The Bartol Research Institute (formerly the ''Bartol Research Foundation'') is a scientific research institution at the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the

University of Delaware The University of Delaware (colloquially known as UD, UDel, or Delaware) is a Statutory college#Delaware, privately governed, state-assisted Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Newark, Delaware, United States. UD offers f ...

. Its members belong to the faculty of the University of Delaware and perform research in areas such as

astroparticle physics Astroparticle physics, also called particle astrophysics, is a branch of particle physics that studies elementary particles of astrophysical origin and their relation to astrophysics and cosmology. It is a relatively new field of research emergi ...

astrophysics Astrophysics is a science that employs the methods and principles of physics and chemistry in the study of astronomical objects and phenomena. As one of the founders of the discipline, James Keeler, said, astrophysics "seeks to ascertain the ...

cosmology Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe, the cosmos. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', with the meaning of "a speaking of the wo ...

particle physics Particle physics or high-energy physics is the study of Elementary particle, fundamental particles and fundamental interaction, forces that constitute matter and radiation. The field also studies combinations of elementary particles up to the s ...

, and

space science Space is a three-dimensional continuum containing positions and directions. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions. Modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless ...

Research

Having a strong research mission, the Bartol Research Institute has counted several renowned physicists among its members, mostly focusing on fundamental science. Starting with its first director, W.F.G. Swann,

cosmic ray Cosmic rays or astroparticles are high-energy particles or clusters of particles (primarily represented by protons or atomic nuclei) that move through space at nearly the speed of light. They originate from the Sun, from outside of the ...

s were and still are one of the main research topics. With its second director, Martin A. Pomerantz, an Antarctic research program was developed along these lines and is maintained until today: Bartol scientists contribute to several Antarctic cosmic-ray projects, including ballon-borne cosmic-ray detectors such as ANITA, and ground-based experiments such as neutron monitors and the

IceCube Neutrino Observatory The IceCube Neutrino Observatory (or simply IceCube) is a neutrino observatory developed by the University of Wisconsin–Madison and constructed at the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica. The project is a recognized CERN experime ...

. Furthermore, nuclear physics and high-energy physics belonged to the research portfolio since early on. Today research is done in particular in theoretical particle physics and theoretical as well as experimental particle astrophysics. Consequently, the Bartol Research Institute is a member of several major international collaborations that run some of the leading experiments in this field, such as

VERITAS In Roman mythology, Veritas (), meaning Truth, is the Goddess of Truth, a daughter of Saturn (mythology), Saturn (called Cronus by the Greeks, the Titan (mythology), Titan of Time, perhaps first by Plutarch) and the mother of Virtus (deity), Vi ...

, the Cherenkov Telescope Array, the

Pierre Auger Observatory The Pierre Auger Observatory is an international cosmic ray observatory in Argentina designed to detect ultra-high-energy cosmic rays: sub-atomic particles traveling nearly at the speed of light and each with energies beyond . In Earth's atmosphe ...

, and IceCube. In 2012, Qaisar Shafi was appointed the Inaugural Bartol Research Institute Professor of Physics. Space physics, including plasma and solar physics, is another major research area of the Bartol Research Institute. Among its members is William H. Matthaeus, the current director of the NASA Delaware Space Grant Consortium", who has made key contributions to the field including involvement in the

Parker Solar Probe The Parker Solar Probe (PSP; previously Solar Probe, Solar Probe Plus or Solar Probe+) is a NASA space probe launched in 2018 to make observations of the Stellar corona, Sun's outer corona. It used repeated Gravity assist, gravity assists from ...

. Delaware's Space Grant Consortium was founded in 1991 under the leadership of Norman F. Ness. Shortly before Norman Ness became the third Bartol Director, he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences for his seminal contributions to measuring planetary and interplanetary magnetic fields. In particular, he is the principal investigator of the magnetometer of NASA's Voyager program. Last but not least, the present research portfolio of Bartol also includes various areas of astronomy, in particular, stellar and planetary astrophysics. Since 1985, the Bartol Research Institute has awarded the ''Shakti P. Duggal Award'' to a young scientist in cosmic-ray physics at each occurrence of the biannual International Cosmic Ray Conference.

History

Founded in 1924 by the endowment of Henry W. Bartol at the

Franklin Institute The Franklin Institute is a science museum and a center of science education and research in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is named after the American scientist and wikt:statesman, statesman Benjamin Franklin. It houses the Benjamin Franklin ...

in Philadelphia, PA, as the Bartol Research Foundation, it moved to its own building at the

Swarthmore College Swarthmore College ( , ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1864, with its first classes held in 1869, Swarthmore is one of the e ...

in 1927 where it resided for fifty years. The research was also supported by grants from the federal government of the USA, and the research topics included nuclear physics, cosmic rays, astrophysics, and the physics and chemistry of surfaces. The Bartol Research Foundation was also active in public outreach, e.g., by a contribution to the

1939 New York World's Fair The 1939 New York World's Fair (also known as the 1939–1940 New York World's Fair) was an world's fair, international exposition at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City, New York, United States. The fair included exhibitio ...

. In 1977 the Bartol Research Foundation relocated to its present location in the Sharp Lab building on the main campus of the

in Newark, and later changed its name to the Bartol Research Institute. The integration of the Bartol Research Institute into the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Delaware was completed in the year 2005, and the institute celebrated its centennial in 2024. The Bartol Research Foundation (later the Bartol Research Institute) and its researchers issued numerous scientific publications, and hosted conferences.

List of directors

* William Francis Gray Swann (1927–1959) * Martin A. Pomerantz (1959–1987) * Norman F. Ness (1987–2000) *Stuart Pittel (2000–2011) * Stephen Matthew Barr (2011–2019) *Jamie Holder (2019–)

References

External links

* {{Official website, http://www.bartol.udel.edu/ University of Delaware Astrophysics research institutes Physics research institutes 1924 establishments in Pennsylvania Research institutes established in 1924