Woman invented the 'trap' radar jamming

 

Her career has been forgotten and few people remember it today, but it was the physicist Joan Curran who was the first in the world to invent the technology to make the aircraft "invisible" in front of radar screens. in the period of the Second World War (Co-operative II). How is this achievement actually?

Radar "trap"

On June 4, 2013 in Huntsville (Alabama, USA), residents enjoyed a great day: a clear blue sky, mild temperatures. Just as the weather report predicted.

But at lunchtime, meteorologists began to feel a dense storm on the weather forecast radar screen."Water spots" grow like mushrooms on radar screens. The strange water cloud has spread throughout Huntsville city at 4 pm.

But, strange, the people still see outside the window is a blue sky. The source of the bubble turned out not to be a weather hoax, but a radar cloud, a military technology used by nations across the globe today.

The source of the strange incident came from Redstone Arsenal, where it was decided that a warm summer day was the perfect condition for a customary military experiment.

The impact of radar jamming on the modern weather system relates to the reality of the life of an inventor whose creation was overshadowed by the smoke of a male scientific community. occupation - it is an old-fashioned tradition. Inventor of radar "trap" is a woman named Joan Curran .

The birth name is Joan Strothers . Joan grew up in Swansea coastal Wales. She was admitted and enrolled at Newnham College (Cambridge University) in 1934. Joan Strothers studied physics under a full scholarship and a passion for sailing whenever she was free.

Inventor of radar stealth technology, Joan Curran (small image).(Source: Mraths).

After completing the module requirements in 1938, Joan went to the elite Cavendish Laboratory of the University of Cambridge to begin pursuing a doctorate in physics. At Cavendish, graduate student Joan Strothers was assigned to work with a young man named Samuel Curran.

For two years, Joan Strothers studied enthusiastically with fellow male Samuel Curran at the lab. But when the international conflict increased in Europe, in 1940, the couple turned to military research and ended the study in Exeter. Also in Exeter, Joan Strothers married Samuel Curran and changed his name to Joan Curran.

Shortly after their wedding in November, the Curran couple began working for the Telecommunications Research Facility (TRE) in the fall of 1940. Joan Curran joined a group of scientists. Learned by the British military science intelligence expert and expert named RV Jones to work together to develop a solution that could "hide" the aircraft from enemy radar scans.

In his book entitled "The Confidential War", inventor Jones Curran explained the idea of ​​a stealth technology in front of radar screens in the simplest way: radar detectors measure The reflection of radio waves follows a certain wavelength of approaching objects.

When it pops out, thin pieces of metal can resonate with incoming waves and also re-reflect the waves. Under the right conditions, reflected waves can also produce sound to warn a large object when in fact it is not seen in the case of "bubble clouds" in Alabama.

This feature means that a few hundred thin reflectors can react with a lot of the energy emitted by a British heavy bomber. A set of waves can interfere with and cover the exact position of an aircraft in a raid behind a large signal cloud, or at least make the enemy believe that they are observing a Big attack when in fact only 1 or 2 planes.

Glorious achievements

At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Joan Curran had for nearly a year engaged in experiments using metal to reflect radar signals, she tried countless sizes. and metal shapes, from single wires to metal files the size of a handbook.

Iron files are a particularly interesting idea because they can perform a dual task like propaganda sheets with text printed on it.

The metal aluminum coil that the Allies used to beat "radar traps" was found in the Netherlands in 1944. (Source photo: Wikipedia).

In 1942, Joan Curran finally created reflectors with a length of 25cm and a width of 1.5cm. The reflectors are made of aluminum foil and tied into bundles weighing about 1 pound and are intended to be thrown by the aircraft when flying close to the radar system."When the bombers threw aluminum bundles every 1 minute or so, it would blind the radar," he recalled. "On a radar screen, only a cloud of smoke will appear."

By 1943, the reflector band had been put into a military experiment when the Allies launched Operation Gomorrah in Hamburg (Germany). Gomorrah is a brutal campaign with a myriad of air strikes that last more than a week, destroying much of Hamburg, killing some 50,000 civilians.

But of the 791 aircraft involved in the airstrikes, only 12 were damaged on the night of the bombing, so this campaign was an absolute victory for the Allies, the first belonged to the mirrors. Joan Curran's reflexes.

The "radar trap" system that was used as part of a large-scale diversionary plan took place on June 5, 1944, to prevent German forces from knowing the exact location where the Allies landed on continental Europe. Europe is controlled by the Nazis (RZ).

Immediately deployed on a historic night called D-Day, two "radar traps" were dropped, Taxable and Glimmer campaigns combined with hundreds of paratroopers to attract the attention of German troops. North pole of France, unintentionally distracting the landing at Normandy beach. Joan Curran has produced many military and scientific technologies in both the UK and the United States.

She is remembered as a skillful and truly unique researcher. But despite the glorious achievements of the past, Joan Curran's legacy left behind is still regarded as blurred by his habits. In fact, Joan Curran did not have any degrees awarded by Cambridge University, when she did all to contribute to the Allied victory.

There is a bitter paradox that women in Joan Curran's era were not granted a degree, despite the fact that Ms. Joan still completed all tasks and was still invited to research.

The disadvantage for female scientists

In 1987, the inventor Joan Curran was finally awarded an honorary Doctorate of Law at Strathclyde University (United Kingdom). Joan died in 1999. In the obituary of Joan Curran, the reward line was as follows: "In my opinion, Joan Curran has made a great contribution to the victory of the Allied War over Sam ( male colleagues) ".

US Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft on training at the Nevada Air Force Test and Training Area on November 17, 2010.(Source: Alamy).

Like many female scientists have been faded in the length of history, Joan Curran and her achievements are only discussed by men, and they exist only in the works of male colleagues. .

Even Joan's own words have never been published, not recorded in interviews, making Joan's voice untranslated to other generations of female scientists - continuation. her footsteps.

According to Jess Wade, a postdoctoral scholar who specializes in solid state studies at the Royal College of London (ICL), she is also the creator of the online encyclopedia (Wikipedia) for female scientist house.

In an e-mail, Ms Jess Wade wrote: "It is impossible to know how many female scientists work in the laboratories of famous male scientists, or have how many women contribute, because for centuries men have done a great job of hiding women's achievements. "

Similar voices are also voiced from one of the renowned research organizations such as the National Mathematical and Scientific Initiative (NMSI, a Dallas-based nonprofit educational institution (state Texas).

Ms. Lauren Little, NMSI communications manager, said: "It is important for young girls when they see older seniors achieve many achievements, will give them hope, excitement and encourage them to achieve dreams ".

NMSI focuses on developing culturally appropriate teaching to encourage unprofessional groups to involve women in their favorite areas of science. Lessons taught include the work of inventor Joan Curran.

In the email, Ms Jess Wade wrote: "The important thing now is to approach women who intend to do science, impact their families and interview them to pursue careers before it's too late."

After all, we are in an era where women are more advanced. They are being acknowledged through some achievements. Progressive organizations like 500 female scientists are currently working to increase diversity in science through public talk events, advisory contracts and political campaign support.

And the stories about women doing science will be transmitted through television programs, movies and documentaries.

The life and career of inventor Joan Curran may not be enough for a television show, nor is there enough material to write a book. But surely her name is still historically important because of changes in the way of conducting an air war, and continues to affect the 21st century.