Born in Bradford, he studied physics at Saint John’s College, University of Cambridge and spent World War 1 in the Royal engineers.
Much concerned with persistent problem of the fading radio signal during the war, Appleton turned after the war to the study of the propagation of electromagnetic wave.
In 1920, Appleton received an appointment in experimental physics at Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory.
His researches on the propagation of wireless waves led to his appointment as Wheatstone Professor of Physics at London University in 1924.
Appleton was Wheatstone Professor of Experimental Physics from 1924 to 1936.
In collaboration with M. F Barnett he performed a crucial experiment which enabled a reflecting layer in the atmosphere to be indentified and measured.
In 1936, he succeeded C. T. R Wilson in the Jacksonian Chair of Natural Philosophy at Cambridge, where he continued collaborative resource on many ionosphere problems.
Later, he was appointed secretary to the department of Scientific and Industrial Research (1939-49). In 1944 he moved to Edinburgh University, where was vice chancellor until his death.
Sir Edward Victor Appleton (1892-1965)
