Raymond Davis Jr.

Facts

Raymond Davis Jr.

Photo from the Nobel Foundation archive.

Raymond Davis Jr.
The Nobel Prize in Physics 2002

Born: 14 October 1914, Washington, D.C., USA

Died: 31 May 2006, Blue Point, NY, USA

Affiliation at the time of the award: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Prize motivation: “for pioneering contributions to astrophysics, in particular for the detection of cosmic neutrinos”

Prize share: 1/4

Work

In certain nuclear reactions (such as when protons combine to form helium nuclei) elusive particles called neutrinos are created. Raymond Davies wanted to detect neutrinos in radiation from space to confirm the theory that this kind of nuclear reaction is the source of the sun’s energy. Beginning in the 1960s, he placed a large tank containing a chlorine-rich liquid inside a mine. In rare cases, a neutrino interacted with a chlorine atom to form an argon atom. By counting these argon atoms, neutrinos from space could be detected.

To cite this section
MLA style: Raymond Davis Jr. – Facts. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2024. Tue. 19 Mar 2024. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2002/davis/facts/>

Back to top Back To Top Takes users back to the top of the page

Nobel Prizes and laureates

Eleven laureates were awarded a Nobel Prize in 2023, for achievements that have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind. Their work and discoveries range from effective mRNA vaccines and attosecond physics to fighting against the oppression of women.

See them all presented here.
Illustration

Explore prizes and laureates

Look for popular awards and laureates in different fields, and discover the history of the Nobel Prize.