California Institute of Technology Cal Tech - Big T Yearbook (Pasadena, CA)

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C. LAURITSEN, CARL D. ANDERSON, and SETH H. NIEDDERMEYER and HORACE R. CRANE, neutrons, posi- trons and deutons have been pro- duced and the effects of their bom- bardment on common substance studied. Atomic bullets, heavy hydro- gen particles made from the so-called uheavy water, have been used as a means of creating new radio-active substances, bringing about a marked advance in the scientific held by the introduction for the first time of a purely artificial technique and ma- terial. By bombarding, various light- er elements have been changed into heavier elements with strong radio- active properties. This radio-active energy is given OH in the form of the newly discovered positrons, or posi- tive electrons, and gamma rays. Carbon, under bombardment, changed to radiO-active nitrogen, and boron was changed to carbon. The positrons ejected by these newly cre- ated elements are being studied by DR. CARL D. ANDERSON, their dis- coverer. CHEMISTRY THE research work of the chemistry department has been of unusual in- terest this past year. Not greatly spectacular, it is of a sort which must go on over a period of years. Strangely enough, one of the most important pieces of chemical research has been carried in the astro-physics building. This has been the electron diffraction research under the direc- tion or DR. LAWRENCE O. BROCK- WAY. For some time x-rays have been used in the study of crystal struc- tures, and now the molecular struc- ture of gases may be determined by the use of electrons to replace the x-rays. DR. ARNOLD O. BECKMAN and his assistants have been working with a magneto-optic apparatus in an at- tempt to discover the fundamental phenomenon involved. Very short waves have been investigated by DR. BECKMAN as a possible reason for its operation. Fluorine, the strongest chemical oxidizing agent, has been the subject of research by DR. DON M. YOST. Special technique and apparatus were developed by him. 25 RESEARCH Dr. Lauritxen zmd Richard Crane McCullough and Dr. Beckmzm

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RESEARCH Dr. Seeley G. Mudd Professor Pompenkoe The important ratio of electric charge permass of electrons tEyMy has been determined independently by two methods. DR. WILLIAM V. HOUSTON, working both theoretically and experimentally, has determined this ratio by spectroscopic means, and DR. FRANK G. DUNNINGTON has made a very accurate determina- tion by high-frequency methods. SHORT WAVES FOR MANY years PROFESSOR GEN- NADYW. POTAPENKOE has been work- ing with ultra short radio waves. He has built equipment producing pure monochromatic waves With good sta- bility. Much research has been done in the behavior of iron, nickel, and cobalt in the high-frequency electro- magnetic fleld. Along with the metallic research absorption and dis- persion of ultra short waves, the di- electrics have been studied. To study these phenomena, a more precise measuring apparatus was needed. Completed this year, it was found to be accurate to one micron in measur- ing wave lengths. X-RAY TREATMENT OF CANCER THE treatment of cancer With the mil- 24 lion-volt x-ray tube is very closely connected with the work and prog- ress of the physics department. DOC- TORS SEELEY G. MUDD and CLYDE K. EMERY have been in charge of this work studying the physiological effects of the powerful x-ray. The million-volt x-ray tube, built by HOR- ACE R. CRANE and CHARLES C. LAU- RITSEN, and operated by them, has been used With very valuable results. Several patients have been under daily treatment by the rays of the giant tube. Work in this fleld is as yet only started NUCLEAR PHYSICS DEVELOPMENTS in the field of nu- clear physics have been extremely rapid during the past year. Under the direction of DOCTORS CHARLES

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RESEARCH The 5 01M Fumace Gw'nding Machine for 120-13261: Mirror PETROLEUM RESEARCH FOR SEVERAL years the American Petroleum Institute has been sup- porting a research project at Califor- nia Institute to study the behavior of hydrocarbons, such as are found in petroleum and natural gas, under conditions comparable to those found in the underground petroleum pools. This involves experimental studies at temperatures up to 220 degrees Fah- renheit and at pressures as high as 3000 pounds per square inch. The field being explored is one in Which relatively little work has been done, although it is of great interest to the petroleum industry. Ten published papers have resulted from these researches to date and others are continually in course of preparation. This important piece of work is under the direction of DOCTOR WILLIAM N. LACEY and BRUCE H. SAGE. 420 INC'H GKINDLufG EVJIVPOLIJHlNG MACHINE Awe be A The newly constructed solar fur- nace has been used thus far entirely by research workers in the chemistry department under the direction of 26 DR. R. G. DICKINSON. Temperatures of 3000 degrees centigrade have al- ready been obtained, and the workers expect to reach 4600 degrees when the apparatus is in perfect adjust- ment. Severe burns in unexpected places have resulted from the light from a poorly adjusted lense. BIOLOGY RESEARCH in the biology department is necessarily of the slow, unspec- tacular type, extending over a period of years, and never completed. The problems of genetics in flies first attracted the attention of DR. T HOMAS H. MORGAN about twenty years ago, and are still in progress under the direction of DOCTORS MOR-