Samuel Tolansky (17.02.1907-1.03.1973) was an English physicist and a Fellow of the Royal Society (1952). He was born in Newcastle. In 1931 he received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Newcastle. In 1934—46 he worked at the University of Manchester, and from 1947 he was professor at the University of London.
His research concerned nuclear physics, high-resolution spectroscopy, interferometry and crystal physics. He analysed the hyperfine structure of spectra in order to study the properties of nuclei, to determine their spins and their magnetic and quadrupole moments. He determined the spin of the uranium-235 nucleus. He did much for the development of interferometric methods; in particular, he invented the method of multiple-beam interferometry and a method of analysing the quality of the surface of plates and their deviation from flatness. He carried out a series of studies on the microtopography of the surface of natural and artificial diamonds.
The C. Boys Medal (1948).