Alfred Gordon Gaydon
Encyclopedia
Alfred Gordon Gaydon was a leading spectroscopist and combustion scientist. He was responsible for developing the shock tube
as a means to study flames and combustion, and has been awarded the Rumford Medal
and was a fellow of the Royal Society of London.
He is perhaps best known, however, for his ability to see Ultraviolet
light. In 1936, while he was working at the Shirley Institute
of the Cotton Research Association near Manchester
, a lab explosion damaged his eye, which was later removed. His remaining eye, which had the lens removed was blind. But slowly, he began to regain sight and discovered that he could now see ultraviolet, although he perceived the color as blue.
Gaydon also held the Warren Fellowship of the Royal Society and the Chair of Molecular Spectroscopy in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology of Imperial College London
.
Shock tube
For the pyrotechnic initiator, see Shock tube detonatorThe shock tube is an instrument used to replicate and direct blast waves at a sensor or a model in order to simulate actual explosions and their effects, usually on a smaller scale...
as a means to study flames and combustion, and has been awarded the Rumford Medal
Rumford Medal
The Rumford Medal is awarded by the Royal Society every alternating year for "an outstandingly important recent discovery in the field of thermal or optical properties of matter made by a scientist working in Europe". First awarded in 1800, it was created after a 1796 donation of $5000 by the...
and was a fellow of the Royal Society of London.
He is perhaps best known, however, for his ability to see Ultraviolet
Ultraviolet
Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays, in the range 10 nm to 400 nm, and energies from 3 eV to 124 eV...
light. In 1936, while he was working at the Shirley Institute
Shirley Institute
The Shirley Institute was established in 1920 as the British Cotton Industry Research Association at The Towers in Didsbury, Manchester as a research centre dedicated to cotton production technologies...
of the Cotton Research Association near Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, a lab explosion damaged his eye, which was later removed. His remaining eye, which had the lens removed was blind. But slowly, he began to regain sight and discovered that he could now see ultraviolet, although he perceived the color as blue.
Gaydon also held the Warren Fellowship of the Royal Society and the Chair of Molecular Spectroscopy in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology of Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
.