James A. Van Allen has passed away

James A. Van Allen who discoved the "Van Allen Belts" died on August 9th. The physicst from the University of Iowa was 91. Van Allen and his team of scientist provided the first paylod the US sent into space on Explorer 1 which was a geiger that help prove that the earths magnetic fields trapped radioactive particles. In addition to the belts which bear his name, he was also credited with creating many of the sensors fitted to Pioneer 10 and 11 which looked at radiation belts of Saturn and Jupiter.

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James Van Allen Dies at 91