James A. Van Allen

American astrophysicist (1914–2006)
Person human Q271963
James A. Van Allen
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James A. Van Allen

Summary

James A. Van Allen is a human[1]. Born in Mount Pleasant[2], he… he was born on September 7, 1914[3]. He passed away in Iowa City[4]. He died on August 9, 2006[5]. He worked as a physicist[6], astronomer[7], nuclear physicist[8], university teacher[9], and earth scientist[10]. He ranks in the top 0.72% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (293 views/month, #7,211 of 1,000,298).[11]

Key Facts

  • James A. Van Allen was born in Mount Pleasant[2].
  • James A. Van Allen died in Iowa City[4].
  • James A. Van Allen was born on September 7, 1914[3].
  • James A. Van Allen died on August 9, 2006[5].
  • James A. Van Allen is buried at Southampton Cemetery[12].
  • James A. Van Allen held citizenship in United States[13].
  • James A. Van Allen worked as a physicist[6].
  • James A. Van Allen worked as an astronomer[7].
  • James A. Van Allen worked as a nuclear physicist[8].
  • James A. Van Allen worked as a university teacher[9].
  • James A. Van Allen's professions included earth scientist[10].
  • James A. Van Allen's field of work was astrophysics[14].
  • Among James A. Van Allen's employers was Carnegie Institution for Science[15].
  • James A. Van Allen was employed by University of Iowa[16].
  • Among James A. Van Allen's employers was Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory[17].
  • James A. Van Allen was educated at University of Iowa[18].
  • James A. Van Allen was educated at Iowa Wesleyan University[19].
  • James A. Van Allen's education included a stint at Mount Pleasant Community High School[20].
  • A notable work attributed to James A. Van Allen is Van Allen radiation belt[21].
  • A notable work attributed to James A. Van Allen is radio proximity fuze[22].
  • James A. Van Allen received the Guggenheim Fellowship[23].
  • James A. Van Allen received the Elliott Cresson Medal[24].
  • James A. Van Allen received the William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement[25].
  • James A. Van Allen received the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society[26].
  • James A. Van Allen received the National Medal of Science[27].

Body

Origins and Family

James A. Van Allen's place of birth was Mount Pleasant[2]. He was born on September 7, 1914[3].

Education

Educated at University of Iowa[18], a public research university[28], in United States[29], founded in 1847[30], headquartered in Iowa City[31]; Iowa Wesleyan University[19], a liberal arts college in the United States[32], in United States[33], founded in 1842[34]; and Mount Pleasant Community High School[20], a high school[35], in United States[36]. Academic degrees include Bachelor of Science[37], Master of Science[38], and Doctor of Philosophy[39].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include physicist[6], astronomer[7], nuclear physicist[8], university teacher[9], and earth scientist[10]. James A. Van Allen's field of work was astrophysics[14]. Employers include Carnegie Institution for Science[15], a nonprofit organization[40], in United States[41], founded in 1902[42], headquartered in Washington, D.C.[43]; University of Iowa[16], a public research university[44], in United States[45], founded in 1847[46], headquartered in Iowa City[47]; and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory[17], a laboratory[48], in United States[49], founded in 1942[50]. Doctoral students include George H. Ludwig[51] and Robert Ellis[52].

Works and Contributions

Notable works include Van Allen radiation belt[21] and radio proximity fuze[22]. Things named for James A. Van Allen include Van Allen radiation belt[53], an astrophysical process[54]; Van Allen Probes[55], a space mission[56], in United States[57]; Van Allen Range[58], a mountain range[59]; Van Allen Probe B[60], a geomagnetic satellite[61]; and Van Allen Probe A[62], a geomagnetic satellite[63].

Recognition

Awards received include Guggenheim Fellowship[23], a fellowship grant[64], in United States[65], founded in 1925[66]; Elliott Cresson Medal[24], an award[67], in United States[68], founded in 1875[69]; William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement[25], a science award[70], in United States[71], founded in 1950[72]; Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society[26], a science award[73], in United Kingdom[74], founded in 1824[75]; National Medal of Science[27], a science award[76], in United States[77], founded in 1963[78]; and William Bowie Medal[79], a geophysics award[80], in United States[81], founded in 1939[82].

Death and Burial

James A. Van Allen died on August 9, 2006[5]. He passed away in Iowa City[4]. The cause of death was heart failure[83]. He is buried at Southampton Cemetery[12].

Why It Matters

James A. Van Allen ranks in the top 0.72% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (293 views/month, #7,211 of 1,000,298).[11] He has Wikipedia articles in 26 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[84] He is known by 39 alternative names across languages and contexts.[85]

He has been cited as an influence by James E. Hansen[86], a physicist[87], b. 1941[88], of United States[89], awarded the Sophie Prize[90], specialised in atmospheric physics[91].

Entities named for him include Van Allen radiation belt[53], an astrophysical process[54]; Van Allen Probes[55], a space mission[56], in United States[57]; Van Allen Range[58], a mountain range[59]; Van Allen Probe B[60], a geomagnetic satellite[61]; and Van Allen Probe A[62], a geomagnetic satellite[63].

FAQs

Where was James A. Van Allen born?

James A. Van Allen was born in Mount Pleasant[2].

Where did James A. Van Allen die?

James A. Van Allen died in Iowa City[4].

What did James A. Van Allen do for work?

James A. Van Allen worked as physicist[6], astronomer[7], nuclear physicist[8], university teacher[9], and earth scientist[10].

Where did James A. Van Allen go to school?

James A. Van Allen was educated at University of Iowa[18], Iowa Wesleyan University[19], and Mount Pleasant Community High School[20].

What awards did James A. Van Allen receive?

Honors received include Guggenheim Fellowship[23], Elliott Cresson Medal[24], William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement[25], and Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society[26].

Who did James A. Van Allen influence?

James A. Van Allen has been cited as an influence by James E. Hansen[86].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] . link.springer.com. link.springer.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  2. [4] . clas.uiowa.edu. clas.uiowa.edu. Provenance: wikidata.org.
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  16. [12] . Find a Grave. wikidata.org.
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  30. [5] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . crgazette.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  31. [21] . wikidata.org.
  32. [22] . wikidata.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

  1. [86] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [53] . wikidata.org. → on this site
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Class ancestry

  1. [1] . Wikidata. wikidata.org.

Aggregate / graph-position facts

  1. [11] . Wikimedia Foundation. dumps.wikimedia.org.
  2. [84] . Wikidata sitelinks. wikidata.org.
  3. [85] . Wikidata aliases. wikidata.org.

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APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). James A. Van Allen. Retrieved April 19, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/james-a-van-allen
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BibTeX @misc{4ortxyz_james-a-van-allen_2026, author = {{4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph}}, title = {{James A. Van Allen}}, year = {2026}, url = {https://4ort.xyz/entity/james-a-van-allen}, note = {Accessed: 2026-04-19}}
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Edit History

Rolling log of changes to this entity's Wikidata record. Values shown reflect the current state of each edited property — follow the history link to see the precise diff for any edit.

  1. 13d ago · Epìdosis · 2026-05-19 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Local thumb
    "/* wbeditentity-update:0| */ QuickStatements 3.0 [[:toollabs:qs-dev/batch/32082|batch #32082]]: import P21 and P106 from GND (24)"
  2. 4w ago · MariuszRokin · 2026-04-30 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Manner of death natural causes
    Aliases
    Award received Guggenheim Fellowship, Elliott Cresson Medal, William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement +14
    Citizenship
    + 32 other properties edited (see Wikidata diff for full list)
    "/* wbcreateclaim-create:1| */ [[Property:P3368]]: 1314407, [[:toollabs:quickstatements/#/batch/257026|batch #257026]]"
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