Giuseppe Longo

 

born in Paris (France) the 31 December 1929, is professor of General Physics at the Physics Department of the University of Bologna.

 

Degrees in Physics: University of Moscow (1962), University of Bologna (1963).

Libera Docenza in Nuclear Physics (1971).

Associated Professor of General Physics (1980). 

 

He has worked in 1961-1962 at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (Dubna, Russia), in 1963-1985 at the ENEA Centre in Bologna and from 1985 at the University of Bologna and at the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare in Bologna.

 

1961-62  - Measurements of neutron scattering and radiative capture cross sections on the pulsed fast reactor of JINR (Dubna).

1963-65  - Preparation of neutron scattering cross sections measurements on the Padua Van De Graaff and introduction of a new technique of n-gamma discrimination.

1966-69  - Development of the Direct-Semidirect theory of nucleon radiative capture by nuclei.

1970-75  - Collaboration with the University of Bordeaux in the measurement of gamma-ray spectra from nucleon radiative capture and in the theoretical interpretation of these results.

1976-84 - Theoretical explanation of the angular distributions of emitted photons following the radiative capture of nucleons in the region of giant quadrupole and octupole resonances.

1985-90  - Extension to polarized particles of radiative capture theoretical models.

 

The results of these researches in nuclear physics are published in Nuclear Physics, Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, Physics Letters, Il Nuovo Cimento, Lettere al Nuovo Cimento, Nuclear Science and Engineering, Europhysics Letters, Radiation Effects, Soviet Physics JETP, Journal of the Physical Society of Japan.

 

From 1991 he is involved in studies on the nature and composition of the Tunguska Cosmic Body (BBC, part 1), (BBC, part 2) .

 

In 1991 he participated in the first Italian expedition to the site of the Tunguska explosion. The Italian group searched for microparticles from the cosmic body, trapped and preserved in the resin of surviving trees. This work made it possible to identify a first group of 14 elements as possible constituents of the cosmic body. The results obtained are published in Il Nuovo Saggiatore, Planetary and Space Science and Priroda. Some data about the biological effects of the explosion were presented at the Tunguska96 Conference.

In 1996 he organized in Bologna an International Conference on the Tunguska event. The conference was well attended by both Russian and Western scientists, providing a fruitful exchange of ideas and exposing many Western scientists, for the first time to the extensive research works of their Eastern counterparts. There were three main themes of the meeting: a review of results of the extensive studies of the event itself, theoretical studies of the entry dynamics of the bolide, and finally the hazard posed to humanity by Tunguska-like events. He is one of the Editors of the special issue of Planetary and Space Science containing the reports presented in the Conference.

In July 1998 he was again in Tunguska to plan the construction of the base camp for the "Tunguska99" expedition.

In 1999 he coordinated the "Tunguska99" expedition. The main tasks of that expedition were: 1) to study the structure and sediments of Cheko, a small lake located near the epicenter of the Tunguska event; 2) to carry out an aerial photosurvey of the explosion site; 3) to collect wood, peat and rock samples; 4) to monitor gamma rays during the flight Italy-Siberia-Italy and in Tunguska. The papers published up to now, are available here.

From 2002 he coordinates the researches on the Tunguska Event carried out by the "Associazione Tunguska", in collaboration with the University of Bologna, the CNR Bologna and other institutions. Field researches were performed in 2002, 2008 and 2009. These field researches together with an accurate analysis of the 1999 results have lead to the formulation of the hypothesis that the Tunguska bolide has underwent fragmentation: the disintegration in the atmosphere of the main fragment was the cause of the known devastations, while a second fragment has originated a crater now filled by Lake Cheko Gasperini et al., 2007, 2008, 2009.

He coordinated Research Programs (ex 40%) 1997 (local), 2000 (National), 2002 (National) and, from 1998 up to 2002, a National Research Program in Antarctic.

He is member of Commission 15 (Physical Studies of Asteroids and Comets) of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). For his researches on the Tunguska event the IAU has named after him the asteroid (5948) Longo  (Minor Planet Circular 28621, 1996, December 24).