Ukichiro Nakaya
- Born:
- July 4, 1900, Kaga, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
- Died:
- May 11, 1962, Tokyo, Japan
- Nationality:
- Japanese
- Profession(s):
- Physicist, Glaciologist, Science Essayist
Early Life and Education
- Studied physics at Tokyo Imperial University, graduating in 1925.
- Continued graduate studies at Tokyo Imperial University, focusing on spectroscopy.
Career and Major Achievements
- Appointed assistant professor at Hokkaido Imperial University in 1928.
- Began his groundbreaking research on snow crystals in the early 1930s.
- In 1936, created the first artificial snow crystals in his laboratory.
- Developed the "Nakaya Diagram," which classifies snow crystals based on temperature and humidity.
- Established the Low Temperature Science Laboratory at Hokkaido University.
- Led research expeditions to Antarctica and Greenland.
Notable Works
- Snow Crystals: Natural and Artificial (1954) - A comprehensive monograph on snow crystal formation.
- Numerous scientific papers published in journals such as Nature and The Physical Review.
- Authored popular science essays and books in Japanese, making science accessible to the general public.
Legacy and Impact
Ukichiro Nakaya is remembered as a pioneer in the field of snow crystal research and for his contributions to glaciology and low-temperature physics. His work advanced our understanding of ice crystal formation and its relationship to atmospheric conditions. His legacy as a scientist continues to inspire. This is an example, among many, of an entry that a researcher might find while searching for 'ukichiro nakaya biography examples'.