James Benford

Benford graduated with a BS in physics from the University of Oklahoma in 1963. He further obtained MS (1966), and Ph.D. (1969) degrees from the University of California at San Diego.{{Cite journal|last=Benford|first=J. N.|date=1970|title=Rotation in the Implosion Phase of a Theta Pinch.|url=https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=6951388|format=Ph.D. dissertation|journal=|language=en|publication-place=University of California at San Diego|pages=1}}{{Cite journal|last=Benford|first=James|date=1972-03-01|title=Rotation during the Implosion of a Theta Pinch|url=https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.1693926|journal=The Physics of Fluids|volume=15|issue=3|pages=435–445|bibcode=1972PhFl...15..435B|doi=10.1063/1.1693926|issn=0031-9171}} He received scholarships from the OU Club of Dallas{{Cite web|title=Trap Door|url=https://www.fanac.org/fanzines/Trap_Door/Trap_Door34.pdf|website=www.fanac.org}} for undergraduate studies, and the Aerojet General Corporation for graduate studies.{{Cite web|title=UCSD Special Fellowships and Regents Fellowships Granted some UCSD students|url=https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb4950104j/_2.pdf|website=ucsd.edu}}

While still a graduate student, Benford published his first research papers in the field of plasma physics.{{Cite journal|last1=Benford|first1=James|last2=Lovberg|first2=R. H.|last3=Niblett|first3=G. B. F.|date=1968-01-01|title=Resistive Instabilities in a Low-Energy Theta Pinch|url=https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.1691757|journal=The Physics of Fluids|volume=11|issue=1|pages=218–221|bibcode=1968PhFl...11..218B|doi=10.1063/1.1691757|issn=0031-9171}} From 1969 to 1996 he worked in the Physics International (PI), (San Leandro, CA), initially as a research physicist, then advancing to executive positions, and founding its HPMi division in 1989,{{Cite journal|last1=Sze|first1=H.|last2=Smith|first2=R.R.|last3=Benford|first3=J.N.|last4=Harteneck|first4=B.D.|date=1992|title=Phase-locking of strongly coupled relativistic magnetrons|url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/155835|journal=IEEE Transactions on Electromagnetic Compatibility|volume=34|issue=3|pages=235–241|bibcode=1992ITElC..34..235S|doi=10.1109/15.155835|issn=1558-187X}}{{Cite journal|last1=Benford|first1=J.|last2=Benford|first2=G.|date=2002|title=Survey of pulse shortening in high-power microwave sources|url=https://cyberleninka.org/article/n/1075043|journal=IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.|volume=25|issue=2}} whose accomplishments included developing advanced HPM sources,{{Cite book|last1=Swegle|first1=J.A.|last2=Benford|first2=J.N.|title=12th International Conference on High-Power Particle Beams. BEAMS'98. Proceedings (Cat. No.98EX103) |chapter=High-power microwaves at 25 years: The current state of development |date=1998|chapter-url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/822405|volume=1|pages=149–152 vol.1|doi=10.1109/BEAMS.1998.822405|isbn=0-7803-4287-9|s2cid=120376230}} building a large HPM experimental facility,{{Cite journal|last1=Benford|first1=James N.|last2=Miller|first2=Gabriel|last3=Potter|first3=Seth|last4=Ashby|first4=Steve|last5=Smith|first5=Richard R.|date=1995-05-01|title=High Power Microwave Source Development.|journal=DTIC |url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA294026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220117012829/https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA294026|url-status=live|archive-date=January 17, 2022|language=en}} beginning its HPM product line,{{Cite book|last1=Price|first1=David|last2=Goldman|first2=Edward|last3=Nett|first3=David|last4=Putnam|first4=Sidney|last5=Weidenheimer|first5=Doug|last6=Bloemker|first6=Carl|last7=White|first7=Roger|last8=Wynn|first8=Tony|title=1st International Energy Conversion Engineering Conference (IECEC)|date=2003|chapter=DEW Technology at the Titan Corporation|chapter-url=https://www.targetedjustice.com/uploads/1/1/6/3/116323993/titandewcapabilities.pdf|journal=Proceedings of SPIE|series=1st International Energy Conversion Engineering Conference (IECEC), OE/LASE '89|language=en|location=|publisher=American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics|volume=1061|pages=1–11|doi=10.2514/6.2003-5913|isbn=978-1-62410-088-8}} and implementing program ORION, an important HPM system built to a design specification which arose within the UK.{{Cite web|title=The High Power Microwave Facility: Orion|url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA479040.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118004555/https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA479040.pdf|url-status=live|archive-date=January 18, 2022|website=apps.dtic.mil}} At PI Benford published research papers on particle beams, fusion, pulsed power and HPM, relativistic magnetron and virtual cathode oscillator (vircator) technology.{{Cite journal|last1=Benford|first1=James|last2=Ecker|first2=Bruce|date=1971-05-10|title=Transport of Intense Relativistic Electron Beams in a z Pinch|url=https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.26.1160|journal=Physical Review Letters|language=en|volume=26|issue=19|pages=1160–1163|bibcode=1971PhRvL..26.1160B|doi=10.1103/PhysRevLett.26.1160|issn=0031-9007}}{{Cite journal|last1=Benford|first1=James|last2=Sze|first2=H.|last3=Young|first3=T.|last4=Bromley|first4=D.|last5=Proulx|first5=G.|date=1985|title=Variations on the Relativistic Magnetron|url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4316470|journal=IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science|volume=13|issue=6|pages=538–544|bibcode=1985ITPS...13..538B|doi=10.1109/TPS.1985.4316470|issn=0093-3813|s2cid=22500523}}{{Cite journal|last1=Price|first1=D.|last2=Benford|first2=J.N.|date=1998|title=General scaling of pulse shortening in explosive-emission-driven microwave sources|url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/700752|journal=IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science|volume=26|issue=3|pages=256–262|bibcode=1998ITPS...26..256P|doi=10.1109/27.700752}}{{Cite book|last=Spark|first=S.N.|title=IEE Symposium Pulsed Power 2001 |chapter=The high power microwave facility: Orion |date=2001 |chapter-url=https://digital-library.theiet.org/content/conferences/10.1049/ic_20010142 |language=en|location=London, UK|publisher=IEE|volume=2001|pages=13|doi=10.1049/ic:20010142|doi-broken-date=7 December 2024 }}{{Cite journal|last=Benford|first=James|date=1987|title=High power microwave simulator development|url=https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1987MiJo...30...97B/abstract|journal=Microwave Journal|volume=30|pages=97–106|bibcode=1987MiJo...30...97B|issn=0192-6225}}

In 1996 he founded Microwave Sciences, Inc., (MS, Lafayette, California), where he remains as its president. At MS, his research interests have dealt with HPM systems design, HPM effects testing, and power beaming for space propulsion.{{Cite web|title=Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact (1960-Present Dell) comic books 1996|url=https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?minyr=1996&maxyr=1996&TID=23015335|access-date=2022-01-17|website=www.mycomicshop.com}} Benford is a leader and consultant at Breakthrough Starshot, a research and engineering project aiming to send probes to the nearby stars within the long term.{{Cite web|title=Breakthrough Initiatives|url=https://breakthroughinitiatives.org/leaders/3|access-date=2022-01-19|website=breakthroughinitiatives.org|language=en}} He was a contributor to the Encyclopedia of Applied Physics,{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/516135307|title=Encyclopedia of applied physics|date=2010|publisher=Wiley|others=George L. Trigg|isbn=978-3-527-60043-4|location=New York, N.Y.|oclc=516135307}} in the subject of Intense Particle Beams.{{Cite book|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/book/10.1002/3527600434/homepage/editorscontributors.html|title=Major Reference Works|publisher=Wiley Online Library|year=2003|isbn=9783527268412|editor1-last=Wiley-Vch Verlag Gmbh & Co. Kgaa|language=en|doi=10.1002/3527600434|access-date=2021-12-29}} He has taught HPM courses worldwide.{{Cite web|title=2019 Shoemaker Lecture with Dr. James Benford {{!}} Beyond Center|url=https://live-asu-beyond-center.ws.asu.edu/content/2019-shoemaker-lecture-dr-james-benford|access-date=2022-01-10|website=live-asu-beyond-center.ws.asu.edu|archive-date=2022-01-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110160506/https://live-asu-beyond-center.ws.asu.edu/content/2019-shoemaker-lecture-dr-james-benford|url-status=dead}} Videos covering Benford's work can be readily found on the internet.{{Citation|title=IS ET Lurking In Our Cosmic Backyard? With James Benford and Paul Davies| date=27 February 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VriNBtD4KBE|language=en|access-date=2022-01-10}}{{Citation|title=Looking for Technosignatures on the Moon with Dr. James Benford| date=15 October 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxqwwWWKM5k|language=en|access-date=2022-01-10}}{{Citation|title=James Benford - Is ET Lurking in Our Cosmic Backyard? (TechnoClimes 2020)| date=14 August 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhE0WNSLdDU|language=en|access-date=2022-01-10}}

He is a member of the American Physical Society.{{Cite web|title=Members in the Media|url=http://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/201112/members.cfm|access-date=2022-01-10|website=www.aps.org|language=en}} At IEEE he has been a member since 1970, and a Fellow since 1996.{{Cite web|title=IEEE Fellows Directory - Alphabetical Listing|url=https://services27.ieee.org/fellowsdirectory/home.html;jsessionid=1ac9livls67jrabfbaz5w9eo5|access-date=2022-01-16|website=IEEE}} He is also an EMP Fellow of the Summa Foundation, University of New Mexico since 1998.{{Cite web|title=Summa Foundation - EMP and HPEM FELLOWS|url=http://ece-research.unm.edu/summa/downloads/FELLOWS_and_Deceased_Nov_2020rev.pdf|website=unm.edu}}

With his twin brother Gregory Benford, he was a co-editor of Void, a science fiction fanzine published from 1955 to 1969.{{Cite web|title=VOID|url=https://fanac.org/fanzines/VOID/|access-date=2022-01-16|website=fanac.org}} He was Guest Editor of the Special Issue on High Power Microwave Generation, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Sciences (vol 20, 1992), and an article reviewer for a number of scientific journals including Physical Review Letters, IEEE Transactions in Plasma Sciences, Journal of Applied Physics, Journal of the British Interplanetary Society and Applied Physics Letters.{{Cite web|title=James Benford - Routledge & CRC Press Author Profile|url=https://www.routledge.com/authors/i12708-james-benford|access-date=2022-01-17|website=www.routledge.com}}

Benford has published over one hundred research papers in peer-reviewed sources.{{Cite web|title=Microsoft Academic - James Benford|url=https://academic.microsoft.com/author/2297585053/|access-date=2021-12-28|website=academic.microsoft.com|archive-date=2021-12-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228224044/https://academic.microsoft.com/author/2297585053/|url-status=dead}} His most cited research papers{{Cite web|title=Google Scholar|url=https://scholar.google.es/scholar?as_q=&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_occt=any&as_sauthors=James+Benford|access-date=2022-01-12|website=scholar.google.es}} are:

• Benford, J.; Sze, H.; Woo, W.; Smith, R. R.; Harteneck, B. (1989-02-20). "Phase Locking of Relativistic Magnetrons". Physical Review Letters. 62 (8): 969–971. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.62.969{{Cite journal|last1=Benford|first1=J.|last2=Sze|first2=H.|last3=Woo|first3=W.|last4=Smith|first4=R. R.|last5=Harteneck|first5=B.|date=1989-02-20|title=Phase Locking of Relativistic Magnetrons|url=https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.62.969|journal=Physical Review Letters|volume=62|issue=8|pages=969–971|bibcode=1989PhRvL..62..969B|doi=10.1103/PhysRevLett.62.969|pmid=10040384}}
• Benford, J.; Benford, G. (1997). "Survey of pulse shortening in high-power microwave sources". IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science. 25 (2): 311–317. doi:10.1109/27.602505. ISSN 1939-9375.{{Cite journal|last1=Benford|first1=J.|last2=Benford|first2=G.|date=1997-04-01|title=Survey of pulse shortening in high-power microwave sources|url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/602505|journal=IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science|volume=25|issue=2|pages=311–317|bibcode=1997ITPS...25..311B|doi=10.1109/27.602505|s2cid=55624109 |issn=1939-9375}}
• Haworth, M.D.; Baca, G.; Benford, J.; Englert, T.; Hackett, K.; Hendricks, K.J.; Henley, D.; LaCour, M.; Lemke, R.W.; Price, D.; Ralph, D. (1998). "Significant pulse-lengthening in a multigigawatt magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator". IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science. 26 (3): 312–319. doi:10.1109/27.700759. ISSN 1939-9375{{Cite journal|last1=Haworth|first1=M.D.|last2=Baca|first2=G.|last3=Benford|first3=J.|last4=Englert|first4=T.|last5=Hackett|first5=K.|last6=Hendricks|first6=K.J.|last7=Henley|first7=D.|last8=LaCour|first8=M.|last9=Lemke|first9=R.W.|last10=Price|first10=D.|last11=Ralph|first11=D.|date=1998|title=Significant pulse-lengthening in a multigigawatt magnetically insulated transmission line oscillator|url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/700759|journal=IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science|volume=26|issue=3|pages=312–319|bibcode=1998ITPS...26..312H|doi=10.1109/27.700759|issn=1939-9375}}
• Benford, James (2008). "Space Applications of High-Power Microwaves". IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science. 36 (3): 569–581. doi:10.1109/TPS.2008.923760. ISSN 1939-9375.{{Cite journal|last=Benford|first=James|date=2008-06-01|title=Space Applications of High-Power Microwaves|url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4539856|journal=IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science|volume=36|issue=3|pages=569–581|bibcode=2008ITPS...36..569B|doi=10.1109/TPS.2008.923760|issn=1939-9375|s2cid=47137955}}
• Benford, James; Benford, Gregory; Benford, Dominic (2010). "Messaging with Cost-Optimized Interstellar Beacons". Astrobiology. 10 (5): 475–490. doi:10.1089/ast.2009.0393. ISSN 1531-1074.{{Cite journal|last1=Benford|first1=James|last2=Benford|first2=Gregory|last3=Benford|first3=Dominic|date=2010-06-01|title=Messaging with Cost-Optimized Interstellar Beacons|url=https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/ast.2009.0393|journal=Astrobiology|volume=10|issue=5|pages=475–490|arxiv=0810.3964|bibcode=2010AsBio..10..475B|doi=10.1089/ast.2009.0393|issn=1531-1074|pmid=20624056|s2cid=24833741}}

His most recent science fiction writings are:

• A Science Critique of Aurora, Stephen Baxter, James Benford, and Joseph Miller, The New York Review of Science Fiction, pg. 12 September 2015.{{Cite web|title=A Science Critique of Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson|url=https://www.centauri-dreams.org/2015/08/14/a-science-critique-of-aurora-by-kim-stanley-robinson/|access-date=2022-01-12|website=www.centauri-dreams.org}}
• “Power Beaming Leakage Radiation as a SETI Observable”, James Benford and Dominic Benford, ApJ, pg. 825, 101 (2016).{{Cite journal|last1=Benford|first1=James N.|last2=Benford|first2=Dominic J.|date=2016-07-07|title=Power Beaming Leakage Radiation as a SETI Observable|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=825|issue=2|pages=101|arxiv=1602.05485|bibcode=2016ApJ...825..101B|doi=10.3847/0004-637X/825/2/101|issn=1538-4357|s2cid=118790653 |doi-access=free }}
• “Seeing Alien Tech”, James Benford and Dominic Benford, Analog, Vol. CXXXVIII, pg. 40–44, May/June (2018).{{Cite book|last1=Bennett|first1=Christopher L.|url=https://www.amazon.com/Analog-Science-Fiction-Fact-May-June/dp/B07CWHZJ46|title=Analog Science Fiction and Fact, May-June 2018|last2=McCarthy|first2=Wil|last3=Benford|first3=Gregory|date=2018-01-01|publisher=Dell Magazines|others=Fred Gambino|edition=1st|language=English}}

• {{cite book | last1=Benford | first1=James | last2=Benford | first2=Gregory | title=Starship Century: Toward the Grandest Horizon | date=2013 | isbn=978-1-939051-29-5 | oclc=857646236 | publisher = Lucky Bat Books}}{{Cite web|date=2013-08-23|title=Starship Century: Towards The Grandest Horizon edited by James Benford and Gregory Benford (book review).|url=https://www.sfcrowsnest.info/starship-century-towards-the-grandest-horizon-edited-by-james-benford-and-gregory-benfordbook-review/|access-date=2022-01-12|website=SFcrowsnest|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Society|first=National Space|date=2014-07-06|title=Book Review: Starship Century - National Space Society|url=https://space.nss.org/book-review-starship-century/|access-date=2022-01-12|language=en-US}}
• {{cite book | last1=Benford | first1=James | first2 = John A. | last2 = Swegle | first3 = Edl | last3 = Schamiloglu | title=High Power Microwaves | publisher=CRC Press | date=2019 | isbn=978-0-367-87100-0 | oclc=1129817799 | edition = 3rd | doi = 10.1201/9781420012064 }} Cited 1727 times by 2022.

Benford has been awarded US invention patents for: Particle beam injection system(1974),{{Cite patent|country=US|number=3831101|title=Particle beam injection system|pubdate=1974-08-20|inventor1-last=Benford|inventor1-first=James Nelson|inventor2-last=Putnam|inventor2-first=Sidney Darwin|invent3=Stallings|inventor3-first=Charles Henry|assign=Physics International Co.}} and Systems and methods for generating high power, wideband microwave radiation using variable capacitance voltage multiplication (2007).{{Cite patent|country=US|number=2009224610|title=Systems and methods for generating high power, wideband microwave radiation using variable capacitance voltage multiplication|pubdate=2009-09-10|inventor1-last=Fuks|inventor1-first=Mikhail|inventor2-last=Schamiloglu|inventor2-first=Edl|inventor3-last=Benford|inventor3-first=James|status=application|assign=General Dynamics Ordnance & Tactical Systems- Canada Inc.}}, now abandoned. He also invented a number of HPM devices including a Side-Extracted Vircator,{{Cite journal|last1=Sze|first1=H.|last2=Benford|first2=J.|last3=Young|first3=T.|last4=Bromley|first4=D.|last5=Harteneck|first5=B.|date=1985|title=A Radially and Axially Extracted Virtual-Cathode Oscillator (Vircator)|url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4316463|journal=IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science|volume=13|issue=6|pages=492–497|bibcode=1985ITPS...13..492S|doi=10.1109/TPS.1985.4316463|issn=1939-9375|s2cid=41071107}} a Cavity Vircator.{{Cite journal|last1=Benford|first1=J.|last2=Price|first2=D.|last3=Sze|first3=H.|last4=Bromley|first4=D.|date=1987-03-01|title=Interaction of a vircator microwave generator with an enclosing resonant cavity|url=https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.337965|journal=Journal of Applied Physics|volume=61|issue=5|pages=2098–2100|bibcode=1987JAP....61.2098B|doi=10.1063/1.337965|issn=0021-8979}} and a High Power Vacuum Horn antenna.{{Cite journal|last1=Price|first1=D.|last2=Sze|first2=H.|last3=Fittinghoff|first3=D.|last4=Harteneck|first4=B.|last5=Benford|first5=J.|editor1-first=Howard E|editor1-last=Brandt|date=1989-07-25|title=High-Power Vircator Phase-Locking Demonstrations At Physics International|url=https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/conference-proceedings-of-spie/1061/0000/High-Power-Vircator-Phase-Locking-Demonstrations-At-Physics-International/10.1117/12.951798.full|journal=Microwave and Particle Beam Sources and Directed Energy Concepts|publisher=SPIE|volume=1061|pages=206–221|doi=10.1117/12.951798|bibcode=1989SPIE.1061..206P|s2cid=111008656}}

• [http://jamesbenford.com// James Benford's website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20211230171937/https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37324265400 James Benford:] IEEE - author's profile
• [https://www.thespaceshow.com/guest/dr.-james-benford// James Benford's at] The Space Show

{{DEFAULTSORT:Benford, James}}

Category:1941 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American physicists

Category:21st-century American physicists

Category:American plasma physicists

Category:Fellows of the American Physical Society

Category:University of Oklahoma alumni

Category:University of California, San Diego alumni

Category:People from Mobile, Alabama