Flag lowered in memory of Professor Emeritus Karl Lembit Erdman

August 22, 2014

We are saddened by the news that Prof. Karl Erdman, a long-time member of the PHAS faculty, passed away on August 11th. Professor Emeritus Mike Craddock, who worked closely with Karl for many years, graciously summarized some of Karl’s achievements:

Karl was a faculty member in the Department from the mid-fifties until 1991 with an active research program in nuclear, particle and applied physics. Originally from a farm in southern Alberta, Karl earned a BSc and MSc from the University of Alberta before joining John Warren's group here, where he helped to build the 3-MeV Van de Graaff, earning his PhD with a low-energy nuclear physics experiment in 1953.

When TRIUMF was funded in 1968, Karl took on the major technical challenge of building the 4-MW rf accelerating system for the 500-MeV cyclotron. When that began operation he took part in low-energy pion experiments, but in 1976 began a five-year stint as Associate Director, his major responsibility being the development of the cyclotron and experimental facilities. This was the period during which the proton beam current was coaxed to its 100-\muA goal, the various proton, neutron, pion and muon beam lines completed, and the polarized ion source commissioned.

Following this, Karl returned first to low-energy pion experiments to determine the proton and neutron radii of nuclei, and then to involvement in a program of proton-antiproton interaction experiments at CERN - a particular interest of his in both cases being the development of advanced detectors. He also found time to serve as an elected member of the Vancouver School Board.

In retirement Karl was closely involved with the Richmond company EbCo in development of their range of TRIUMF-designed low-energy isotope production cyclotrons (now managed by their subsidiary ACSI).

The BC Flag (Main Mall and Agronomy Road) was lowered on Tuesday, August 19, in memory of Karl. A Funeral service will be held on August 26 at 2:00 P.M. at Kerrisdale Presbyterian, 2733 W 41 Ave Vancouver.