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday September 15th 11am – 2pm at The Altadena Town & Country Club.


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