Johannes A. van Paradijs (9 June 1946 – 2 November 1999) was a Dutch high-energy astrophysicist. He is best known for discovering the first optical afterglow of a gamma-ray burst, GRB 970228, in February 1997, together with two of his students,[2] and for establishing that gamma-ray bursts are extragalactic events. He was married to the astrophysicist Chryssa Kouveliotou.
Jan van Paradijs | |
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![]() Jan van Paradijs in 1993 | |
Born | (1946-06-09)9 June 1946 Haarlem, Netherlands |
Died | 2 November 1999(1999-11-02) (aged 53)[1] Amsterdam, Netherlands |
Nationality | Dutch |
Alma mater | University of Amsterdam |
Spouse(s) | [2] |
Awards | Bruno Rossi Prize (1998)[3] |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Astrophysics |
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Van Paradijs determined the first mass of a neutron star, the X-ray pulsar Vela X-1 in 1975. In 1978 he showed that X-ray bursters are neutron stars in binary systems. Using spectroscopic mapping, he was the first to spatially resolve an accretion disk.[1]
Van Paradijs obtained his PhD at the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands, in 1975, working on cool giant stars. His thesis was entitled "Studies of line spectra of G- and K-type stars"[4] and his supervisor was David Koelbloed. Afterwards he started working on X-ray binaries. In 1988 he was appointed full professor at the University of Amsterdam, and later he worked part-time at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, U.S. He published over 400 scientific papers, including many with long-time collaborator Walter Lewin of MIT.[1]
The minor planet 9259 Janvanparadijs was named after him.
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