Deceased Faculty
John M. Alexander, 1931-2019
Aug. 17, 1931 - Sept. 20, 2019
John M. Alexander, an emeritus faculty member and former chair of the Department, passed away suddenly on Friday night, Sept 20th.
John was recruited to Stony Brook in 1963 by Francis Bonner, the Founding Chair of the Department of Chemistry after Francis met John at a Gordon Conference on Nuclear Chemistry. In his memoirs, Francis writes that " it seemed to me natural, and perhaps imperative, for a major Chemistry Department located near BNL to include nuclear chemistry among its research dimensions." John subsequently served with high distinction as both an educator and a scholar in our department.
John's research had a profound influence on the development of our understanding of (i) the fundamental forces which bind nucleons into nuclei and (ii) the thermal, Spatio-temporal and transport properties of the high energy-density matter created in energetic collisions of these nuclei. He received many awards and honors for his research accomplishments, including Sloan and Guggenheim Fellowships, appointment as Fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Chemical Society Award for Nuclear Chemistry. John’s contributions to the Department and University community are highlighted by his service as Department Chair and his dedication to undergraduate education, especially for students experiencing college-level chemistry for the first time.
John is recognized among the Department’s Leaders in Chemistry Wall of Honor that showcases faculty who helped build the department into what it is today. If you wish to share a fond memory of John, submit your story here .
John is survived by his wife Betty, sons John, Frank, and Jim, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements will be announced shortly.
RESEARCH: In recent years reactions between complex nuclei have emerged as one of the most active areas of fundamental research in nuclear science. Our nuclear chemistry group at Stony Brook is pursuing this field in several collaborative efforts. An active experimental program involves measurements of energy and angular distributions of charged particles after reactions such as 40Ar + 108Ag. The experimental tools we use include electronic detectors, primarily of charged particles emitted in heavy-ion collisions. We measure the light charged particles H, He, etc., heavy fragments such as those from fragmentation or fusion reactions, and the coincident detection of two or more of these.
Each student participates in both the experimental and theoretical aspects of research. Recent experiments have utilized accelerators at Stony Brook, Michigan State University, and Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and in France at Grenoble and Caen. Most of these experiments involve a collaboration among about a dozen scientists, some located at the accelerator laboratory itself and some at Stony Brook. Often, members of other groups in Europe, Asia, and South or North America visit for several months or years at Stony Brook. This continuing game of musical chairs has been very rewarding for each participant. The Nuclear Structure Laboratory and the Nuclear Theory Group, both in the Department of Physics at Stony Brook, are also very active colleagues in local and international research enterprises.
Scientific advances must always involve the interplay between experiment and theory. As experimental results give new insights, theoretical models must be altered and reformed. Students also participate in these theoretical comparisons and advances.
Awards/Honors
- John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship Award,1969-70
- American Chemical Society Award for Nuclear Chemistry, 1991
Publications
Longitudinal flow of protons from (2-8)A GeV central Au plus Au collisions Klay JL, Ajitanand NN, Alexander JM, Anderson MG, Best D, Brady FP, Case T, Caskey W, Cebra D, Chance JL, Chung P, Cole B, Crowe K, Das AC, Draper JE, Gilkes ML, Gushue S, Heffner M, Hirsch AS, Hjort EL, Huo L, Justice M, Kaplan M, Keane D, Kintner JC, Krofcheck D, Lacey RA, Lauret J, Law C, Lisa MA, Liu H, Liu YM, McGrath R, Milosevich Z, Odyniec G, Olson DL, Panitkin SY, Pinkenburg C, Porile NT, Rai G, Ritter HG, Romero JL, Scharenberg R, Schroeder L, Srivastava B, Stone NTB, Symons TJM, Wang S, Wells R, Whitfield J, Wienold T, Witt R, Wood L, Zhang WN PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 88 (10): art. no. 102301 MAR 11 2002
Laying the groundwork at the AGS: Recent results from experiment E895 Lisa MA, Ajitanand NN, Alexander JM, Anderson M, Best D, Brady FP, Case T, Caskey W, Cebra D, Chance JL, Chung P, Cole B, Crowe K, Das AC, Draper JE, Gilkes ML, Gushue S, Heffner M, Hirsch AS, Hjort EL, Huo L, Justice M, Kaplan M, Keane D, Kintner JC, Klay J, Krofcheck D, Lacey RA, Law C, Lauret J, Liu H, Liu YM, McGrath RL, Milosevich Z, Odyniec G, Olson DL, Pinkenburg C, Panitkin S, Porile NT, Rai G, Ritter HG, Romero JL, Scharenburg R, Schroeder LS, Srivastava B, Stone NTB, Symons TJM, Wang S, Wells R, Whitfield J, Wienold T, Witt R, Wood L, Zhang WN, NUCLEAR PHYSICS A 698: 185C-192C FEB 11 2002
Production and collective behavior of strange particles in Au plus Au collisions at 2-8 AGeV, Pinkenberg C, Ajitanand NN, Alexander JM, Anderson M, Best D, Brady FP, Case T, Caskey W, Cebra D, Chance JL, Chung P, Cole B, Crowe K, Das AC, Draper JE, Gilkes ML, Gushue S, Heffner M, Hirsch AS, Hjort EL, Huo L, Justice M, Kaplan M, Keane D, Kintner JC, Klay J, Krofcheck D, Lacey RA, Law C, Lauret J, Lisa MA, Liu H, Liu YM, McGrath RL, Milosevich Z, Odyniec G, Olson DL, Panitkin S, Porile NT, Rai G, Ritter HG, Romero JL, Scharenburg R, Schroeder LS, Srivastava B, Stone NTB, Symons TJM, Wang S, Whitfield J, Witt R, Wood L, Zhang WN, NUCLEAR PHYSICS A 698: 495C-498C FEB 11 2002
Directed flow of Lambda hyperons in (2-6)A GeV Au+Au collisions, Chung P, Ajitanand NN, Alexander JM, Anderson M, Best D, Brady FP, Case T, Caskey W, Cebra D, Chance JL, Cole B, Crowe K, Das A, Draper JE, Gilkes ML, Gushue S, Heffner M, Hirsch AS, Hjort EL, Huo L, Justice M, Kaplan M, Keane D, Kintner JC, Klay J, Krofcheck D, Lacey RA, Lauret J, Lisa MA, Liu H, Liu YM, McGrath R, Milosevich Z, Odyniec G, Olson DL, Panitkin SY, Pinkenburg C, Porile NT, Rai G, Ritter HG, Romero JL, Scharenberg R, Schroeder L, Srivastava B, Stone NTB, Symons TJM, Wienold T, Witt R, Whitfield J, Wood L, Zhang WN, PHYSICALREVIEW LETTERS 86 (12): 2533-2536 MAR 19 2001
Lambda flow and Lambda-P correlation in Au plus Au collisions at AGS energies Chung P, Alexander JM, Ajitanand NN, Anderson M, Best D, Brady FP, Case T, Caskey W, Cebra D, Chance JL, Cole B, Crowe K, Das AC, Draper JE, Gilkes ML, Gushue S, Heffner M, Hirsch AS, Hjort EL, Huo L, Justice M, Kaplan M, Keane D, Kintner JC, Klay J, Krofcheck D, Lacey RA, Law C, Lauret J, Lisa MA, Liu H, Liu YM, McGrath R, Milosevich Z, Odyniec G, Olson DL, Panitkin S, Pinkenburg C, Porile NT, Rai G, Ritter HG, Romero JL, Scharenberg R, Schroeder L, Srivastava B, Stone NTB, Symons TJM, Whitfield J, Witt R, Wood L, Zhang WN, JOURNAL OF PHYSICS G-NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE PHYSICS 27 (3): 293-299 MAR 2001
Azimuthal dependence of pion interferometry at the AGS, Lisa MA, Ajitanand NN, Alexander JM, Anderson M, Best D, Brady FP, Case T, Caskey W, Cebra D, Chance JL, Chung P, Cole B, Crowe K, Das AC, Draper JE, Gilkes ML, Gushue S, Heffner M, Hirsch AS, Hjort EL, Huo L, Justice M, Kaplan M, Keane D, Kintner JC, Klay J, Krofcheck D, Lacey RA, Lauret J, Liu H, Liu YM, McGrath R, Milosevich Z, Odyniec G, Olson DL, Panitkin SY, Pinkenburg C, Porile NT, Rai G, Ritter HG, Romero JL, Scharenberg R, Schroeder L, Srivastava B, Stone NTB, Symons TJM, Wells R, Whitfield J, Wienold T, Witt R, Wood L, Zhang WN, PHYSICSLETTERS B 496 (1-2): 1-8 DEC 21 2000
Antiflow of K-s(0) mesons in 6A GeV Au+Au collisions, Chung P, Ajitanand NN, AlexanderJM, Anderson M, Best D, Brady FP, Case T, Caskey W, Cebra D, Chance JL, Cole B, Crowe K, Das A, Draper JE, Gilkes ML, Gushue S, Heffner M, Hirsch AS, Hjort EL, Huo L, Justice M, Kaplan M, Keane D, Kintner JC, Klay J, Krofcheck D, Lacey RA, Lauret J, Lisa MA, Liu H, Liu YM, McGrath R, Milosevich Z, Odyniec G, Olson DL, Panitkin SY, Pinkenburg C, Porile NT, Rai G, Ritter HG, Romero JL, Scharenberg R, Schroeder L, Srivastava B, Stone NTB, Symons TJM, Wienold T, Witt R, Whitfield J, Wood L, Zhang WN, PHYSICAL REVIEWLETTERS 85 (5): 940-943 JUL 31 2000
Isotropic emission components in splintering central collisions: (17-115)A MeV Ar-40+Cu, Ag, Au, Sun RL, Colin E, Ajitanand NN, Alexander JM, Barton MA, DeYoung PA, Drake KL, Elmaani A, Gelderloos CJ, Gualtieri EE, Guinet D, Hannuschke S, Jaasma JA, Kowalski L, Lacey RA, Lauret J, Norbeck E, Pak R, Peaslee GF, Stern M, Stone NTB, Sundbeck SD, Vander Molen AM, Westfall GD, Yang LB, Yee J, PHYSICAL REVIEW C 61 (6): art. no. 061601 JUN 2000
Nuclear disassembly in violent central collisions at intermediate energies: (65-115)A MeV Ar-40+Cu, Ag, Au, Colin E, Sun RL, Ajitanand NN, Alexander JM, Barton MA, DeYoung PA, Drake KL, Elmaani A, Gelderloos CJ, Gualtieri EE, Guinet D, Hannuschke S, Jaasma JA, Kowalski L, Lacey RA, Lauret J, Norbeck E, Pak R, Peaslee GF, Stern M, Stone NTB, Sundbeck SD, Vander Molen AM, Westfall GD, Yang LB, Yee J, PHYSICAL REVIEW C 61 (6): art. no. 067602 JUN 2000
Bombarding energy dependence of pi(-) interferometry at the Brookhaven AGS Lisa MA, Ajitanand NN, Alexander JM, Anderson M, Best D, Brady FP, Case T, Caskey W, Cebra D, Chance JL, Chung P, Cole B, Crowe K, Das AC, Draper JE, Gilkes ML, Gushue S, Heffner M, Hirsch AS, Hjort EL, Huo L, Justice M, Kaplan M, Keane D, Kintner JC, Klay J, Krofcheck D, Lacey RA, Lauret J, Liu H, Liu YM, McGrath R, Milosevich Z, Odyniec G, Olson DL, Panitkin SY, Pinkenburg C, Porile NT, Rai G, Ritter HG, Romero JL, Scharenberg R, Schroeder L, Srivastava B, Stone NTB, Symons TJM, Wells R, Whitfield J, Wienold T, Witt R, Wood L, Zhang WN, PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 84 (13): 2798-2802 MAR 27 2000
Balance of mass, momentum, and energy in splintering central collisions for Ar-40 up to 115 MeV/nucleon, Sun RL, Colin E, Ajitanand NN, Alexander JM, Barton MA, DeYoung PA, Drake KL, Elmaani A, Gelderloos CJ, Gualtieri EE, Guinet D, Hannuschke S, Jaasma JA, Kowalski L, Lacey RA, Lauret J, Norbeck E, Pak R, Peaslee GF, Stern M, Stone NTB, Sundbeck SD, Vander Molen AM, Westfall GD, Yang LB, Yee J, PHYSICAL REVIEWLETTERS 84 (1): 43-46 JAN 3 2000
Elliptic flow: Transition from out-of-plane to in-plane emission in Au plus Au collisions Pinkenburg C, Ajitanand NN, Alexander JM, Anderson M, Best D, Brady FP, Case T, Caskey W, Cebra D, Chance JL, Chung P, Cole B, Crowe K, Das AC, Draper JE, Elmaani A, Gilkes ML, Gushue S, Heffner M, Hirsch AS, Hjort EL, Huo L, Justice M, Kaplan M, Keane D, Kintner JC, Klay J, Krofcheck D, Lacey RA, Lauret J, Law C, Lisa MA, Liu H, Liu YM, McGrath R, Milosevich Z, Odyniec G, Olson DL, Panitkin SY, Porile NT, Rai G, Ritter HG, Romero JL, Scharenberg R, Schroeder L, Srivastava B, Stone NTB, Symons TJM, Whitfield J, Wienold T, Witt R, Wood L, Zhang WN, PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 83 (7): 1295-1298 AUG 16 199
Neutral strange particle production and flow at AGS energies, Chung P, Alexander JM, Ajitanand NN, Anderson M, Best D, Brady FP, Case T, Caskey W, Cebra D, Chance JL, Cole B, Crowe K, Das A, Draper JE, Gilkes ML, Gushue S, Heffner M, Hirsch AS, Hjort EL, Huo L, Justice M, Kaplan M, Keane D, Kintner JC, Klay J, Krofcheck D, Lacey RA, Law C, Lisa MA, Liu H, Liu YM, McGrath R, Milosevich Z, Odyniec G, Olson DL, Panitkin S, Pinkenburg C, Porile NT, Rai G, Ritter HG, Romero JL, Scharenberg R, Schroeder L, Srivastava B, Stone NTB, Symons TJM, Whitfield J, Zhang WN, JOURNAL OF PHYSICS G-NUCLEAR ANDPARTICLE PHYSICS 25 (2): 255-261 FEB 1999
Disappearance of elliptic flow: A new probe for the nuclear equation of state Danielewicz P, Lacey RA, Gossiaux PB, Pinkenburg C, Chung P, Alexander JM, McGrath RL PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 81 (12): 2438-2441 SEP 21 1998
Splintering central collisions: Systematics of momentum and energy deposition for (17-115)A MeV Ar-40 Colin E, Sun RL, Ajitanand NN, Alexander JM, Barton MA, DeYoung PA, Elmaani A, Gelderloos CJ, Gualtieri EE, Guinet D, Hannuschke S, Jasma JA, Kowalski L, Lacey RA, Lauret J, Norbeck E, Pak R, Peaslee GF, Stern M, Stone NTB, Sundbeck SD, Vander Molen AM, Westfall GD, Yee J PHYSICAL REVIEW C 57 (3): R1032-R1036 MAR 1998
Dynamics of radial collective energy in near central collisions for 1A GeV Au+C Lauret J, Albergo S, Bieser F, Ajitanand NN, Alexander JM, Brady FP, Caccia Z, Cebra D, Chacon AD, Chance JL, Choi Y, Chung P, Costa S, Danielewicz P, Elliott JB, Gilkes M, Hauger JA, Hirsch AS, Hjort EL, Insolia A, Justice M, Keane D, Kintner J, Lacey RA, Lindenstruth V, Lisa MA, Matis HS, McGrath R, McMahan M, McParland C, Muller WFJ, Olson DL, Partlan MD, Porile NT, Potenza R, Rai G, Rasmussen J, Ritter HG, Romanski J, Romero JL, Russo GV, Sann H, Scharenberg R, Scott A, Shao Y, Srivastava BK, Symons TJM, Tincknell M, Tuve C, Wang S, Warren P, Wienold T, Wieman HH, Wolf K PHYSICAL REVIEW C 57 (3): R1051-R1055 MAR 1998
Classical tests for statistical evaporation at 680 MeV Ar-40+Ag-nat Gelderloos CJ, Alexander JM, Boger J, Magda MT, Narayanan A, DeYoung PA, Elmaani A, McMahan MA PHYSICAL REVIEW C 54 (6): 3056-3061 DEC 1996
MODGAN: An efficient Monte Carlo code for long chains of evaporative emission Ajitanand N, Alexander JM NUCLEAR INSTRUMENTS & METHODS IN PHYSICS RESEARCH SECTION A-ACCELERATORS SPECTROMETERS DETECTORS AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT 376 (2): 213-216 JUL 1 1996
Fusionlike reactions of Ar-40 up to 1.36 GeV: Prethermalization and postthermalization particles and fragments Magda MT, Bauge E, Elmaani A, Braunstein T, Gelderloos CJ, Ajitanand NN, Alexander JM, Ethvignot T, Bier P, Kowalski L, Desequelles P, Elhage H, Giorni A, Kox S, Lleres A, Merchez F, Morand C, Stassi P, Benrachi JB, Chambon B, Cheynis B, Drain D, Pastor C PHYSICAL REVIEW C 53 (4): R1473-R1477 APR 1996
Emission times for energy selected H-1,H-2,H-3 ejectiles from central collisions: 1360 MeV Ar-40+Ag Gelderloos CJ, Sun RL, Ajitanand NN, Alexander JM, Bauge E, Elmaani A, Ethvignot T, Lacey RA, Brandan ME, Giorni A, Heuer D, Kox S, Lleres A, MenchacaRocha A, Merchez F, Rebreyend D, Viano JB, Chambon B, Cheynis B, Drain D, Pastor C PHYSICAL REVIEW C 52 (6): R2834-R2838 DEC 1995
Correlation measurements of light charged particles emitted from S-32+Al-27 reactions at energies of 105 MeV and 215 MeV DeYoung PA, Ajitanand NN, Alexander JM, Datar V, Gelderloos CJ, Gilfoyle G, Gordon MS, McGrath RL, Peaslee GF, Sarafa J PHYSICAL REVIEW C 52 (6): 3488-3491 DEC 1995
COINCIDENCE CORRELATIONS BETWEEN LIGHT CHARGED-PARTICLES IN THE MATCHED REACTIONS 905-MEV AND 1030-MEV SB-121+AL-27 AND 550-MEV AND 750-MEV KR-86+CU-63 PARKER WE, KAPLAN M, MOSES DJ, ALEXANDER JM, LACEY RA, DECASTRORIZZO DM, BOGER J, NARAYANAN A, PEASLEE GF, POPESCU DG NUCLEAR PHYSICS A 594 (1): 1-26 NOV 6 1995
TIME RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DIRECT PARTICLE-EMISSION AND FRAGMENTATION - A PROBE FOR NUCLEAR EXPANSION PRIOR TO FRAGMENT FREEZE-OUT GELDERLOOS CJ, ALEXANDER JM, AJITANAND NN, BAUGE E, ELMAANI A, ETHVIGNOT T, KOWALSKI L, LACEY RA, BRANDAN ME, GIORNI A, HEUER D, KOX S, LLERES A, MENCHACAROCHA A, MERCHEZ F, REBREYEND D, VIANO JB, CHAMBON B, CHEYNIS B, DRAIN D, PASTOR C PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 75 (17): 3082-3085 OCT 23 1995