Inventors
George
Carruthers
George
Carruthers has gained international recognition for his work which focuses
on ultraviolet observations of the earth's upper atmosphere and of astronomical
phenomena. Ultraviolet light is the electromagnetic radiation between visible
light and x-rays. George Carruthers first major contribution to science
was to lead the team that invented the far ultraviolet camera spectrograph.
He developed the first moon-based space observatory, an ultraviolet camera
that was carried to the moon by Apollo 16 astronauts in 1972. The camera
was positioned on the moon's surface and allowed researchers to examine
the Earth's atmosphere for concentrations of pollutants.
Dr. George Carruthers received a
patent for his invention the "Image Converter for Detecting Electromagnetic
Radiation specially in Short Wave Lengths" on November 11, 1969.
He has been the principal investigator
for numerous NASA and DoD sponsored space instruments including a 1986
rocket instrument that obtained ultraviolet image of Comet Halley. His
most recent on the Air Force ARGOS mission captured an image of a Leonid
shower meteor entering the earth's atmosphere, the first time a meteor
has been imaged in the far ultraviolet from a space-borne camera.
George Carruthers was born in Cincinnati
Ohio on October 1, 1939 and grew up in South Side, Chicago. At the age
of ten, he built a telescope, however, he did not do well in school studying
math and physics but still went on to win three science fair awards. Dr.
Carruthers graduated from Englewood High School in Chicago. He attended
the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, where he received a bachelor
of science degree in aeronautical engineering in 1961. Dr. Carruthers also
obtained his graduate education at the University of Illinois, completing
a master's degree in nuclear engineering in 1962 and a doctorate in aeronautical
and astronautical engineering in 1964.
In 1993, Dr. Carruthers was one of
the first 100 recipients of the Black Engineer of the Year award honored
by US Black Engineer He has also worked with NRL's Community Outreach Program
and several outside education and community outreach organizations in support
of educational activities in science at Ballou High School and other DC
area schools.
George
Carruthers
Inventor of the far-ultraviolet
camera and spectrograph - Invention Dimension.
George
Carruthers
Carruthers is best known for having
found the proof of molecular hydrogen in interstellar space. Spectrographs
are images which use a prism (or a diffraction grating) to show the spectrum
of light produced by an element or elements.
George
R. Carruthers : Astrophysicist
An inventor as well as physicist,
George Carruthers was instrumental in the design of lunar surface ultraviolet
cameras.
Hyperspectral
Imaging of the Global Ionosphere from the ARGOS Satellite
Paper co-written by George Carruthers.
TDPNewsletter
Profile on inventors' image converter
for detecting eletromagnetic radiation especially in short wave length.
Related Information
Black
Inventors
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