Martin Ryle

1974

Date of Birth

September 27, 1918

Date of Death

October 14, 1984

Martin Ryle, a graduate of Bradfield College and the University of Oxford, helped develop radar countermeasures for British defense while working at the Telecommunications Research Establishment during World War II. Afterward, at the University of Cambridge, he was a leader in the development of radio astronomy. With his aperture synthesis technique of interferometry he and his team located radio-emitting regions on the sun and pinpointed other radio sources so that they could be studied in visible light. Ryle’s 1C to 5C Cambridge catalogues of radio sources led to the discovery of numerous radio galaxies and quasars. Ryle’s counts of radio sources versus brightness supported evolving universe cosmologies, and he became a leading opponent of the steady state model proposed by H. Bondi, T. Gold, & F. Hoyle. Ryle’s development of earth rotation synthesis and construction of radio interferometers up to 5 km long eventually allowed radio astronomers to surpass optical astronomers in angular resolution. The first professor of radio astronomy in Britain, he was an influential member of many boards and committees involved in the organization of British astronomy, and he served as Astronomer Royal for a decade. In his later years he encouraged alternative sources of energy, designing a new wind generator with his students, and he spoke out in opposition to nuclear power and nuclear weapons.

Presentation of Bruce medal

Mercury 3, 5, 24 (1973).

Other awards

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award, 1971.
National Academy of Sciences, Henry Draper Medal, 1965.
Nobel Foundation, Nobel prize, physics, 1974.
Royal Astronomical Society, Gold medal">Gold Medal, 1964, presented by Richard Wooley, QJRAS 5, 103-05 (1964).
Royal Society, Hughes Medal, 1954; Royal Medal, 1973.
Franklin Institute, Michelson Medal, 1971.
International Union of Radio Science (URSI), Balthasar van der Pol Gold Medal, 1963.
USSR Academy of Sciences, A.S.Popov Gold Medal, 1971.

Some offices held

United Kingdom, Astronomer Royal, 1972-82.

Biographical materials
Answers.com
Graham-Smith, Francis, Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society 32, 496-524 (1986).
Ryle, Martin, Autobiography on receiving the Nobel Prize.

Obituaries

Graham-Smith, F. , Sky & Telescope 69, 123 (Feb 1985).
Lovell, Bernard, QJRAS 26, 358-65 (1985).
Pooley, G.G., Observatory 104, 283-84 (1984).
Smith, F. Graham, Nature 312, 18 (1984).

Portraits

IP Center for History of Physics
Friedman, Jon R., Portrait Sketch
University of Frankfurt.
On a postage stamp from Gabon

Named after him

Minor Planet #12136 Martinryle
The Martin Ryle Trust
The Ryle Telescope

Bibliography

Papers, etc.

Ryle’s papers are at the Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge.

Other References: Historical

Bertotti, B., R. Balbinot, & S. Bergia, eds., Modern Cosmology in Retrospect (Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK, 1990).

Edge, D.O. & M.J. Mulkay, Astronomy Transformed: The Emergence of Radio Astronomy in Britain (Wiley, NY, 1976).

Haddock, F.T., “Introduction to Radio Astronomy,” Proc. IRE 45, 3 (1958).

Hey, John S., The Evolution of Radio Astronomy (Science History Publications, 1973).

Hoyle, Fred, Home Is Where the Wind Blows: Chapters from a Cosmologist’s Life (University Science Books, Mill Valley, CA, 1994).

Kragh, Helge, Cosmology and Controversy: The Historical Development of Two Theories of the Universe (Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, NJ, 1996).

Lovell, Bernard, Astronomer by Chance (Basic Books, 1990).

Lovell, A.C.B. & F. Graham-Smith, “High Angular Radio Resolution,” in Wall, J. V. & A. Boksenberg, eds., Modern Technology and its Influence on Astronomy (Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK,1990).

McCrea, W.H., “The Influence of Radio Astronomy on Cosmology,” in Sullivan, W.T., III, ed., The Early Years of Radio Astronomy: Reflections Fifty Years after Jansky’s Discovery (Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK, 1984), 365.

Mitton, Simon, Conflict in the Cosmos: Fred Hoyle’s Life in Science (Joseph Henry Press, Washington, DC, 2005).

Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory, Radio Astronomy at Cambridge
http://www.mrao.cam.ac.uk/outreach/radio-telescopes/

Ryle, M., “Radio Telescopes of Large Resolving Power,” Science 188, 1071-79 (1975).

Scheuer, P.A.G., “The Development of Aperture Synthesis at Cambridge,” in Sullivan, III, W.T., ed., The Early Years of Radio Astronomy: Reflections Fifty Years after Jansky’s Discovery (Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK, 1984), 249-65.

Ryle, Martin, “The Application of Interferometric Methods in Radio Astronomy,” Vistas in Astronomy 1, 532-41 (1955).

Smith, F.G., “Early Work on Radio Stars at Cambridge,” in Sullivan, III, W.T., ed., The Early Years of Radio Astronomy: Reflections Fifty Years after Jansky’s Discovery (Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK, 1984), 237-48.

Sullivan III, W.T., Classics in Radio Astronomy (D. Reidel, Dordrecht, 1982).

Sullivan III, W.T., “The Entry of Radio Astronomy into Cosmology: Radio Stars and Martin Ryle's 2C Survey,” in Bertotti, B., R. Balbinot, & S. Bergia, eds., Modern Cosmology in Retrospect (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 1990), p.309-30.

Sullivan III, Woodruff T., Cosmic Noise: A History of Early Radio Astronomy (Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK, 2009).

Search ADS for works about Ryle

Other References: Scientific

Stevens-Rayburn, Sarah, The History of Radio Astronomy: A Bibliography 1898-1983
http://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/Rayburn/frames.html

Ryle, M. & D.D. Vonberg, “An Investigation of Radio- Frequency Radiation from the Sun,” Proc. Roy. Soc. A 193, 98-120 (1948).

Ryle, M. & F.G. Smith, “A New Intense Source of Radio-Frequency Radiation in the Constellation of Cassiopeia,” Nature 162, 462-63 (1948).

Ryle, M., “Evidence for the Stellar Origin of Cosmic Rays,” Proceedings of the Physical Society A 62, 491 (1949).

Ryle, M. & A. Hewish, “The Effects of the Terrestrial Ionosphere on the Radio Waves from Discrete Sources in the Galaxy,” MNRAS 110, 381-94 (1950).

Ryle, M., F.G. Smith, & B. Elsmore, “A Preliminary Survey of the Radio Stars in the Northern Hemisphere,” MNRAS 110, 508-23 (1950).

Ryle, M., “Radio Astronomy,” Rep. Prog. Phys. 13, 184 (1950).

Ryle, M. & A. Hewish, “The Effects of the Terrestrial Ionosphere on the Radio Waves from Discrete Sources in the Galaxy,” MNRAS 110, 381-94 (1950).

Ryle, M., F.G. Smith, & B. Elsmore, “A Search for Long-Period Variations in the Intensity of Radio Stars,” Nature 168, 555-56 (1951).

Ryle, M., “A New Radio Interferometer and Its Application to the Observation of Weak Radio Stars,” Proc. Roy. Soc. A 211, 351-75 (1952).

Scheuer, P. A. G. & M. Ryle, “An Investigation of the H II Regions by a Radio Method,” MNRAS 113, 3-17 (1953).

Ryle, M., “Radio Stars and their Cosmological Significance,” Observatory 75, 137-47 (1955) [1955 Halley Lecture].

Ryle, M. & A. Hewish, “The Cambridge Radio Telescope,” Mem. Roy. Astr. Soc. 67, 97-105 (1955).

Shakeshaft, J.R., M. Ryle, J.E. Baldwin, B. Elsmore, & J.H. Thomson, “A Survey of Radio Sources between Declinations -38 and +83, ” Mem. Roy. Astr. Soc. 67, 106-54 (1955).

Ryle, M. & P.A.G. Scheuer, “The Spatial Distribution and the Nature of Radio Stars,” Proc. Roy. Soc. A 230, 448-62 (1955).

Ryle, M., “The Application of Interferometric Methods in Radio Astronomy,” Vistas in Astronomy 1 (1), 532-41 (1955).

Ryle, M., “Observations at the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory, Cambridge,” Proc. Roy. Soc. A 248, 3-9 (1958)

Ryle, M., “The Nature of the Cosmic Radio Sources,” Proc. Roy. Soc. A 248, 289-308 (1958) [excerpted with commentary in Lang, Kenneth R. & Owen Gingerich, eds., A Source Book in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 1900-1975 Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge, MA, 1979), 792-800].

Ryle, M., “The Nature of the Radio Sources,” IAU Symposium 9, 523-28 (1959).

Ryle, M. & A. Hewish, “The Synthesis of Large Radio Telescopes,” MNRAS 120, 220-230 (1960).

Ryle, Martin, “Radio Astronomy and Cosmology,” Nature 190, 852-54 (1961).

Scott, P. F., M. Ryle, & M. Hewish, “First Results of Radio Star Observations Using the Method of Aperture Synthesis,” MNRAS 122, 95-111 (1961).

Ryle, M. & R.W. Clarke, “An Examination of the Steady-State Model in the Light of Some Recent Observations of Radio Sources,” MNRAS 122, 349-62 (1961).

Scott, P. F. & M. Ryle, “The Number-Flux Density Relation for Radio Sources Away from the Galactic Plane,” MNRAS 122, 389 (1961).

Ryle, M. & Ann C. Neville, “A Radio Survey of the North Polar Region with a 4.5 Minute of Arc Pencil-Beam System,” MNRAS 125, 39 (1962).

Ryle, M., “The New Cambridge Radio Telescope,” Nature 194, 517 (1962).

Ryle, M., “The Radio Luminosity Function and the Number Versus Flux-Density Relationship for the Discrete Sources,” IAU Symposium 15, 326-46 (1962).

Ryle, M., B. Elsmore, & Ann C. Neville, “High Resolution Observations of the Radio Sources in Cygnus and Cassiopeia,” .

Ryle, M. & Allan Sandage, “The Optical Identification of Three New Radio Objects of the 3C 48 Class,” Ap.J. 139, 419-21 (1964).

Elsmore, B., S. Kenderdine, & Martin Ryle, “The Operation of the Cambridge One-Mile Telescope,” MNRAS 134, 87-95 (1966).

Kenderdine, S., & Martin Ryle, & G.G. Pooley, “Some Observations of Weak Radio Sources with the Cambridge One-Mile Telescope,” MNRAS 134, 189-210 (1966).

Ryle, Martin & M.S. Longair, “A Possible Method for Investigating the Evolution of Radio Galaxies,” MNRAS 136, 123-40 (1967).

Ryle, M. & D. Downes, “ High-Resolution Radio Observations of an Intense H II Region in Cygnus X,” Ap.J. 148, L17-L21 (1967).

Ryle, M., “The Counts of Radio Sources,” Ann. Rev. Astr. Astrophys. 6, 249-66 (1968).

Pooley, G.G. & M. Ryle, “The Extension of the Number-flux Density Relation for Radio Sources to Very Small Flux Densities,” MNRAS 139, 515-28 (1968).

Ryle, M. & Judy A. Bailey, “Optical Identification of the First Neutron Star?” Nature 217, 907-10 (1968).

Mitton, Simon & Martin Ryle, “High Resolution Observations of Cygnus A at 2.7 GHz and 5 GHz,” MNRAS 146, 221-33 (1969).

Ryle, Martin, “Energy Problems in Extra-galactic Nebulae,” QJRAS 11, 429-42 (1970).

Ryle, Martin, Celestial Physics Laboratories: The John Coffin Memorial Lecture Delivered before the University of London on 21 May 1970 (Athlone Press, London, 1971).

Ryle, Martin, “The 5-km Radio Telescope at Cambridge ,” Nature 239, 435-38 (1972).

Ryle, M. & B. Elsmore, “Astrometry with the 5-km Radio Telescope,” MNRAS 164, 223 (1973).

Longair, M.S., M. Ryle, & P.A.G. Scheuer, “Models of Extended Radiosources,” MNRAS 164, 243-70 (1973).

Ryle, M., D.M. Odell, & P.C. Waggett, “Measurements of the Linear and Circular Polarization of Some Compact Radio Sources at 5 GHz,” MNRAS 173, 9-20 (1975).

Ryle, M., “Radio Telescopes of Large Resolving Power,” Rev. Mod. Phys. 47, 557-66 (1975).

Scott, P.F. & M. Ryle, “A Rapid Method for Measuring the Figure of a Radio Telescope Reflector,” MNRAS 178, 539-45 (1977).

Ryle, Martin, “Economics of Alternative Energy Sources ,” Nature 267, 111-17 (1977).

Ryle, Martin, “Wind Power for the UK,” Nature 268, 396 (1977).

Ryle, Martin, Graham Hine, John Shakeshaft, & J.L. Caswell, “A New Class of Radio Star,” Nature 276, 571-73 (1978).

Ryle, Martin, “Radio Outbursts and a Possible Change of Period of Algol,” PASP 91, 669 (1979).

Ryle, M. & A.C. Brodie, “Measurements of the Linear and Circular Polarization of Some Compact Radio Sources at 2.7-GHZ,” MNRAS 196, 567-81 (1981).

Search ADS for works by Ryle

Other Works: Popularizations, Fiction, etc.

Ryle, Martin, “Radio Galaxies,” Scientific American 195, 204 (1956).

Ryle, M., “Radio Astronomy and Cosmology,” Observatory 82, 245-46 (1962)

Ryle, M., “Economics of Alternative Energy Sources,” Nature 267, 111 (1977).

Anderson, M.B., K. Newton, Martin Ryle, & P.F. Scott, “Short-term Storage and Wind Power Availability, ” Nature 275, 432-34 (1978).

Ryle, Martin, Towards the Nuclear Holocaust (Menard Press, London, 1981).