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NASA mourns passing of visionary heliophysicist Eugene Parker
Dr. Eugene N. Parker, visionary of heliophysics and namesake of NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, has passed away. He was 94.
As a young professor at the University of Chicago in the mid-1950s, Parker developed a mathematical theory that predicted the solar wind, the constant outflow of solar material from the Sun. Throughout his career, Parker revolutionized the field time and again, advancing ideas that addressed the fundamental questions about the workings of our Sun and stars throughout the universe.
“We were saddened to learn the news that one of the great scientific minds and leaders of our time has passed,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Dr. Eugene Parker’s contributions to science and to understanding how our universe works touches so much of what we do here at NASA. Dr. Parker’s legacy will live on through the many active and future NASA missions that build upon his work.”
“The field of heliophysics exists in large part because of Dr. Eugene Parker,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA’s associate administrator for science. “Honoring his work by giving Parker Solar Probe his name is one of the proudest accomplishments of my career. My work, my passion for science, and my drive to keep exploring is strongly influenced by this great man. Parker Solar Probe ‘touching the Sun,’ is a fitting accomplishment for his namesake mission.”
In 2018, Parker became the first person to witness the launch of a spacecraft bearing his name. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe continues its mission today in pursuit of the pioneering questions Parker first envisaged more than a half century ago.
“Anyone who knew Dr. Parker, knew that he was a visionary,” said Nicola Fox, director of the Heliophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “I was honored to stand with him at the launch of Parker Solar Probe and have loved getting to share with him all the exciting science results, seeing his face light up with every new image and data plot I showed him. I will sincerely miss his excitement and love for Parker Solar Probe. Even though Dr. Parker is no longer with us, his discoveries and legacy will live forever.”
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-mourns-passing-of-visionary-heliophysicist-eugene-parker
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Décès de François Lefeuvre transmis par Dominique Delcourt et Bertrand Lembège
C'est avec une grande tristesse que nous, ses amis et collègues, annonçons le décès de François Lefeuvre le 14 mars 2022.
Depuis son tout premier poste de chercheur au Groupe de Recherche Ionosphérique (GRI) à Saint-Maur des Fossés en 1969, jusqu'à son dernier poste de Past Président de l'URSI [2011-2014], François s'est constamment intéressé à la physique et à l'analyse des ondes dans les plasmas spatiaux. Tout au long de sa vie scientifique, il a publié de nombreuses articles de haut niveau et collaboré activement avec des scientifiques de différents instituts dans le monde entier. Il a été PI et Co-I de nombreux projets spatiaux, notamment de sondes ou de satellites dans la magnétosphère terrestre (e.g., Arcad-3, Cluster, Interball). En tant que directeur du LPCE (de 1994 à 2002), il a activement contribué à la renommée de ce laboratoire au niveau international. François a également été très actif à l'URSI pendant 21 ans. Ses contributions à l'URSI comprennent de multiples postes de direction et nombre de projets collaboratifs. Dans l'histoire récente de l'URSI, il est la seule personne à avoir accompli presque deux mandats complets de président ([2005-2008], [2009-2011]) et à avoir été membre du conseil d'administration de l'URSI pendant 12 ans.
Le souvenir de François Lefeuvre, scientifique de premier plan et personne remarquable, restera à jamais dans le cœur de ceux qui ont eu la chance de travailler avec lui.
Pour en savoir plus sur la carrière scientifique de François Lefeuvre, consultez le site :
https://www.ursi-france.org/ursi-france/evenements/journees-scientifiques/2017/francois-lefeuvre
Voir aussi l'article en hommage à François Lefeuvre publié dans le Bulletin Radio Science N° 360 (mars 2017) pp 69-74 : https://www.ursi.org/content/RSB/RSB_360_2017_03.pdf
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It is with great sorrow that we, his friends and colleagues, announce the passing of François Lefeuvre on March 14 2022.
Since his very first research position at the Ionospheric Research Group (GRI) in Saint-Maur des Fossés in 1969, to his most recent position of Past President of URSI [2011-2014], François has constantly been interested in the physics and analysis of waves in space plasmas. Throughout his scientific life, he published numerous high-level scientific publications and actively collaborated with scientists from various scientific centers around the world. He was the Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator of numerous space projects, including probes or scientific satellites in various regions of the terrestrial magnetosphere (e.g., Arcad-3, Cluster, Interball). As director of LPCE (from 1994 until 2002), he actively contributed to the fame of this laboratory at the international level. François has served extensively at URSI for 21 years. His contributions to URSI include multiple leadership positions and enduring collaboration projects. In the recent history of URSI, he is the only person to have completed nearly two full terms as President ([2005-2008], [2009-2011]) and to have been a member of the URSI board for 12 years.
The memory of François Lefeuvre, a prominent scientist and a remarkable person, will forever remain in the hearts of those who were lucky enough to work with him.
Learn more about François Lefeuvre’s scientific career at :
https://www.ursi-france.org/ursi-france/evenements/journees-scientifiques/2017/francois-lefeuvre
See also the paper in tribute to François Lefeuvre published in Radio Science Bulletin N° 360 (March 2017) pp 69-74 : https://www.ursi.org/content/RSB/RSB_360_2017_03.pdf
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