The Meitner–Hupfeld effect, named after
Lise Meitner and
Hans-Hermann Hupfeld, is an anomalously large scattering of
gamma rays
A gamma ray, also known as gamma radiation (symbol γ or \gamma), is a penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation arising from the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei. It consists of the shortest wavelength electromagnetic waves, typically ...
by heavy
elements. The effect was later explained by a broad theory from which evolved the
Standard Model, a theory for explaining the structure of the
atomic nucleus
The atomic nucleus is the small, dense region consisting of protons and neutrons at the center of an atom, discovered in 1911 by Ernest Rutherford based on the 1909 Geiger–Marsden gold foil experiment. After the discovery of the neutron ...
. The anomalous gamma-ray behavior was eventually ascribed to electron–positron pair production and annihilation.
Although Professor
Meitner was recognized for her work,
Dr.
Hupfeld Hupfeld is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Hans-Hermann Hupfeld, German physicist
*Herman Hupfeld
Herman Hupfeld (February 1, 1894June 8, 1951) was an American songwriter whose most notable composition was " As Time Goes By ...
is usually ignored, and little or no account of his life exists.
See also
*
Pair production
Pair production is the creation of a subatomic particle and its antiparticle from a neutral boson. Examples include creating an electron and a positron, a muon and an antimuon, or a proton and an antiproton. Pair production often refers specifi ...
*
Electron-positron annihilation
References
Standard Model
History of physics
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