Richard F. Post Explained

Birth Name:Richard Freeman Post
Birth Date:14 November 1918[1]
Birth Place:Pomona, California, U.S.
Death Place:Walnut Creek, California, U.S.
Nationality:American
Fields:Nuclear fusion, plasma physics, magnetic mirrors, magnetic levitation, magnetic bearing design, direct energy conversion
Workplaces:Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Education:Pomona College (B.S.)
Stanford University (Ph.D.)
Awards:
Spouse:Marylee Post
Children:3; including Markie
Relatives:Descendants of Robert Coe

Richard Freeman Post (November 14, 1918 – April 7, 2015) was an American physicist notable for his work in nuclear fusion, plasma physics, magnetic mirrors, magnetic levitation, magnetic bearing design and direct energy conversion.[2]

Post was a winner of the James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics[3] and led the controlled thermonuclear research group at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for 23 years. He held a total of 34 patents in the fields of nuclear fusion, particle accelerators, and electronic and mechanical energy storage.

Early life and education

Post was born in Pomona, California, the son of Miriam (Colcord) and Freeman Post.[4] [5] He is a descendant of colonist Robert Coe.[6] [7] He received a BA in physics from Pomona College in 1940 and a PhD in physics from Stanford University in 1951. After his PhD, he was inspired to pursue fusion energy research by a college professor.[8]

Career

Post joined the staff at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) as leader of the controlled thermonuclear research group until 1974. During this time, he developed many of the concepts behind magnetic mirrors and direct energy conversion.[2] He worked with Marshall Rosenbluth to develop the stability of plasma inside mirror machines.[9] From 1974 to 1987 he was deputy associate director of the magnetic fusion energy program at LLNL. This was a heavily funded effort by the United States Department of Energy to build a succession of magnetic mirror machines, including the Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF) and the Tandem Mirror Facility. After 1987, Post was senior scientist in the magnetic fusion energy program. He has held advisory roles at NASA, the National Academy of Sciences and the United States Air Force.[4]

His notable work includes inductrack[10] [11] [12] and magnetically levitated flywheels.[13]

Personal life

Post and his wife Marylee (a poet) are the parents of actress Markie Post and her two brothers,[14] Steve and Rodney. Although he retired in 1994, Post continued to work in his lab four days a week, up until the week of his death on April 7, 2015.[15]

Notes and References

  1. 2015-04-14 . Richard Freeman Post . Physics Today . en . 10.1063/PT.5.6146.
  2. Post. Richard . Mirror Systems: Fuel Cycles, Loss Recovery, and Energy Recovery. BNES Nuclear Fusion Reactor Conference at Culham Laboratory . September 1969.
  3. Web site: 1978 James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics Recipient: Richard F. Post. APS.org . American Physical Society . 20 April 2015.
  4. http://www.aip.org/history/acap/biographies/bio.jsp?postr Richard Post
  5. Web site: The Historical Volume and Reference Works, Los Angeles County. Studer. Robert Paul. 1962.
  6. Book: Guinn, James Miller . A History of California and an Extended History of Its Southern Coast Counties . California Historic Record Company . 1907 . 2 . California.
  7. Book: Bartlett, J. Gardner . Robert Coe, Puritan . Published for private circulation . 1911 . 9780598765826.
  8. Post, Richard. "Thoughts on Fusion Energy Development", Fusion Power Associates Annual Meeting and Symposium - "Honoring Fusion Pioneers Richard F. Post and John H. Nuckolls", 3–4 December 2008
  9. Electrostatic Instabilities in Finite Mirror-Confined Plasmas. R. F. . Post. M. N. . Rosenbluth . Physics of Fluids. 1966 . 10.1063/1.1761740 . 9 . 4 . 730. 1966PhFl....9..730P .
  10. Web site: A New Approach for Magnetically Levitating Trains — and Rockets. Arnie. Heller . Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory . 2009-09-07.
  11. Web site: MagLev: A New Approach . Richard F. . Post . Scientific American . January 2000 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20050309114627/http://www.skytran.net/press/sciam01.htm . March 9, 2005 .
  12. Web site: The Inductrack Approach to Magnetic Levitation . Richard F. . Post . Askmar.com .
  13. Annual Symposium on Coupling Technology to National Needs. Albuquerque, NM. The electromechanical battery: The new kid on the block. Office of Scientific and Technical Information, US Department of Energy . Richard F. . Post . 1 August 1993 . 20 April 2015.
  14. News: Though She Plays a Lawyer on Night Court, Markie Post Can't Help Feeling Guilty. 3 March 1986 . 25 . 9 . James . Grant . . 20 April 2015.
  15. Web site: Remembering Dick Post's life and career Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. www.llnl.gov. 2020-02-16.