Hannes Alfvén

Swedish plasma physicist who revolutionized space science

Hannes Olof Gösta Alfvén (1908-1995) transformed our understanding of cosmic plasma physics through his groundbreaking research. The first physicist to apply magnetohydrodynamics to space phenomena, Alfvén challenged established astrophysical theories by demonstrating how electromagnetic forces shape galactic structures.

His "Alfvén waves" discovery in 1942, initially ridiculed by peers, became fundamental in explaining:

• Solar corona heating mechanisms
• Earth's magnetosphere dynamics
• Interstellar medium behavior

Despite Nobel Prize recognition in 1970, Alfvén remained controversial for criticizing mainstream cosmology's overreliance on gravitational models while neglecting electromagnetic effects. His plasma universe theory proposed that 99% of observable matter exists in plasma state, radically redefining cosmological research paradigms.