Dr W Roy Piggott OBE
It is with great sadness that we announce the death in Cambridge on Tuesday 20 May of Roy Piggott at the age of 93. Piggott, as he was known to most of his colleagues, made many and varied contributions to ionospherics physics. He started as an assistant to Sir Edward Appleton in the 1930s and did much original radio physics research during the Second World War. In the immediate post-war era, he played a major role in establishing the German ionospherics research at Lindau, and for this clandestine operation he was awarded the Order of the British Empire.
Perhaps Piggott will be best remembered for writing, with Karl Rawer, the definitive handbook on the interpretation of ionograms, and for his leadership in Antarctic ionospheric research. Piggott was the prime mover in establishing the ionospheric observatory at Halley Bay in the International Polar Year, (1957-1958) and provided oversight of the programme for the next two decades. Latterly he was Head of Atmospheric Sciences at the British Antarctic Survey.
Piggott was unfailingly generous with his time, scientific insight and ideas. He will be remembered by his many friends and colleagues on every continent for his kindness, patience and skill as a mentor and advisor.
Everybody whose lives have been touched by Piggott has their own particular story about this lovable archetypal British eccentric. He was universally highly respected, and will be sorely missed by colleagues around the world. Piggott will live on through his humanity and his legacy to ionospheric physics.
Alan Rodger (via the MIST list) 30 May 2008
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