Arthur Holly Compton (10.09.1892-15.03.1962) was an American physicist and a member of the National Academy of Sciences (1927). He was born in Wooster (Ohio). He graduated from the College of Wooster (1913) and from Princeton University (1914). In 1920-23 and 1953 — 61 he was professor at Washington University (St Louis) (rector in 1945 —53), in 1923-45 at the University of Chicago, and in 1942-45 he headed the Metallurgical Laboratory.
His research concerned atomic and nuclear physics and the physics of cosmic rays. In 1922 he discovered the phenomenon of the change in the wavelength of X-ray radiation caused by its scattering by the electrons of a substance (the Compton effect) and, independently of P. Debye, constructed its theory (Nobel Prize, 1927). This gave direct proof of the existence of the photon. He observed the phenomenon of the total internal reflection of X-rays and developed a method of measuring the wavelength of X-ray radiation. In 1932 he discovered (independently of J. Clay) the latitude effect of cosmic rays and the presence of charged particles in them, and in 1921 he arrived at the idea of spin.
A member of many academies of sciences. The B. Rumford (1927), C. Matteucci (1933), B. Franklin (1940, 1945) and D. Hughes (1940) Medals and others.