physics

Rochus Eugen Vogt

Rochus Eugen Vogt 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 Rochus Eugen Vogt rather than just read about it. In short: Rochus Eugen (Robbie) Vogt (born December 21, 1929) is a German-American physicist, famous as the director and principal investigator of the LIGO project from 1987 to 1994. Biography Vogt studied from 1950 to 1952 at the University of Karlsruhe and from 1952 to 1953 at Heidelberg University.

Key takeaways

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Reference excerpt

Rochus Eugen (Robbie) Vogt (born December 21, 1929) is a German-American physicist, famous as the director and principal investigator of the LIGO project from 1987 to 1994.

Biography Vogt studied from 1950 to 1952 at the University of Karlsruhe and from 1952 to 1953 at Heidelberg University. In 1953, he came to the United States. He graduated from the University of Chicago in physics with a master's degree in 1957 and a PhD in 1961. His doctoral dissertation Primary cosmic-ray and solar protons was supervised by Peter Meyer. At Caltech, Vogt was an assistant professor from 1962 to 1965, an associate professor from 1965 to 1970, a full professor from 1970 to 1982, and R. Stanton Avery Distinguished Service from 1982 to 2002, when he retired as professor emeritus. He was chair of Caltech's Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy from 1978 to 1983. He was the acting director of the Owens Valley Radio Observatory from 1980–1981. He was a mentor to Michael Turner, Neil Gehrels, and Anneila Sargent. Gehrels was one of Vogt's doctoral students. Vogt was a principal investigator of the Cosmic Ray Subsystem experiment of the Voyager mission.

Vogt received the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal for his work as a principal investigator on the Voyager mission, and was chief scientist at Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 1977–78. He led the construction of Caltech’s Owens Valley Radio Observatory’s mm-wave interferometer, had a lead role in bringing about the Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, and served as vice chair of the board of directors of the California Association for Research in Astronomy. From 1987 to 1994 he served as the director and principal investigator of the Caltech-MIT Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory project, becoming a co-recipient of the 2016 Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. In 1992, he was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Vogt married in 1958 and is the father of two daughters.

Selected publications

Articles Israel, Martin H.; Vogt, Rochus E. (1969). "Characteristics of the diurnally varying electron flux near the polar cap". Journal of Geophysical Research. 74 (19): 4714–4720. Bibcode:1969JGR....74.4714I. doi:10.1029/JA074i019p04714. hdl:2060/19690007265. Vogt, Rochus E.; Siscoe, George L. (1975). "Particles and fields in the outer solar system". Icarus. 24 (3): 333–347. Bibcode:1975Icar...24..333V. doi:10.1016/0019-1035(75)90129-3. Vogt, R. E.; Cook, W. R.; Cummings, A. C.; Garrard, T. L.; Gehrels, N.; Stone, E. C.; Trainor, J. H.; Schardt, A. W.; Conlon, T.; Lal, N.; McDonald, F. B. (1979). "Voyager 1: Energetic Ions and Electrons in the Jovian Magnetosphere". Science. 204 (4396): 1003–1007. Bibcode:1979Sci...204.1003V. doi:10.1126/science.204.4396.1003. PMID 17800440. S2CID 10361345. Vogt, R. E.; Cummings, A. C.; Garrard, T. L.; Gehrels, N.; Stone, E. C.; Trainor, J. H.; Schardt, A. W.; Conlon, T. F.; McDonald, F. B. (1979). "Voyager 2: Energetic Ions and Electrons in the Jovian Magnetosphere". Science. 206 (4421): 984–987. Bibcode:1979Sci...206..984V. doi:10.1126/science.206.4421.984. PMID 17733919. S2CID 26814583. Webber, W. R.; Stone, E. C.; Vogt, R. E. (1979). "Conference paper: The elemental composition of quiet time low energy cosmic rays measured on the Voyager spacecraft". In: Proceedings of the 16th International Cosmic Ray Conference. Vol. 12. University of Tokyo Press. pp. 357–362. Mewaldt, R. A.; Spalding, J.; Stone, E.; Vogt, R. (1980). "High-Resolution Measurements of Galactic Cosmic-Ray Neon, Magnesium and Silicon Isotopes". Astrophysical Journal. 235: L95–L99. Bibcode:1980ApJ...235L..95M. doi:10.1086/183166. Vogt, R. E.; Chenette, D. L.; Cummings, A. C.; Garrard, T. L.; Stone, E. C.; Schardt, A. W.; Trainor, J. H.; Lal, N.; McDonald, F. B. (1981). "Energetic Charged Particles in Saturn's Magnetosphere: Voyager 1 Results". Science. 212 (4491): 231–234. Bibcode:1981Sci...212..231V. doi:10.1126/science.212.4491.231. PMID 17783835. Vogt, R. E.; Chenette, D. L.; Cummings, A. C.; Garrard, T. L.; Stone, E. C.; Schardt, A. W.; Trainor, J. H.; Lal, N.; McDonald, F. B. (1982). "Energetic Charged Particles in Saturn's Magnetosphere: Voyager 2 Results". Science. 215 (4532): 577–582. Bibcode:1982Sci...215..577V. doi:10.1126/science.215.4532.577. PMID 17771281. S2CID 1380624. Abramovici, A.; Althouse, W. E.; Drever, R. W. P.; Gürsel, Y.; Kawamura, S.; Raab, F. J.; Shoemaker, D.; Sievers, L.; Spero, R. E.; Thorne, K. S.; Vogt, R. E.; Weiss, R.; Whitcomb, S. E.; Zucker, M. E. (1992). "LIGO: The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory" (PDF). Science. 256 (5055): 325–333. Bibcode:1992Sci...256..325A. doi:10.1126/science.256.5055.325. hdl:11858/00-001M-0000-0013-4663-0. PMID 17743108. S2CID 53709232. Feynman, Richard P.; Gottlieb, Michael A.; Leighton, Ralph (29 January 2013). "Interview with Rochs Vogt (interviewers: Ralph Leighton and Michael Gottlieb)". Feynman's Tips on Physics: Reflections, Advice, Insights, Practice. Basic Books. pp. 29–34. ISBN 978-0-465-02797-2.

Books Leighton, Robert B.; Vogt, Rochus E. (1969). Exercises in Introductory Physics. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-201-04215-3. (exercises for use with volume 1 of The Feynman Lectures on Physics)

References

External links "Rochus E. (Robbie) Vogt (undated photo)". OMNIA, California Institute of Technology. "Rochus E. (Robbie) Vogt (1983 photo)". OMNIA, California Institute of Technology.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Rochus Eugen Vogt

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Rochus Eugen Vogt 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 Rochus Eugen Vogt 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 Rochus Eugen Vogt 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 Rochus Eugen Vogt

In research: Rochus Eugen Vogt 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 Rochus Eugen Vogt 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: Rochus Eugen Vogt is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1929 births, 20th-century American physicists, 21st-century American physicists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Rochus Eugen Vogt 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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Frequently asked questions

What is Rochus Eugen Vogt in simple terms?

Rochus Eugen (Robbie) Vogt (born December 21, 1929) is a German-American physicist, famous as the director and principal investigator of the LIGO project from 1987 to 1994. Biography Vogt studied from 1950 to 1952 at the University of Karlsruhe and from 1952 to 1953 at Heidelberg University.

Why does Rochus Eugen Vogt 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 Rochus Eugen Vogt?

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 Rochus Eugen Vogt.