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Griechische Wissenschaftler

Thomas Ypsilantis 1955 , Ypsilantis and Cherenkov

Tom or Thomas John Ypsilantis (Θωμάς (Τομ) Υψηλάντης), Greek-American physicist specialized in the construction of sensitive detectors used in particle physics. Ypsilantis came from a distinguished family. In 1821, Prince Alexander Ypsilantis, a general in the Russian army, led a charge across the Danube against the Ottoman Turks at the beginning of the fight for Greek independence. Born in 1928 into a Greek family (Eugenia and John Ypsilantis) living in Salt Lake City (who emigrated 1924 to USA), Ypsilantis studied physics at Berkeley where he obtained his master's degree and then became a graduate student under the direction of Emilio Segré.

Together with Owen Chamberlain and Clyde Wiegand, Ypsilantis joined the 1955 experiment at the new Berkeley Bevatron that observed the first antiprotons, which became the subject of his Ph.D. Thesis. The Physics Nobel prize was given to O. Chamberlain and E. Segrè in 1959 "for their discovery of the antiproton”.

After postdoctoral positions in the U.S. and after playing a pioneer role in teaching modern physics in Greece, he came to CERN in 1968, where he met Jacques Séguinot.

Ypsilantis and Séguinot, working in Max Ferro-Luzzi's group, proposed the technique later named Ring Imaging Cerenkov (RICH) counter. Together with Tord Ekelöf, they introduced this technique for high-energy physics: the first large-scale application was for the DELPHI experiment at LEP. More recently they worked in the framework of the LAA Project on noble-liquid calorimetry and on a very large water neutrino detector based of the fast-RICH technique. Ypsilantis also made a major contribution to the LHCb experiment at CERN.

His scientific goal was the invention and construction of detectors capable of opening new avenues in experimental particle physics. He was so knowledgeable in this field that in 1995 he became editor of Nuclear Instruments and Methods. To realize his dreams, he never considered personal interests or, even less, career advancement. Thus, over the years he was associated with CERN, Ecole Polytechnique, College de France and recently, INFN. At times he was even without a position and a salary, but still he continued to work as ever. He will be sadly missed by the high-energy physics community. His office at CERN was always open for those who wanted to consult and discuss with him, even at weekends.

O. Chamberlain, E. Segrè, C. Wiegand and T. Ypsilantis, Observation of Antiprotons, Phys. Rev. 100 (1955) 947 (Info)

Agnew, L.; Elioff, T.; Fowler, W.B.; Gilly, L.; Lander, R.; Oswald, L.; Powell, W.M.; Segrè, E.; Steiner, H.; White, H.; Wiegand, C.; Ypsilantis, T.; anti-p p Elastic and Charge Exchange Scattering at About 120 MeV Phys. Rev. 110 (1958) 994; (Confirmation of the existence of the antineutron) (Info)

Obituaries: Thomas Ypsilantis from Physics Today

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