physics

Harold Spinka

Harold Spinka is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Harold Spinka rather than just read about it. In short: Harold Matthew Spinka Jr. (April 2, 1945, Chicago – December 27, 2020, Naperville, Illinois) was an American physicist, specializing in experimental particle physics.

Key takeaways

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Reference excerpt

Harold Matthew Spinka Jr. (April 2, 1945, Chicago – December 27, 2020, Naperville, Illinois) was an American physicist, specializing in experimental particle physics.

Biography He graduated in 1966 with a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and in 1970 with a Ph.D. in physics from California Institute of Technology (Caltech). His doctoral dissertation The 16O + 16O reaction was supervised by Thomas Anthony Tombrello (1936–2014). From to 1970 to 1973 Spinka was a postdoctoral fellow at Argonne National Laboratory. In February 1973 he married Katherine Marie Wick (1950–2012). From 1973 to 1976 he was an adjunct assistant professor at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles). His wife graduated from UCLA in 1976 with a Ph.D. in anatomy. After resigning from UCLA, he returned to Argonne National Laboratory, where he spent his career as a physicist, senior physicist, and research associate. One of his mentors and close friends was Akihiko Yokosawa (1927–2009). From 1983 to 1986 Spinka was a member of the progressive advisory committee of the Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility (LAMPF), renamed in 1995 the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). He is known for his research on dibaryon resonances, the spin structure of the proton studied using the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory, and the Dark Energy Survey (DES) relating to the identification of supernova candidates. He also did important work involving the Zero Gradient Synchrotron (ZGS) and the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS). In 2007 Spinka was elected a fellow of the American Physical Society for "his contributions to spin physics and leadership of symmetry experiments at ZGS, LAMPF, AGS, and RHIC." He participated in competitive swimming until the age of 73. He enjoyed working with students and often served as a judge at science fairs. Upon his death he was survived by a daughter, a son, and five grandchildren.

Selected publications Auer, I.P.; Beretvas, A.; Colton, E.; Hill, D.; Nield, K.; Spinka, H.; Underwood, D.; Watanabe, Y.; Yokosawa, A. (1977). "Measurements of the total cross-section difference and the parameter CLL in pp scattering with longitudinally-polarized beam and target". Physics Letters B. 70 (4): 475–478. Bibcode:1977PhLB...70..475A. doi:10.1016/0370-2693(77)90418-X. Hidaka, H.; Beretvas, A.; Nield, K.; Spinka, H.; Underwood, D.; Watanabe, Y.; Yokosawa, A. (1977). "Suggestion for a dibaryon resonance in the pp system". Physics Letters B. 70 (4): 479–481. Bibcode:1977PhLB...70..479H. doi:10.1016/0370-2693(77)90419-1. Adams, D.L.; et al. (1991). "Comparison of spin asymmetries and cross sections in π0 production by 200 GeV polarized antiprotons and protons". Physics Letters B. 261 (1–2): 201–206. Bibcode:1991PhLB..261..201A. doi:10.1016/0370-2693(91)91351-U. Adams, D.L.; et al. (1991). "Analyzing power in inclusive π+ and π− production at high xF with a 200 GeV polarized proton beam". Physics Letters B. 264 (3–4): 462–466. doi:10.1016/0370-2693(91)90378-4. (over 650 citations) Lehar, F.; et al. (1995). "The movable polarized target as a basic equipment for high energy spin physics experiments at the JINR-Dubna accelerator complex". Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment. 356 (1): 58–61. Bibcode:1995NIMPA.356...58L. doi:10.1016/0168-9002(94)01445-0. Bravar, A.; et al. (1996). "Single-Spin Asymmetries in Inclusive Charged Pion Production by Transversely Polarized Antiprotons". Physical Review Letters. 77 (13): 2626–2629. Bibcode:1996PhRvL..77.2626B. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.77.2626. PMID 10062005. S2CID 30181587. Krueger, K.; et al. (1999). "Large analyzing power in inclusive π± production at high xF with a 22-GeV/c polarized proton beam". Physics Letters B. 459 (1–3): 412–416. Bibcode:1999PhLB..459..412K. doi:10.1016/S0370-2693(99)00677-2. Allgower, C.E.; et al. (2003). "The STAR endcap electromagnetic calorimeter". Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment. 499 (2–3): 740–750. Bibcode:2003NIMPA.499..740A. doi:10.1016/S0168-9002(02)01971-X. Stephenson, E. J.; Bacher, A. D.; Allgower, C. E.; Gårdestig, A.; Lavelle, C. M.; Miller, G. A.; Nann, H.; Olmsted, J.; Pancella, P. V.; Pickar, M. A.; Rapaport, J.; Rinckel, T.; Smith, A.; Spinka, H. M.; Van Kolck, U. (2003). "Observation of the Charge Symmetry Breaking d + d → 4He + π0 Reaction Near Threshold". Physical Review Letters. 91 (14) 142302. arXiv:nucl-ex/0305032. Bibcode:2003PhRvL..91n2302S. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.91.142302. PMID 14611518. S2CID 6031296. Ave, M.; et al. (2007). "Measurement of the pressure dependence of air fluorescence emission induced by electrons". Astroparticle Physics. 28 (1): 41–57. arXiv:astro-ph/0703132. Bibcode:2007APh....28...41A. doi:10.1016/j.astropartphys.2007.04.006. S2CID 119406043. Beddo, M.; et al. (2003). "The STAR Barrel Electromagnetic Calorimeter". Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment. 499 (2–3): 725–739. Bibcode:2003NIMPA.499..725B. doi:10.1016/S0168-9002(02)01970-8. S2CID 56024197. (over 350 citations) Allgower, C.E.; et al. (2003). "The STAR endcap electromagnetic calorimeter". Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment. 499 (2–3): 740–750. Bibcode:2003NIMPA.499..740A. doi:10.1016/S0168-9002(02)01971-X. Smith, M.; et al. (2016). "DES14X3taz: A Type I Superluminous Supernova Showing a Luminous, Rapidly Cooling Initial Pre-peak Bump". The Astrophysical Journal. 818 (1): L8. arXiv:1512.06043. Bibcode:2016ApJ...818L...8S. doi:10.3847/2041-8205/818/1/L8. S2CID 18716764. Stern, Nathaniel P.; Liu, Pufan; Ocola, Leonidas E.; Ellis, Simon C.; Kuhlmann, Stephen; Gupta, Ravi R.; Underwood, David; Spinka, Harold; Kuehn, Kyler (2018). "Photonic ring resonator notch filters for astronomical OH suppression". In Jia, Baohua; Chon, James W. M (eds.). Nanophotonics Australasia 2017. p. 147. doi:10.1117/12.2283353. ISBN 978-1-5106-1393-5. S2CID 126025793. Abbott, T. M. C.; et al. (2019). "First Cosmology Results using Type Ia Supernovae from the Dark Energy Survey: Constraints on Cosmological Parameters". The Astrophysical Journal. 872 (2): L30. arXiv:1811.02374. Bibcode:2019ApJ...872L..30A. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ab04fa. S2CID 84833144.

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Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Harold Spinka

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Harold Spinka claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Harold Spinka before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Harold Spinka ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Harold Spinka

In research: Harold Spinka appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Harold Spinka in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Harold Spinka is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1945 births, 2020 deaths, 20th-century American physicists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Harold Spinka outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Harold Spinka in 20 minutes

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Frequently asked questions

What is Harold Spinka in simple terms?

Harold Matthew Spinka Jr. (April 2, 1945, Chicago – December 27, 2020, Naperville, Illinois) was an American physicist, specializing in experimental particle physics.

Why does Harold Spinka matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Harold Spinka?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Harold Spinka.