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Complete reflection of seismograph outfit with water truck. drill. survey car. explosives truck. and recording truck. Lower picture is a reflection seismogram showing recording of ground motion at 21 geophone positions. Numbers refer to time in tenths of seconds. A number of reflections are visible on the record. GEOPHYSICAL PROSPECTING FOR OIL

SEE PAGE 4 MEXICO I

.. . a charming resort-hotel in a picture- book setting, a haven for rest-seekers and a paradise for sportsmen ... Hotel Playa de Cortes.

NESTLED beside the azure waters of Boco­ LIFE moves at a leisurely informal pace in this chibampo Bayon theGulf ofLowerCalifornia, mild and sunny winter climate. You can do is Southern Pacific's resort-hotel Playa de absolutely nothing or enjoy active sports,just Cortes. Here, you may relax in the tranquillity as you please. Try your hand at game fishing of a peaceful foreign land and enjoy all the (the world's finest). Swim in the outdoor salt comforts of America n living. Rooms are water plunge. Play tennis, badminton; ride large, t astefully appointed. Superb hand­ or hike. Through connecting Pullman thrice carved furniture, colorful drapery. Rates are weekly brings this unique resort practically $10 a day and upward American Plan. next door to Los Angeles. Rail fares are low.

FREE: Send for a free copy of our illustrated booklet about Hotel Playa de Cortes. Address George B. Hanson, D ept. CT . 6 l 0 S. Main Street, Los Angeles, Calif. Southern Pacific's

Ove rnight from th e Bord er, near Guaymas, Mexico ALUMNI REVIEW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, INC. CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

\ 'oL. 3, No. 2 PASADENA, CALIFORNIA DECEMBER, 1939

Published four times a year-September, December, March and June by the Alumni Associatio n, Inc., California Institute of Technology, 1201 East California Street, Pasadena, California. Annual Subscription $2.50, Single Copies $0.65 ..A.pplication for entry as econd class matter pending at the Post Office at Pasadena, California.

THE STAFF G. AusT1~ ScHROTER '28 ALBERT \ V. ATWOOD '32 THEODORE C. Co:-.rns '27 GEORGE LAXGS~ER, '31, Editor JOHN E. SHIELD '22 FRED S. Scon '30 ROBERT J. BARRY, '38, Busi11ess ,lfnnager \V1LLIA:.1 H. i\1oHR '29

THE ASSOCIATION Board of Directors Committee Chairmen Clarence F. Kiech, '26 President \Villiam H. l\Iohr, '29 J1 thletic William H. :.\Iohr, '29 T' ice-President Albert \ V. Atwood, Jr., '32 Chapters Albert W. Atwood, Jr., '32 Secretary Albert D. Hall, '22 Finance Albert D. H all, '22 Treasurer Paul C. Schaffner, '37 Membership Theodore C. Coleman, '26 Theodore C. Combs, '27 Loys Griswold, '24 . Placement Lors Griswold, '2+ Paul C. Schaffner, '37 Theodore C. Combs, '27 Publications John E. Shield, '22 John E. Shield, '22 Social :.\liss Theresa Dierkes Assistant Secretarr Theodore C. Coleman, '26 Campus R elations

LUMNI Association plans for this year include the number of points in intercollegiate competition, judged by stressing of better student-alumni relationships. existing schedules evaluating all such competitive sports. Judging from questions asked of some of our This trophy has been termed the Alumni Athletic Award members who have accepted invitations from the and will serve to show our continued interest in student Student Houses to attend informal discussions, many activities. students do not know just what our Association is doing, Additionally, the senior class will again be our guests at nor do they recognize that many of the alumni are in a the annual dance on January 27 announced elsewhere position to give of their time in in this issue. Last year we had helping these men become ori- a large number of seniors as our ented in a complex world after guests, and we feel it helpfu l to leaving the Institute. Plans are FORTHCOMING EVENTS • even better relations with the a~oot to compile a list of alumni San Francisco Chapter-Every Mon. Noon. students to continue this prac­ capable of helping in discus­ Fraternity Club at Palace Hotel. tice. sions dealing with questions Every member can help in Varsity Football Banquet. January 12. 1940 achieving our aims by making which may be bothering some Pasadena Athletic Club. 6:30 p.m. it a point to visit the campus of the undergraduates, and Tickets $1.00 per plate. Make reserva­ subjects will include general tions w ith Coach Musselman at the and have a few words with employment advice, and dis­ Institute. some of the students, and by suµport ing studen!-sponsored cussions of various vocations Annual Dance Jan. 27. 1940 activities. We can, for example, and hobbies. If you are con­ Blue Room, Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles. lend our help by our individual tacted in such connection, give Info rmal. $1.85 per couple, further par- contributions to the Tech Y. M. us your cooperation. liculars elsewhere in this issue. Another method adopted this C. A., by attending campus year to show our interest in Seminar Week End . March 16-17. 1940 plays and the annual Exhibit Exhibit Days ...... April Day, by subscribing to the Cali­ student activities and to offer Annual Stag and Field Day May fornia Tech, and in many other some additional incentive to­ General Meeting & Commencement June ways. Regardless of how you ward intercollegiate competi­ help, mention that you are an tion was our presentation to the • Li stings in bold face type are final an­ alumnus and help us show the nouncements. Other events will be an­ students of a large, perpetual students that we are backing nounced in due lime, following comple­ them in every way. trophy to be awarded annually tion of plans. CLARENCE F. KIECH, '26, to the House having the highest President, Alumni Association. Editorial Comment Campus Relations By this means, we hope to foster a ing been made in structural geology, 1E of the mo t ignificant advance better relationship between undergradu­ petrology, mineralogy, paleontology, and 0 to be made by the Alumni Associa­ ates and the Alumni, by giving the latter geophysic by members of the staff and tion during the current year is the estab­ an opportunity to aid in the orientation by graduates of the Division in the thir­ lishment of a Committee on Campu of the students. teen years since its establishment. Relations, chairmanned by Theodore C. T ---T--- Coleman, '26, which has as its principal New Buildings Future Growth purpose the offering of assistance of any HE completion of the Seeb· \ V. ITH the gradual utilization of all type requested by the students. T :\Judd and the Charles Arms L ab­ W avail able building areas on the oratories of the Geological Sciences, campus, provision must be made for So far the students ha\·e mainly re­ located on the southwest corner of the future gro\\"th of the Institute. Thi is quested discussion of the proper approach campus, marks another milestone in the the tenor of a report made by a special in securing employment, a topic on which progress of the Division of the Geological committee to the Board of City Directors Coleman recently spoke informally before Sciences. of P asadena. This report recommended a meeting of the Throop Club. In the The Seeley \ V. :\Iudd Laboratory of that the area north of the campus coming months it is expected that im·i­ the Geological Sciences is the gift of :\Irs. bounded by \Vilson and Hill Avenues tations will be received from the tudent Seeley \ V. :\Iudd as a memorial to her and the prolongation of Lura Street be H ouses to meet with them and to take husband, who was a very eminent mining zoned to allow occupancy by collegiate part in round-table talks, and the Com­ engineer. The funds for the Charles institutions, and that the southwest corner mittee intends to call upon Alumni to Arms Laboratory of the Geologi cai of California Street and Arden R0ad be volunteer to attend the meetings and take Sciences " ·e re provided by l\Irs. Robinson zoned likewise. part in the discussions. and her husband, the late Henry :\I. The zoning of the Arden Road corner, Ho\\"ever, in this approach toward Robinson, for many years a trustee of the alread~· O\\·ned by the ln titute, which better undergraduate relationships the I nstitute. as a memorial to her father, adjoins T ournament P ark, \\·ould provide Alumni Association has adopted a passive \\"ho \\"as a successful O\\"ner of mines. a suitable site for the proposed gymna- attitude in that the Association has The Di\·ision of the Geological Sciences, ium, and would be one step furthe1 offered its services to any or all groups of though pre\·iously handicapped by the towards securin(? this much needed under­ students, and any further Alumni par­ lack of physical facilities on the campus. graduate facihy. It is sincerely hoped ticipation depends on the voluntary re­ has forged to the forefront in its fields that the zone change ,,·ill be acted upon quest of the student (?roups themselves. of endeavor, many notable advances ha\'- farnrr,oly by the City.

The New Laboratories of the Div ision of the Geological Sciences. Left : The Charles Arms Laboratory. Right: The Seeley W. M11dd Lab o rat o r~o.

- 2- A ltmuii Review *

* * erry to

.... ) :'our friends and neighbors * m the telephone com send pany * you best wishes for a }.ferry Christmas. Through the h . 71as always, we'll b e on handolidays, d . our· best to kee P t h e Chris - omg.. m telephone se . cmas spmt rvICe. ·. BELL TELEPHONE SYSTEM -.

_ 3-

Decwrba, 1939 GEOPHYSICAL PROSPECTING FOR OIL

Br RAY.\10:-:0 A. PETERSON, '31, Ptt.D. '35 LT 11ited Geophysical Company, Pasadena

The problem of locating oil is one of ascertaining the shore of a basin may grade into finer sands off-shore and structural and stratigraphic relationships of the rocks near finally into impervious shales. On the other hand, near-shore the earth's surface, and of correctly interpreting these data. sands in a slowly submerging basin may have been covered This interpretation is based on a group of theories concern­ by overlapping shales as the shore line moved inland. In ing the origin and accumulation of oil which have been either case, there is a boundary, either abrupt or transitional formulated from a large amount of past experience and in character, between sand and shale. Subsequently, when observation. The weight of evidence favors the theory of the sediments are deformed by warping and folding, traps organic origin of oil from the remains of animal and veget­ for the accumulation of oil may be formed along the shale­ able material buried and disseminated in basins of sedimentary sand boundary. For example. if the boundary cuts across a deposition. By a complex series of events this material has plunging nose-shaped structure, a trap may be formed where been transformed and collected into bodies of oil and gas. the shale-sand demarcation intersects the crestline of the fold. The mode and place of accumulation are governed by Likewise, a trap may be formed in a series of more or less two factors: stratigraphy and structure. The sedimentary uniformly tilted beds if the shale-sand boundary cuts oblique­ rocks in which oil occurs are ordinarily depo ited in layers ly up the slope of the beds and then bends obliquely down or strata of alternating types - e.g., shale, sandstone, lime­ the solpe, forming a reentrant bay. The oil then accumu­ stone, etc. Of these, sandstone is the most important as a lates in the apex of the reentrant, being prevented from reservoir rock for oil and gas because of its relatively high further migration up the slope by the transition from sand porosity and permeability. Shale strata, on the other hand, to impervious shale. have an important effect on the migration and accumulation The types of traps for the accumulation of oil described of oil. Because of the difference in specific gravity between above are only a few of the many which occur. Usually the oil and water in the rocks, the oil is subjected to an upward trap is much more complicated than those described, with buoyant force. In alternating layers of shale and sand, how­ a combination of factors present. Thus, dome-like structures ever, the oil is largely constrained by the impervious shale are often cut by faults which affect the accumulation of oil. layers to move in the more permeable sands, and aided by the Furthermore, the porosity of the sand reservoir rock may driving force of circulating water, migrates up the dip or vary over the extent of the structure. greatly influencing steepest slope of the strata until stopped by some "trap." the accumulation. Accumulation is not always limited to one The trap may be either structural or stratigraphic in nature, sand member. Often there may be a number of sand strata or both. at various depths, some giving rise to separate accumulations OIL TRAPS of oil or gas, others containing only water. The most common type of structural trap is the anticlinal The problem of the geologist in exploring for oil is first fold or dome-shaped structure, formed by the warping and to ascertain whether or not there are strata present which folding of rocks by horizontal compression. In this case, if would be likely to contain oil or gas, and secondly, to locate the permeable reservoir rock extends over the entire struc­ the structural and stratigraphic traps which are the most ture, the oil and gas migrate to the top, being trapped by probable locations for oil and gas accumulation. He has the buoyant force of the water on the Ranks and by the available two source of information: obsen·ations at the impermeable rocks overlying the sand. Here the oil and ga surface of the ground, and subsurface information from remain, or at least escape only very slowly. previously drilled wells. The amount of information avail­ Another type of structural trap may be formed by faulting able from surface observations varies with the locality. In in sedimentary rocks. Oil may accumulate in upturned beds ele,·ated regions, considerable areas may be exposed to obser­ butting against impervious rock on the oppo ite side of the vation by erosion which has removed the mantle of surface fault plane. Likewise, a trap may be formed by a fault soil. cutting across a plunging nose-shaped fo ld, thus preventing further migration of oil up the structure. In the Gulf Coast region of the United State a common type of structure is the salt dome. Here masses of salt have been forced up from considerable depth into the overlying sedimentary rocks, forming plug-shaped salt masses sur­ rounded by the upturned beds of the disrupted sediments. Oil is then trapped in the sand members terminating against the salt, or may accumulate in arched beds above the salt plug. Stratigraphic traps are so-called because they have re ulted from lateral changes in sedimentation at the time of the deposition of the strata. Thus coarse sands deposited near the Exterior of recording truck. showing racks with geophones. 4 Alumni Review Interior o f recording truck, showing amplifiers and oscillograph. Po rtable shothole drill.

SURFACE :\IAPPING previously drilled wells is of considerable value. In prac­ The first step in exploration is to prepare an accurate tically all drilling of wells a careful log is kept of the mud and surface map showing the rocks exposed; measuring their cuttings washed from the hole. Also, at critical points actual thickness; noting their composition ( whether shale, sand­ rock samples are cored from the bottom of the hole as drilling stone, limestone, etc.); noting their fossil content; showing progresses. These core samples are carefully studied as to the location of surface oil seeps, if any; showing the bedding their content of microscopic fossils, composition and mineral planes, and particularly the boundaries between different content, porosity, permeability, the dip of bedding planes, etc. types of rock; sho\,·ing the direction and amount of slope In addition the well is surveyed electrically by recording or dip of the bedding planes in the rocks; and showing the variations in current and potential across a set of travelling location of fold , warps, and faults in the rock. \Vhere electrodes lowered in the hole. This record shows in minute information is concealed by a shallow mantle of surface soil, detail the boundaries between various strata - e.g., sands it may be obtained by digging ditches or taking auger and shales - as revealed by the measured changes in resistiv­ samples. ~l appi n g is often done with the use of a plane-table, ity and porosity of the wall rock. By comparing all the the elevations as well as locations of important points being assembled data from a number of wells not too distant from obtained. In many places, airplane photographs serve as each other, it is possible to correlate similar points, as for excellent base maps and reveal many features not readily example, the top of a particular sand stratum which may apparent from the surface. After the surface map has been be important as a reservoir rock for oil. If the wells are completed, subsurface contour maps on significant horizons close enough together, subsurface contour maps may be may be constructed by extrapol ation from surface data. drawn showing accurately the elevations and structure of The geologist also attempts to reconstruct the past geological pertinent horizons. history of the region, outlining former seas and basins of vVhen wells giving subsurface information are widely deposition, and noting the location and extent of sands and separated, however, the interpolation of data between wells shales. With al l this information assembled, he is in a position becomes more uncertain, and there are large areas for which to make an intelligent recommendation as to the most desi r­ the sub urface structure remains unknown. In some regions able location for drilling an exploratory well. with shallO\\. oil production, exploration is conducted by drilling a number of relatively shallow core holes, one or S .BSURFACE ~LAPPING two thousand feet in depth, and correlating information A great many oil fields have been discovered by the above obtained. In general, however, with the increasingly greater described procedure of surface mapping and extrapolation cost for deeper wells, it is not economically feasible to carry from surface data. However, it so happens that many areas out detailed exploration by drilling. of potential oil production are located in depressed regions GEOPHYSICAL PROSPECTING which are being subjected to surface deposition rather than One of the main objects of all methods of prospecting is erosion at the present time. That is, the areas are covered to furnish a guide for the successful location of wells so as by flat-lying deposits of alluvium, recent stream deposits of to minimize the number of dry holes and keep the cost of gravel, sand , and si lt which almost, if not completely, mask discovery as low as possible. It is in this regard that the the underlying rocks. physicist and engineer have been of invaluable assistance to It is also many times true that even in areas where rocks the geologist. Various types of rocks show appreciable differ­ are exposed by erosion, the information obtained at the ences in physical characteristics - e.g., in density, magnetic surface does not give a reliable or complete indication of the permeability, electrical resistivity, elastic rigidity, etc. It is structure at depth. Here the information obtained from (Continued on page 10) December, 1939 5 ADSORBENT CLAYS BJ G. AusT1:-: ScHROTER, '28 Manager i'l!fi11es and Exploartio11, TVestern Di'i:isio11, Filtrol Corp.

In the limited space a\'ailable in the Review, it is impos­ The third class of clays, known as activated clays after sible to more than touch upon the production, manufacture, leaching with acid under controlled conditions of tempera­ and utilization of the adsorbent clays. The field i a large ture and pressure, is perhaps the most highly efficient, as well one, and new applications are being developed by researchers as the most versatile material in the category. Such acid ­ almost daily. activated clays are exported all over the world for consump­ In chemi try, the noun adsorption is defined as the gather­ tion in a host of different industries. Although at least 75 % ing of a liquid, gas, or dissoh-ed substance at a surface, and of the domestic output is consumed by the petroleum industry, this is the phenomenon most frequently utilized in applica­ the remainder is enough to account for the clarity and sale tions of the bleaching or adsorbent clays. appeal of practically all premium edible oils, hydrogenated Such clays fall into three subdi,·isions, based upon geology, shortenings, soap stocks and paint oils. some oleomargarines, method of preparation, and ultimate utilization, viz: etc. ::\ Iany thousands of barrels of lubricating oils are annual­ ( 1) naturally adsorpti,·e clays. (2) bauxite clays, and (3) ly treated with this material in refineries throughout the acid-activated clays. \rnrld. \Vith the acti,·ated clays, the common method of treating The geology of these clays is so complex that it will not any given stock is by the method of contact filtration. In be dwelt upon here. Suffi ce it to say that the seat of adsorp­ this method, predetermined percentages of finely ground tive action in most of these clays apparently lies in the activated clay are admixed with the oil, and the mixture is clay mineral, montmorillonite, a sub-microscopic, crystalline agitated at elevated temperatures. The oil-clay slurry is then mineral, \\·ith a planar space lattice. This theory, however. sent to the filter pres or continuous filter, from which the has never been verified. oil issues in purified state, and the impurities and objection­ The naturally adsorptive and activable clays occur in sec­ able colors remain behind in the filter cake. tions from the Ordovician to the Tertiary, with by far the An interesting de\'elopment of recent years is the so-called bulk of the production coming from the Cretaceous and Filtrol-fractionation of petroleum oils. I n this method, the Lower Tertiary. Geographically, they are known from a finely ground acti,·ated clay is added to the hydrocarbon oil point north of Lake \ Vinnipeg, to the Gulf Coast; and from before the latter enters the fractional distillation equipment. Georgia to California. :Most deposits are stratiform, hence The slurry i then subjected to normal fractionation, and mining is either by open-cut stripping, or underground by the various fractions which pass off are decolorized and some modified coal mining method, usually room-and-pillar purified en transit. By this method fractionation and contact mining. filtration are combined into one simple operation. P REPARATION The naturally ad orpti,·e clays are prepared either by fine CATALYST-CARRIERS grinding, or by crushing and screening into sized grades. A The most spectacular inno\'ation of recent years, is the use late development utilizes extrusion to form pellet and elimi­ of the activated clays for catalysts, or catalyst-carriers, nate waste in fines. The active clays are prepared by con­ \\·hereby the heavier hydrocarbons are broken up into smaller trolled acid leaching, followed by counter-current washing structures to increase the gasoline yield. This enables many to reduce pH, free-settling classification, grinding. and bag­ tars, asphalts, and refinery wastes, as well as crude oils, to ging. The bauxites are prepared by roasting, grinding, and be converted into high octane motor fuels. bagging. In normal refining, the fuel, and other light oils, are The naturally adsorptive clays (also loosely known as removed from the crude by distiJlation, after which the FuJler' earth), find their especial forte in the "percolation" hea\'ier hydrocarbons remaining are broken up by thermal treatment of petroleum oils. A sized column of meshed clay cracking into smaller structures to increase the gasoline yield. is the medium th rough which the oil, fat, or wax, in either Such cracking may require p ressu res as high as 1,000 pounds, liquid or vapor phase, is "percolated." T he purified product and temperatures as high as l,100°F., and even under the issues from the tower, minus a certain proportion of the most favorable conditions, large quantities of heavy oils and impurities and objectionable coloring matter, which are left objectionable residues remain, which must be stored or cheap­ behind in the clay. Such clays are of limited efficiency and ly sold. selective action, but have moved in large volumes for the In catalytic cracking, \\'ith the aid of the activated clays, treatment of both petroleum and fatty oil . pressures of 20 to 40 pounds may be used, with temperatures The second class (bauxite) has only recently entered the as low as 900°F. In addition, about 50% of the heavy field. Although the raw mineral may have little or no adsorp­ residues which would remain in thermal cracking, will be tive efficiency, a careful heat treatment may develop a cheap converted into gasoline with a natural octane rating of 78 mater ial of limited efficiency, for the treatment of certain to 81 , the equivalent of the best motor fuels on today's types of paraffinic petroleum stocks. markets. ( Continued on page I 5)

6- Aillmni R ei>iew r ALUMNI YOU SHOULD KNOW CHEMICAL Peninsula :\lining Corporation of Tokyo, Japan. He emi­ ENGINEER grated to the United States in 1921 and enrolled in the California Institute of Technology, graduating in chemical The name of \ ' ladimir Ana­ engineering in 192+. tole Kalichevsky, '2+. to some Upon graduation he secured a position as Research Chem­ of his friends 'rnuld conjure ist " ·ith the union Oil Company of California. He spent up the vi ion of an energetic a short period with the Standard Oil Development Company young officer in the army of in ::\ ew Jersey. and in 1931 " ·ent to work for the Socony­ H.L\l. the Emperor of Rus­ \'ac uum Oil Company as a Research Chemist, ri ing through sia during the \Vorld \Var I, intermediate steps to the position of General Supervisor of " ·hile to others he " ·ould rep­ Research and De\·elopment Department of the Company, resent a brilliant chemical which is one of the largest producers. refiners, and distrib­ engineer in the field of oil utors of petroleum products in the world. refining. He is the author of " l\Iodern l\Iethods of Refining Lubri­ After a brilliant milita ry career, in which he adrnnced to cating Oils," and of "Chemical Refining of Petroleum" the rank of captain. and upon the collapse of the forces of ( "·ith Stagner), which are the standard reference texts of Admiral Kolchak after the Russian Revolution, he became the oil indu try. In addition, he is a frequent contributor manager of the Topographical Department of the Chukotsk of authoritative articles in petroleum trade journals.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALUMNI IN remuneration is approximately $110.00, are appointed Avia­ NAVAL AVIATION tion Cadets and are sent to the :-.J aval Air tation, Pensa­ Br L1£UT. F. A. BRossY, x26, G .S. -.R. cola, Florida, for further training. Flight !11structor, X m•al Rnen.•e A~·iation Base At Pensacola the Aviation Cadet receives $105.00 per Long Beach, California month, uniforms, quarters, medical and dental care, and is Through a recently expanded training program the United protected by a $10.000 Life Insurance Policy, the prem­ States !\ aval Reserve Aviation Training is available to iums being paid by the Government. His instruction consists more college men. Selections are no\\· being made for Right of a complete Right training in varied modern aircraft, classes which under the increased program " -ill be convened instrument flying and comprehensive classroom instruction each month throughout the year. in practical and theoretical a\•iation subjects. The training course, the value of which has been estimated The Aviation Cadet spends about one year at Pensacola at $20,000, is unique in that not only does it prepare the and upon graduation is commissioned an Ensign in the individual for many highly paid positions in civil aviation lJ nited States Na val Reserve and is assigned for a three and the aviation industry. but pays \\-ell during: training. year period to one of the Aviation Squadrons of the U. S. The course includes flying in varied types of aircraft as :\" avy. This assignment includes Right duty and may take " -ell as complete ground school instruction in technical sub­ the Reserve Aviator to any part of the " -orld where . S. jects, including navigation and ovenrnter flying. Preference Na,·al activities are conducted. Remuneration is now better is g:iven naval and military trained pilots by the major air­ than $200.00 per month and the opportunities for knowledge lines in their employment of personnel , and those airlines and experience in aviation are many times increased. whose routes are overwater naturally favor the aviator with At the termination of the three years of Fleet duty the ocean fl ying: and navigation experience. The general con­ .\°aval Reserve Aviator is paid a cash bonus of $500.00. sensus is that tremendous expansion will take place " ·ithin He may now, at his volition, serve another four years of the next few years in aerial transportation, particularly in active duty as Lieutenant (junior grade) with increased trans-ocean and inter-continental routes. This expansion will pay and allowances, or return to civilian life. In this latter increase the al ready growing demand for properly trained case he will probably become attached in an in active status personnel in many lucrative branches. There is no doubt to _one of the Squadrons at one of the several Tav al Reserve that the ~ a val Reserve A viator, especially "·ith an engineer­ Aviation Bases in the Country. Here he may maintain his ing degree. will find himself in an enviable position to profit­ Right proficiency, without interference with civilian pursuits, ably take advantage of the opportunitie now offered and and receive +00.00 to $700.00 per year drill pay. those that the future will bring. Some of the Caltech Alumni who have taken this training The Naval Reserve Aviator begins his training at a in recent years are: Frank W. Davis '36 Naval Reserve Aviation Base, in Southern California at Phillip H . Craig '33 Richard :\I. Rowell '38 L ong Beach. Classe start the 15th of each month and the Inquiries concerning the training may be made in person student aviator is put through a 30 day course which includes or by mail of Commanding Officer, 10 hours of dual Right instruction by :-.Java! Aviators. Stu­ U . S. Naval Reserve Aviation Base, dents \\·ho qualify in this Primary Training, for which the Long Beach, California. December, 1939 - 7 AIR EXPERT HONORED CAMPUS NEWS Clark B. Millikan, Ph.D., '28, who is Associate Professor of Aeronautics, will appear before the meeting of the ENROLLMENT GAINS Institute of Aeronautical Science in ALUMNI OFFICE Increase in the enrollment for the ~ew York on December 16th and will The Alumni Office is now located present school year is shown by the fig­ deliver the annual lecture commemo­ ures released by :.\Ir. Philip S. Fogg, in Room 120, Throop Hall. rating the first Aight of the vVright Registrar. T he figures are as follows: brothers. Freshmen ...... 160 ALUMNI AWARD Sophomores ...... 11-6 Dr. Clark :.\lillikan, who is a former The Student Body was presented with Juniors ...... 151 president of the Institute, will speak on the "Alumni Athletic Award for House Seniors ...... 158 " Influence of Running Propellers on Intercollegiate Competition" at the regu­ Airplane Characteristics", describing lar l\Ionday Assembly on October 23rd Sub-total undergraduates .. 615 research being carried out in the Daniel by Clarence F. Kiech, '26, President of Graduate Students ...... 271 Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory. the Association, and Theodore C. Cole­ ---T--- man, '26, Chairman of the Alumni Com­ Total ...... 886 mittee on Campus Relations. This compares with a total of 606 IN MEMORIAM The Award is a plaque of simple design undergraduates and 256 graduate stu­ with a raised figure symbolizing Victory. dents last year. Becker It is to be awarded to the House, or Paul H. Becker, J r., '42, died on Throop Club, having the highest number ---T November 23 rd of accidental injuries of points for the preceding year in Varsity sustained in the Varsity football game and Frosh rating, and the winner's name THOMAS STUDIES with La Verne College. Becker was out­ and year is to be engraved on the plaque. SEWAGE PROBLEM standing as center on the squad and, in By means of the Alumni Award the Franklin Thomas, Professor of Civil addition to his athletic endeavors, was Association hopes to foster interest in Engineering at the Institute, was one of an honor student. He is survived by his intercollegiate competition. three members of a special board to parents, :.\Ir. and :.\1rs. Paul H . Becker, study the existing SC\\·age system of the Sr., of Los Angeles. ---T--- city of Los Angeles and to make recom­ mendations as to its future construction ---T N.Y.A. needs. Bonham One of the most worthwhile New The board submitted its report to the Deal Agencies is the National Youth Board of Public vVorks of the city last Elliot Bonham, '38, died on ovember Administration, which provides assist­ month, and recommended that an ade­ 11-, 1939, at Pomona, California, of a ance to students at institutions through­ quate program costing $28,390,000 be heart attack, after having been ill with out the country. The N.Y.A. pro,·i de~ started, of which $ 18,060,000 is the cost a blood stream infection since last April. a sum of $10 to $20 per month for of the immediately necessary work, \Vhile on the campus he served as Exhibit needy students in exchange for the per­ which includes a new ocean outfall, new D ay chairman, and since receiving his formance of work around the campus, sewage treatment plants, and the repair degree had been with the Board of Fire which is desirable, but which would not of existing main trunk lines. U nderwriters of the Pacific. othen,-ise be performed but for the assistants provided. During the present school year, the K ational Youth Adminstration has alloted 75 unit of $15 per month to the California Institute of Technology. Kinety students are benefitting from this program so far, as some of them do not need aid every month. The 'rnrk which the students perform is varied, such as research assistants in the labor­ atories and shops, chemical preparations, geology cataloguing, 1rnprovmg the grounds, and clerical assistance to the 1939 VARSITY F OOTBALL SQUAD which will be honored at the Annual Football Registrar, Y.M.C.A., and others. Banquet on January 12th for its tine spirit and sportsmanship.

- 8 - A/1111111i Review WASHINGTON MEETING [ ALUMNI ACTIVITIES A hurry up call for a meeting on Octo­ ber 30th was issued to alumni in the ALUMNI DANCE NEW YORK vicinity of Washington, D.C., to honor JANUARY 27th The California Tech Club of New William A. Lewis, '26, 1!.S., '27, Ph.D., The fourth annual Alumni dance 1s York was formally organized as a '29, of Cornell University, who was in scheduled for Saturday evening, J anu­ chapter of the Alumni Association at a the city for a few days. Those at the ary 27, 19.J.O, at the Biltmore Blue Room meeting held on June 9, 1939, and the meeting were Corliss Bercaw, '18, who in Los Angeles, and an attendance ex­ following were elected as officers for the acted as chairman, H. E . Cunningham, ceeding the .J.33 couples who attended coming year : '26, H. L. Remington, '26, C. L. Gazin last year's dance is expected, so save the Edwin F. Thayer, '25 ...... President '27, Harold L. Smith, '37, and Patrick date and secure tickets early. Rea A. Axline, '31...... Vice-President Harney, 1 1!.S., '35. Rumor has it that the Dance Com­ Chester F. Carlson, '30.. Secy.-Treasurer There have been a sudden series of mittee plans to have the orchestra play Archie R. Kemp, '17...... Director transfers and changes in position amongst the hit tunes from 1920 to 19.J.O, "·'altzes ·William Shockley, '32...... Director the vVashington contingent as enum­ and the old fashioned fox-trot ·will be On October 2.J.th, a very successful erated elsewhere in these pages. How­ featured, o bring the ladr of your meeting was held at the vVestern Uni­ ever new men are being assigned con­ dreams and dance to the tunes that were versity Club, which shares the club tinually to this area, and the group is popular in undergraduate days. The house of the Columbia University Club carrying on. Any Tech men who are Class of 19.J.O "·ill be guests of the of New York, which was attended by assigned to positions in Washington, or Association, continuing last year's prece­ 38 members and guests. Dr. Joseph A. are visiting the Nation's capitol, are re­ dent. Becker, of the Bell Telephone Labora­ Tickets are now on sale at the Alumni tories and a former instructor at Tech, quested to contact P . J. Harney, 3717 Office, Room 120, Throop Hall, for was the speaker of the evening. He gave Warren St., ~.W., Washington, D.C. $1.85 per couple, so mail your check a talk on the "Electron i\licroscope", ---T--- no" · in order to permit the Dance Com­ and demonstrated a microscope with a OXY GAME PARTY mittee, headed by Fred S. Scott, '30, to magnification of about 300,000, and pl an as lavish an affair as possible. showing individual ions and thei r ther­ Alumni by the hundreds took advan­ Buy YOUR TICKETS EARLY! mal motions upon the tip of an exceed­ tage of the fact that the Oxy Game ---T--- ingly sharp needle point of tungsten. was played on Saturday night, October SEPTEMBER MEETING Professor Sorensen and T. C. Combs, 21st, to bring their families to see a During the late lamented hot spell, '27, a director of the Association, were Tech team go down fighting. The game the first dinner meeting of the 1939- amongst the guests present. was full of surprises, one of the greatest 19.J.O season was held on September 22nd Any alumni and members of the fac­ of which was the fact that Tech came at the 1Iary Louise Tea Room in Los ulty contemplating a visit to Kew York, out on the short end. Angeles which featured an illustrated are requested to contact the Secretary­ Some 280 Alumni and partners then lecture on recent advances in geo­ Treasurer, C. F. Carlson, '30, 6 East hied themselves forth to the Athenaeum physical prospecting by 1I r. Ralph 45th Street, rew York City, so that for a "get together," which proved to Brandt, of the U nited Geophysical Com­ they can, if possible, be guests of the be not only a "get together," but a com­ pam-. who substituted for Herbert chapter at its meetings. bined dance and spectacle. The dance H oo,·er, Jr., and Dr. Raymond F. Peter­ --- T--- was to tunes supervised by 1Iiss Dierkes, sr,11 . '31, the announced speakers, who SEMINAR WEEK END - she was partial to "Ferdinand" it "·ere unavoidably detained by their work Plans for the third Annual Alumni seemed. in the San Joaquin Valley. Seminar to be held on the week end of The feast was hot cakes and sausages, Doffing of coats and loosening of col­ i\Iarch 16-17, 1940, are progressing in and the spectacle, members of the Board lar;: did little to cool the 85 perspiring a highly satisfactory manner according of Directors preparing same. That their to Sid Bamberger, '33, chairman of the engineers who braved the weather and capabilities for flipping a mean flap jack the scramble for tables near electric fans Seminar Committee. Following the suc­ had been noted for the first time, was called to mind some of the mad football cessful program of previous years, both evidenced by remarks overheard in some technical and general subjects will be pre­ pile ups during the fall season. quarters which constituted an invitation sented, allowing Alumni to choose from 1Ir. Brandt's discussion of geophysical to perfect their technique by preparing several topics for each period. prospecting was featured by the showing Sunday breakfasts in the sanctity of the Among those assisting Bamberger on of a motion picture which graphically home. the Seminar Committee are H. Fred Loys Griswold, '24, furnished the presented the methods and equipment Peterson, '27, H. P. Henderson, '26, employed, and the results achieved in music, and the arrangements were made Theodore C. Coleman, '26, last year's the search for oil. After the talk, a by Ed Kinsey, '26, as chairman for the spirited question and answer period chairman, and lack E. Shield, '22, chair­ evening. l ack E. Shield, '22, is social added to the enlightenment of all. man of the Social Committee. chairman for the year.

Uccr 111ber. 19J9 -9- GEOPHYSICAL PROSPECTING by means of torsion balance surveys. In the last few FOR OIL years the torsion balance ha been largely superseded by the (Continued from page 5) gravimeter because of the much greater speed of operation possible, by making the proper physical measurements at the of the latter. The gravimeter is no"· being used extensively earth's urface, to make some deductions concerning the sub­ for reconnaissance exploration since it can survey a large surface distribution of physical properties and, accordingly, area at relati,·ely lo\\' cost. :.\laps dra"-n "·ith contour lines the rock structure. These measurements and their interpre­ joining points having the same corrected gravity value often tation comprise the methods known as geophysical prospect­ sho\\' a close relationship to subsurface structural features. ing. It is not the object of this article to describe all of under favorable conditions it is possible to discern the loca­ these various methods in detail, but rather to give a brief tion of folds, faults, etc. However, it is usually not possible and general description of some of them. to get a quantitati,·e picture a to the details of structure GRAVITATIO AL :.\IETHOD at depth. :.\JAG::\ETIC :\IETHOD The facts that various rocks possess different densities and All materials when placed in a magnetic field become that each unit volume of material exerts a gravitational magnetized in various amounts, depending on their magnetic attraction proportional to its density and inversely propor­ permeability. Thus. rock structures immersed in the earth's tional to the square of the distance from it suggest at once magnetic field become magnetized in ,-arious degrees, giving the use of gravitational methods of prospecting. The variable rise to variations in the intensity of the earth's magnetic di tribution of densities in subsurface rock structures has field at the surface. These rnriations are unusually quite associated " ·ith it corresponding variations in the strength small. in many cases not exceeding a few parts in ten of the earth's gravitational field at the surface. Localities thousand of the earth's normal field. The measuring instru­ with subsurface rock densities higher than their surroundings ment used is called a magnetic field balance or megneto­ show a slight increase in the intensity of gravity measured meter. It consists of a magnet mounted on a horizontal at the surface, the converse being true for distributions of quartz knife edge, free to rotate about this axis. The turn­ lower densities. As might be expected, the surface variations ing moment exerted by the earth's magnetic field is balanced in the intensity of gravity are in general very small, often by the opposing moment of a counter-\veight. Small varia­ amounting to no more than a few part in a million of the tions in magnetic strength cause a measurable rotation of normal value of gravity. For this reason it is necessary to the system. Separate instrument are needed to measure the carefully account for and eliminate the effects of variations vertical and horizontal components of the magnetic field. in gravity caused by other factors at the points of observation; The measurements taken in the field are corrected for namely. ele\·ation, latitude, and near-by irregularities of regional latitude and longitude rnriations, and for small surface topography. diurnal ,-ariations. Separate maps are then prepared \Yith The measuring instrument used mu t be \'ery sensitive contour lines joining points of equal magnetic intensity for and capable of utmost constancy under adverse field con­ both vertical and horizontal components. Under favorable ditions of extensive transportation and a wide range of conditions \\'hen there is sufficient contrast in the magnetic temperature variation.. T\,-o types of instruments are used: permeabilities of the subsurface rocks. the location of folds, the torsion balance and the gravity meter or gravimeter. faults. and other features may be discerned, although the The torsion balance is a remarkably sensitive device consist­ interpretation is more difficult than in the case of gravity ing of a set of weights mounted on a horizontal beam surveys. It is not possible in general to dra\\· a detailed suspended on a vertical torsion fiber. nder the influence structural picture from the data. of a non-uniform gravity field, this assembly rotates slightly. The instrument measures among other quantities the hori­ ELECTRICAL ::\IETHOD zontal rate of change, or gradient, in the intensity of gravity, Electrical methods of prospecting depend in their operation rather than the inten ity itself. The gravimeter, on the other on contrasts in the electrical resistivities of subsurface rocks. hand, is an instrument "'hich measures the intensity of There are a number of procedures possible, but in general gravity directly. It consists in principle of a mass suspended the method consists in driving four or more electrodes into on a spring which varies in length according to the strength the ground, putting a kno\\'n current through two of them, of gravity. Because of the almost infinitesimal size of these and measuring the potential difference between the other variations, the sensitivity of the instrument is usually in­ electrodes. The voltage-current ratio multiplied by an appro­ creased by an auxiliary spring system which makes the device priate constant is then a rough measure of the average approach an unstable condition. The gravimeter is capable electrical re i ti,·ities of the rocks underlying the electrode of detecting changes in gravity as small as one part in ten configuration. The value obtained depends on the spacing million of its normal value. and the configuration of the electrodes. By taking readings The Gulf Coast salt dome structures previously described for various spacings, it is possible to make an estimate of have been particularly amenable to gravity prospecting, since the variation of resistivities \\'ith depth. On the other hand, the salt usually has a lower density than the surrounding if the spacing is kept constant, but the configuration is moved edimentary rocks. During the period from 1923 to about along the surface, the readings give an indication of hori­ 1930, a number of salt dome structures were located zontal variations in subsurface resistivities and hence in

- 10 - Alumni Review rock types. under favorable conditions this method will recorded by the oscillograph on a rapidly moving strip of gi\·e useful information for relati\·ely shallow depths. film. Timing lines are superimposed every 0.01 second. The SEIS1IIC 1~ETHOD oscillograph is started a short interval before the shot is The seismic method of prospecting consists in detonating detonated. and the shot instant is recorded on the film, a charge of explosi\·e near the surface of the ground and together with the motion of the ground at each of the geo­ recording the resulting motion of the ground at various phone positions for several seconds after the shot. points. Since the velocity \\·ith which the explo ion wave On this record or seismogram the arrival of reflected travels is different in various kinds of rock, measurements waves can be identified by the nearly simultaneous appear­ of times of arrival of the impulse at various distances from ance of similar pulses on all the photographic traces. By the shotpoint can be used to outline subsurface structures. means of the timing I ines the arrirnl of the reflected waves This method of prospecting was particularly successful in can be timed with an accuracy of 0.001 second, and their locating salt domes in the Gulf Coast region. H ere the directions of arrival can be calculated from the difference \·elocity of propagation in the salt is appreciably hig;her than in arrirnl times at the various geophone positions. From in the urrounding rocks. I n the usual method of prospecting, these data, the depths, positions. and dips of the reAecting called "fan shooting." a series of receptors were placed about interfaces can be calculated, provided the velocities of propa­ the shotpoint on the arc of a circle several miles in radius. gation in the g round are known. This velocity data is ob­ The shot instant was usually transmitted by radio to the tained by ,,·ell velocity surveys. The data from the various recording positions. Then, if any of the paths from the shotpoints are combined in a vertical cross-section show­ shotpoint to the receptors has intercepted a salt plug, ing the subsurface information obtained at each station. those receptors would show a small lead in time of arrival Contour maps are then drawn showing the structure of O\·er the adjacent paths. By systematic coverage of the region desired horizons. \\·ith a number of "fan" setups, salt pl ugs which were not The reAection seismograph method of exploration has too deep could be located. been \·ery extensively used during the last se\·en or eight years, and has resulted in the disco,·ery of many new oil REFLECTIO:\" SEIS1IOGRAPH The natural outg;rowth of the above described "refraction fields. Of all geophysical methods. it is the only one which seismograph" procedure was the "reAection seismograph" yields data in the preci e form which the geologist desire - that is, the actual positions and dips of subsurface strata. method of exploration. In stratified sedimentary rocks the H owe\·er, in common with all other geophysical methods, rnrious trata differ in density and elastic constants. As an it is an indirect method of exploration, locating structures explosion \Va\·e travels dowmvard from a shot detonated near the surface it suffers partial reAection at the boundaries rather than oil accumulations themseh·es. Recently a method has been introduced which attempts between the different rock strata. As only a small fraction of the incident energy is reAected at each interface, the to locate oi l accumulations directly. It consists of analyzing near-surface soil samples for minute quantities of hydro­ \\·ave continues to travel do"·nward, generating at the vari· ous interfaces trains of "reAections" or "echoes" which travel carbons which may have migrated upward from subsurface accumulation of oil and gas. Although the soil gas analysis upwards to the surface. Since the detonation of the shot sets method has had some success. it is as yet too early to predict the ground into sustained and complicated modes of vibra­ tion, only the stronger reAections are discernible above this its ultimate value as a prospecting method. background motion. In practice, the number of visible reAec· P/10/oyra(>li s cou r l N)' of the C.:11itcd Geopli ysical Co 111pa11 y tions per hotpoint may vary from two or three to t\\·enty­ fiH or fifty. The field procedure in reAection seismograph prospecting is ordinarily as follows. A series of shotpoints are placed along a line of profile across the area to be explored at intervals varying from ]18 to 0 mile. The shotholes are drilled by a portable shothole drill, usually to a short distance belo"· the " ·ater table, \\·hich may be from 5 feet to 500 feet or more in depth. A charge of dynamite varying in size from a fraction of a pound to 100 pounds is loaded near the bottom of the hole, and detonated by means of an electric blasting cap. In the mean time a number of vibration pick­ ups or "geophones" have been placed along the line of profile at intervals of 25 to 200 feet on each side of the shotpoint. Each of these geophones is connected electrically by means of a cable to a bank of vacuum tube amplifiers in a record­ ing truck located near the shotpoint. The outputs of the amplifiers, which are automatically controlled to produce Seismological Laboratory of the o;,.i, ion of : he Geological Sciences located in the San Rafael Hills a few miles from the a nearly constant amplitude, are in turn photographically campus.

December. 1939 - 11 NEWS OF CLASSES J 1911 ination for li censing as a structural engi­ State Bridge Department at Los Angeles H a rold C. H ill, who is Sales Engineer neer. has been transferred to t he Cali fornia Di~ H ar old Graham , x25, is one of the o ut­ with the General Electric Company at vision of Highways, District VII at Los Los Angeles, recently pre ented a paper standing industrial designers in Southern Angeles, and is employed as a J uni.or before a meeting of the California X atural California; his work includes the design Highway Engineer. and execution of window displays and Ga soline Association entitled, "Electrical pretentious interior displays in Los An­ 1929 Controls, Fractional H orse Power 1Iotor geles stores, and also the re-design of Beverly Fredendall, who was in charge in Natural Gasoline Plant Operation." industrial products to increase sales ap­ of the National Broadcasting Company's peal and general utility. Of current inter­ exhibit at the New York \\"o rld's Fair 1915 spent se,·eral weeks as technical advise; Raym ond D . Andrews has purchased est is his animated Christmas window at Bullock's in downtown Los Angeles. at the company's new H ollywood Broad­ an interest in Glendale Foundry and casting studios this fall. Alloys, Inc., at Glendale, California, and 1926 Stanley L ohman, who is with the Water he is in charge of sales for the company. W allace Penfield, who is Engineer of R esources Branch of the U. S. Geological the Santa Barbara County Planning Com­ Survey, is in Kansas doing field work on 19 18 mission. addressed the ·water and Soil water tables for the Sur\'ey. F rank Ca pra's latest picture, "Mr. Smith Consen·ation Conference held in Los An­ John Daly, w ho is a seismologist for Goe to \Vashington," is arousing coun­ geles last month on "\Vater Consen·a­ the Shell Oil Company, was transferred try-wide interest. not only for its expected tio n Problems o f Santa Barbara County." recently to Los Angeles, ha\"ing formerly deftness in telling an amusing story, but worked in the San J oaquin Valley. for its unfolding of the hero's faith in 1927 Fran k T h ompson, who is Engineer for American democracy. Dr. John H . Maxson, who is Assistant the California Railroad Commission at Corliss Bercaw has resigned as Sales Professor of Geology at the Institute, left Los Angeles, is the proud father of a Engineer for the \i\festinghouse Electric Pa adena the middle of ::\ ovember to little girl. Gaylene Anne, born on May and Manufact uring Company at \i\fash­ continue geological reconnaissance work 2nd at Glendale. ington to accept a position on the staff of on Lake ).fead. X evada. This project is Fred Cline. who is in the United States the Baldwin L ocomotive \Vorks at Phil­ a continuatio n of the previous Grand Engineer's Office at Los Angeles, has adelphia. taking an active part in its new Canyon explorations, and is being carried recently been promoted to Associate d iesel-electric program. o n jointly by Dr. ).faxson and Dr. Ian Engineer, and is in charge of hydraulic Campbell, who is Associate Professor of design for a portion of the flood channels 1922 Petrology at the Institute. being con structed by the Army Engi­ Harold R. Harris, who is vice-president Lee W. R alsto n has been appointed co­ neers in Los Angeles county. of Pan-American-Grace Airways. is now ordinator (coll ege president) of the Coa­ Sid Exley, who is manager of the Har­ located in ew York City. linga. California. Extens ion Center of per and Reynolds H ardware Company at Fresno State College. having complete Los Angele . and his wife, Ann, were 1923 charge of the Junior College at Coalinga. "om e of T ech's most loyal football sup­ Basil Hopper has recently been ap­ Roland R eynolds is the proud father of porters the past season. ha,·ing attended pointed Assistant Manager of Research a son. Gary Lee. born on September 9th nearly all the trames. and Develo pment of the Union Oil Com­ at Pomona. California. Dr. D onald S. Clark, who is Assistant pany of California. D r. Carl D . Anderson is the author of Professor of ).fechanical Enginee rin~ at an article "Cosmic Ran" in the October the Institute, attended the National 1924 issue of the Griffith o ·bsen ·er. M etals Congress in Chicago last October. William L . Holladay is the author of Thomas Sout hwick, who is with the James W. Dunham, who is Assistant an article "Blower Coils in Refrigera­ United States \\"eather Bureau. has been Area Engineer of the Second Field Area tion," publis hed in the September issue transferred to the Cincinnatti office work­ of the l". S. Engineer"s Office at Los of the magazine, Refrigeration Engineer- ing on the RiYe r and F lood Control pro­ Angeles. is the author of an article, "Un­ ing. gram. us ual Tunnel Job in R elocating Glendale 1925 1928 Outfall Sewer at River." aopearing in the Linus C. P auling, Ph.D ., who is Chair­ Alex Clark has been carrying on exten­ October 6th issue of the Southwest man of the Division of Chemistry and s ive field work in \Vyoming and the Builder and Contractor. Chemical Engineering and Director of the Rocky M ountain plateau as geologist for Gates and Crellin Laboratories at the the Shell Oil Company. 1930 Institute. has been additionally honored George R. Crane, who is with the E lec­ Roland F. H odder is Chief E ngineer fo r by his election as Chairman of the Faculty t rical Resear ch P roducts. addressed the the Gravity Sen·ice Company of Houston. for the 1939-1940 ter m. Electrical Engineering Seminar at the Texas. M arkham E. Salsbury, who is J uni.or Institute last month on "Some Problems Orrin E lliot is the proud father of a Assistant Chief Engineer of the Los An­ in Sound Recording." son. David Orrin. born on June 22nd. geles County Flood Control District. is Elbert E. Miller has been promoted to Ed Dmytr ick, x30, is the youngest direc­ the author of an article. "Beha,·ior of Project Engineer for the new Armv tor at Paramount Studios. having former­ Channel Protection \i\forks During the Bomber at the Douglas Aircraft Com­ h· been chief cutter at the studio. Storm of 1938." appearing in the October panv"s El Segundo plant. • Nathan D . Whitman is now a licensed 6th issue of the Southwest Builder and Har t Ross is Electrical Engineer for structural engineer having passed the Cali­ Contractor. The article was based on a the American Totalizer Com pany. and he fornia state examination recently. paper which he delivered before the Sep­ keeos the pari-mutuel eauipment at Santa tember meeting of the Los Angeles sec­ Anita and Hollywood Park in operating 1931 tion of the American Society of Civil condition. Everett G. T rostel, who is with the Engineers. K ennet h M . Fenwick is the proud father Union Oil Company. is an in,tructor in Paul C. Rivinius is an accountant w ith of a son. Douglas Kenneth. born on Oc­ petroleum en~ineering in the University the firm of P rice. \ Vaterh.o use and Com­ tober 6th. Fenwick. who is em ployed College of the University of Southern pany in Los Angeles. bv the Cali fornia Di,·ision of Highways. Cali fornia. Amongst his students are Bill E d Thayer and his wife enjoyed a well has recently been appointed Assistant Althouse, J ack Baker , and B ob Barry, all earned vacation bv takin g a Carribean District ).faintenance Engineer with head­ of the class of '38. cruise. and reported that n.o submarines quarters at Los Angeles. Charles K . L ewis, who is Assistant were sighted. Thayer is on the staff of Charles F . L ewis, who is Sales Engineer En~inee r in the United States Engineer's the magazine. "Industria l :Marketing." in with the Cook Heat Treating Corporatio n Office at Los Angeles. addressed the Wa­ Xew York. at H ouston. Texas. attended Engineer ter and Soil Conservation Conference held Carl H . Heilbron, J r .. who is Associate Resen·e Officers Camp in Texas last in Los Angeles last month on "Place of Engineer in the U. S. Engineers' Office. summer. \\Tater Conservatio n in the Work of t he recently passed the California state exam- F rancis N oel. who has been in the (Continued on page 14)

-- 12 -- Alumni Review "Didn't Little Bays Get Trains, Grandpa?"

"No, sonny, no t when I w as a little boy. You see, Santa Claus hadn't learned how to make electric trains, or auto mobiles, or airplanes then. I used to get a jack knife or a p air of mittens for Ch ristmas. You're a lucky boy!"

OYS and girls aren't the only lud::y ones luck that made all these things available to us. B these days. Just check over the th ings you It was American indust ry- its scientists, engineers, have, and ask yourself how many of them a family and workmen- who developed these new products, like yours could have had even a generation ago. improved them, made them less expensive so that Certainly not your radio or your electric refrig­ more millions of people can en joy them. erator. Probably not your automobile, or even More than any other one thing, the increasing use your electric lights. And there are thousands of of electricity in industry has helped in t his prog­ other things- now available in a wide variety ress. For more than 60 years, General Electric and at a reasonable price-that were unknown or has pioneered in making electricity more useful prohibitively expensive only a few years ago. to the American people-in creating More Goods Yes, we say we are lucky today. But it wasn't for More People at Less Cost.

G-E research a11d engineering have saved the public from te11 to one hundred dollars for every dollar they have earned for General Electric GENERAL. ELECTRI~

December, 1939 - 13- (Continued from page 12) Rhode Island. He was formerly a meteor­ tcr's degree at the Institute in June, is Army Engineer ." He recently was pro­ ologist for American Airlines, and has now working for the Engineer of San moted to First L ieutenant in the 604th been teaching a course at the Massachu­ Bernardino County, California. Engineer Reserve Battalion of the li. S. setts Institute of Technol.ogy. Richard W . Folkins received hi mas­ Army. ter' degree at the Institute in .Tune and Calvin Frye is now a ).farine Engineer 1935 is now working for the firm of J. S. at the Puget Sound Navy Yard at Brem­ Herbert S. Rihner received the degree ).letzger and Sons. general contractor in erton, \\'ashington. of Doctor of Philosophy from \Vashing­ Los :\ngeles. Frank Wengren, x31, was married to ton U ni,·crsity, St. Louis, last June, and ).Iiss Gladys D. :\elsqn on September was married to 11iss SylYia Berin of St. 2nd at Santa Barbara. He recently took Louis on J unc 4th. He is doing develop­ the California tate bar examination. ment work for the G ravity Sen·ice Com­ Howard G. Smits is now Structural pany of Houston, Texas, and is now liv­ E ngineer for the Harbor Hills Housing ing in Hou ton. Project, near San Pedro, California, \vhich Albert 0 . Dekker has accepted a posi­ is one of the large t California low cost tion as Associate Professor of Chemi try housing projects ponsored by the Cnited at Berea College, located at Berea, Ken­ States Housing Authority. tuckv. Sam Eastman, who i a member of the D onald C. Webster was married to ).fiss ad,·enising firm of Dozier Graham East­ Caroline Kennedy of \\'est wood 11 ills on man, i Yice-president of the Southern October 17th. California chapter of the National Indus­ 1936 trial Ad,·ertisers' Association. Eugene Bollay, M.S., has been transfer­ red to the Knox,·ille Office of the U. S. 1932 \\"eather Bureau. Albert W. Atwood, Jr., was married to Ted Fahrner is doing field work on 11iss Elaine Lynch in Los An,,.eles on damsites in :\iew Hampshire for the Fed­ December 9th. Atwood is with the ).{etro­ eral Power Commission. Don Warren, who wa Senior Bridge politan 'Nater District of Southern Cali­ Moe Rosen is now employed as a 1Ia­ Engineer on the San Francisco-Oakland fornia. and has long been prominent in rine Engineer at the Puget Sound Xavy Bay Bridge and who ha been in charge a lumni affairs. this being his second year Yard at Bremer ton, \\'ashington. of all State bridg-e construction in South­ as Secretary of the Alumni Association. The engagement of Wallace Kiger to ern California for se,·cral years, is resign­ Howard W. Finney is an accountant 11iss Ilo Smith of Pasadena was an­ ing to open private offices on January 2nd with the firm of Price, \\'aterhouse and nounced last September, and the wedding in the Architects' Building in L os An­ Company in Los Angeles. will take place in the Spring. geles. In addition to many years of ex­ James R. Bradburn was married to ).fiss perience on bridges, he ha had extensive King T urnbull of Chicago on September 1937 experience on major hydraulic structures. 9th. W illiam L. Penn, who is employed by In pri,·ate practice he will peciali ze in William Bleakney, Ph.D., has resigned the Hydril Company, has been promoted tructural and civil engineering as it per­ his po ition with the • ational Bureau of recently to the position of hift foreman tains to bridge and foundation . Standards and i now with the Lockheed at the Company's Rochester, Penns··l­ Russell Hayward has returned to the Aircraft Company at Glendale. vania. oil tool shops. employ oi the Lane-\\.ell Company at Richard A. Searle has been laying out John S. Edwards, Jr., is now at the Los Angeles. and has been promoted to the electrical work, since January, for Port h-ory plant of the Proctor and Gam­ the position of Field Engineer in the the new \\"alt Disney Studios now under ble Company on Staten Island, X ew Directional Drilling and Oriented Survey construction at Burbank, California. York. Departments of the Company. Benarthur C. Haynes has resigned as LeVan Griffis is now an instructor at Roland Stone has accepted a position as In tructor in 11eteorology at the Boeing the Armour Institute of Technology in chemist in the sales laboratory of the School of Aeronautics. Oakland, Cali­ Chicago. Filtrol Corporation in Los Angeles. H e fornia, to accept a position as Instructor Harry H . Carrick received his master's was formerly employed by the Proctor in the Air Mass Section of the United degree from the Institute in June and is and Gamble Company. States \\·eather Bureau at \\'ashington, now a Structural Engineer in the Los Garn A. Rynearson has been appointed D.C. He will al o do research work in Angeles City Building Department. the :\cw Jersey Zinc Company Fellow in the newly organized Research Depart­ Herbert R. Sheppard received his mas­ Chemistry at Lehigh University in Behle­ ment of the Bureau. ter ·s degree from the Institute last June hcm. Penn yh·ania. and is now stress analyst at the Burbank J am es Balsley is teaching geology at 1933 plant of the Lockheed Aircraft Company. Han·ard University. Willis P. Popenoe, M.S., Ph.D., '36, who Robert P . Bryson, M.S., is on a field J ack Knight was married to 11iss Bar­ is Curator in I m·ertebrate Paleontology. trip for the U. S. Geological Sun·ey. bara Garrison of South Pasadena on has returned from the Philippine I slands H arold L. Smith is now with the Fed­ X o\·ember I st in the little Church of Eng­ where he spent the summer on oil surveys eral Power Commission at \Vashington. land in Aukland. Xew Zealand. for the Island go,·ernment. He made the M. H. W ebster is now in his third and Paul A. Dennis was married to :Miss round trip by way of the Pan-American last year at the Harvard Law School. Barbara \\"inchester of Pasadena on )ro­ "Clipper" ships. Bill Wetmore recently became engaged vember 4th. Fred H . Detmers is with Technicolor to ).fiss Eleanor Cleland of Pasadena, a Clay Smith has done an excellent job ).lotion Picture Company in Xew York U.C.L.A. senior this year. He is Re idcnt this oast season .of coaching the Freshman City. Associate at Rickett House, while work­ football team, while he is doing graduate Al F. Libby is the proud father of a ing for his doctorate at the Institute. work at the Institute. daughter. Diane Feller, born on Septem­ Edward J. Horkey was married to 1Iiss ber 17. 1939. Helen 11arie Holroyd of Los Angeles last 1939 month. James L. Botsford, Ph.D ., is now Dean Robert L. Smith is to be married to of Men and mathematics instructor at 1938 Miss Phyllis Elizabeth Roeder of Glen­ Eastern \\'ashington College of Educa­ Hank Evans, who held a fellowship in dale on December 16th. ti.on at Cheney. \\'ashington. the Graduate School of Traffic Research William L. Brown is to be married to Maurice Donnelly, M.S., Ph.D., '35, who at Yale Uni1·ersity last year. is now a ).[iss Dorothea Armstrong of Beverly is in charge of a co-operati,-e research Traffic Engineer for the Automobile Club Hills on December 15th at Tulsa, Okla­ proiect of the Universitv of California of outhcrn California in Los Angeles. homa. and the U. S. Soil Conservation SerYice Munson W . D owd is now a Junior H erman S. Englander ha returned from at Riverside. California. spent a month Engineer in the G. S. Indian Irrigation an extended tour of Eurooe. having sailed on the campus this fall to complete tudies Sen·icc and i stationed at Yerington. immediately after graduation. on the peg-matite problem. Nevada. T . Matthew is taking the training course Robert D. Fletcher has been appointed J ohn L. Merriam is now with the U. S. oi the S.outhern California Edison Com­ ground school instructor for the Civil oil Conservation Sen·ice and i stationed pany. and is now working at Santa Mon­ Aeronautics Authority pilot training at Santa Ana. California. ica doing sales c1wineering work selling center at Brown Uni,·ersity at Providence, Arthur W . Sidler, who received his mas- power to the motion picture studios. - 14- Alumni Review W•lliam F. Ropp is in the Engineering Department of the Soule Steel Company at Los Angeles, doing estimating and computing. Paul Engelder is a graduate student at ~~ tiJ WINTER· the institute and assisted Coach 11u sel­ man with the Scrub team the past season. George Asakawa is now employed by - ~ . · PROOF! the Okura Company in X ew York City. Udene Younger is now with the U nited A.coustigraph Company in Los Angeles. · Russell Anderson is doing time study work at the plant of the L. A. P eriod Furniture Company ;!t Los A ngeles. Carl J . Schneider and Carl Paul are both employed at the Peoria. Illinois, plant of the Caterpillar T ractor Company. Walter H . Munk spent the summer on a research voyage along t he coast of Cali­ fornia ior the Scripps Institute of Ocean ­ ography securing specimens of t he ocean bed, which re,·ealed the geological compo­ ,ition of the bed and formation of the coast lands. f1Ut The engagement of ::\liss Dorothy Les­ lie oi Eagle R ock to John Jake Browne was announced recently, and the wedding FOR THESE /2 ,,·iJI be held the early part of the coming year. Leo Beard, Edgar Griswold, Robert WINTER-PROOF SERVICES FREE Haussler, and Robert L. Smith are in the U. S. Engineer' O ffice at Los A ngeles. ( NO CHARGE EXCEPT fOR NEEDED MATERIALS YOU ORDER ) Willard Snyder and Edward Sullivan 1 • Cooling system checked for scale and lea.ks. 6. Oil filler ins pected aod oew cartridge ins t.a.Ued are Junior Engineers in the U. S. Bureau H ose and clamps io.s1>ected. if needed. of Reclamation and are working on the 2. Radia tor drained and flushed. 7 • Battery tested, cables inspected, termina.la Central \ "a lley Project. 3. Fan belt ch eeked and r eplaced if n ecessary. cleaned and distilled water added if necessary.. Dick Bradshaw is with the Emsco Der­ 4 .. Old Summer lubric aut r emo"ed from 8. ;:;ta~e'dh;;~:::!s:~~:d and c leaned and rick Co. of Los Angeles. trans mission a nd diffe r e ntial, cases thor· John Osborn is with the American Con­ oughly flushe~, unh•ersals carefu ~J y ch~ ked 9 .. !i~~~:Je:t n=a~pected and adjwted or and correct wrnter grade of )lob1l lubricant p ry ~ret~ Pipe Company at South Gate, Cali­ •u pplied. 10 • Lights inspected, Jen.sea clcaoed. tor111a. 5 • Crank case tlr::.iued and flus h ed a ucl filled with 11 • Interior vacuum cleaned. James Ritchie is with the Firestone Tire the corred winier grade of ) lohiloil. 12. Tires ins pected and inflated. and Rubber Company at its South Gate Plant. W . E . Wilson, M .S., is now As istant Profe:;sor of H ydraulics at \Yayne Uni­ ,·er-.itY in D etroit. William H. Bonnell. M.S., is now work­ ing for t he Lockheed Aircraft Company at Burbank. California. wher e he is doing sires- analvsis. N. A. Christensen, Ph.D., is D ean of Engineering at Colo rado State College. ---T--- tors to take full advantage of the new bassador Hotel in Los Angeles on No­ fuel. Ir is estimated that an automotive vember 9th and 10th. Tech was well ADSORBENT CLAY engine designed to take full advantage represented 111 both attendance and (Continued from page 6) of 100 octane gasoline would be about number of papers read. For instance Ed HIGH-CO;\IPRESSIO one-ha! f the size of today's engines. with 1 oujon-R oche, '28, and 1 oh n D aly, '29, High-octane. anti-knock fuels for air­ no sacrifice in performance. both of the Shell Oil Company, were craft use have been prepared, for ex­ ---T--- prominently represented . . . at least ample, by starting with gasoline of maxi­ they " ·ere easily seen. Dr. F rancis D . mum octane rating, and then 'doping' DECEMBER MEETING B ode, '30, presented one of the most it up " ·ith lead compounds and pure iso­ " Labor Relations in Industry" was interesting papers of the meeting, en­ octane. \ Vith the new catalytic cracking the topic discussed by l\l r. Arthur H. titled, Geological O bser·vations in Italian process. ra"· gasoline can be re-cycled to Young, Lecturer on Industrial Rela­ East d f rica. reform into a base fuel of as high as 91 tions at the Institute, at the D ecember In the informal symposium on recent octane rating, from whence it can be meeting held on D ecember 8th at the petroleum discoveries 111 California, cheaply raised to 100 by conventional \lary L ouise Tea Room in Los Angeles. R ollin Eckis, M.S., '30, of the Richfield methods. ---T--- Oil Company, discussed the Coles Levee This new development may even ef­ oil field, a relatively recent discovery fect the design of tomorrow's automative Petroleum Geologists in the San J oaquin Valley. L oyal E. engines, for no\\· that the high-compres­ Meeting N elson, '36, of the Texas Company, sion fuels can be manufactured by this The P acific Section of the American presented an extemporaneous discussion method . automotive engineers will be Association of Petroleum Geologists held of the South ~fountain View field on enabled to design high compression mo- its sixteenth annual meeting at the Am- the eastern side of the valley. necember, 1939 15 BOOKS J THE RAMPARTS WE WATCH And then he takes up the part our Army should play in his By GEORGE FIELDIXG ELIOT general defense scheme, for he in no way is an advocate of ag­ A hook ret•iew by Frederic W. Hi11richs, Ir. gression by the use of armed force. ~lajor Eliot indeed recog­ ~Iajor George Fielding Eliot, long interested in military nizes that armed force is constantly being used today for pur­ problems, and at present expert commentator on the European poses of territorial or other national aggrandizement, but he is "\Var for the rew York Herald-Tribune, has undertaken a confident that \Ye in America have no such aims and will avoid review of the foreign policy of the United States, and of its war when possible. On this basi , the needs of the various arms bearing on our military preparation. The book was published of the land forces are discussed, the personnel, and the materiel in 1938, and has had many printings. It appeared before the necessary and adequate, the interchange of officers between invasion of Poland by Germany, and the simultaneous declara­ branches, and the coordination of the work of both Army and tion of war on Germany by Great Britain, France, and the Navy by such interchange between the Services. The author Dominions of the British Commwonwealth-Canada, Aus­ concludes that we do not need an army of the size of those tralia, New Zealand, and South Africa; and for this reason no"· with the colors in Europe, but one of approximately 650,- it is not altogether up-to-date in some of its parts. But as this 000 men, to include Regulars, .'.\ational Guard, and Re ervists review is written, in late ovember 1939, it is only fair to a,·ailable for quick call to active duty. The :t\avy personnel is state that the author has analyzed the general need for military much below this, but adequate to man the powerful flee t we preparation by the United States with great skill as far as should maintain. At full strength, ~ lajor Eliot calls for a facts available to him at the time of writing would permit. personnel of 135,000 men, an organized naval reserve of 35,000, The classic work on A Military Policy for the United States, backed by a volunteer reserve and a merchant marine reserve of by General Emery Upton, was written shortly after our own equal strength. Civil War, and lay in manuscript form in the archives of the "\Ve in the United States ha,·e for many years enjoyed the "\Var Department until discovered, about 1902, br Elihu Root benefit which a strong Briti h .'.\avy, under a friendly foreign when he was Secretary of War. l\Ir. Root at once saw the policy, has conferred upon us. We in our turn give a feeling value of Upton's suggestions, and had the material published of security to our neighbors in the vVestern Hemisphere by in book form. Changes in equipment, especially in artillery and our relatively great strength. Canada and our Latin American rapid fire small arms, the development of the motor-car, the neighbors to the south are vitally interested in the maintenance airplane, the tank, and the coming of chemical warfare, have, of sea power by a friendly Great Britain and an adequately of course, modified some of the conclusions stressed by Upton. armed Cnited States. The ramparts we watch are primarily It is as to this modification which modern conditions have the waves lapping our own shores. Secondarily, Alaska, Hawaii , brought about, that Major Eliot makes his suggestions-sug­ Panama and its approaches are in the picture. And finally, the gestions, in my opinion, theoretically sound and practically shore-line and adjacent waters of our neighbors, north and attainable. south, are vitally a part of our plans for defense. For if any The book is provided " ·ith convenient maps, of the '.\crth secured foot-hold, or naval or air bases were obtained in .'.\ orth and South Pacific Oceans, of the Korth and South Atlantic or South America by a potential enemy, say a victorious Ger­ Oceans, and of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of ~ l exico. many on our Atlantic coast or a truculent Japan on our Pacific The argument is largely based upon these maps, upon the coast, the gravest disarrangement of defense plans might follow. distances involved between strategic points, upon the harbors available, the density of traffic involved, the defense of zones. To prevent such an eventuality, to give ourselves adequate and especially that around and leading to the Panama Canal. preparation without the huge armament burdens under which The reader should of course follow the plan of the book and Europe labors, ~lajor Eliot makes a carefully considered pro­ should consult these maps frequently as Major Eliot develops po al. Armed as he suggests, with a foreign policy aimed at friendly trade and just relations with the rest of the " ·orld, his thesis. ~AV AL STRE GTH we should be able, "if compelled to do so, to inflict grievous This thesis is in brief that the United States, because of its hurt on others, while taking little hurt ourselves.... We can position, can best defend itself by keeping the main battle-line make sure that we command the seas which are the medium strength of our ~ avy together in either ocean, and at the same of contacts with other nations- those seas which are our ram­ time holding beyond peradventure the Panama Canal, the parts, and upon which we must stand our watch." "short-line" of communication between the oceans. He indicates what he considers an adequate .Kavy, what its composition should be, from the battle-ship class through the cruisers, destroyers, submarines, air-craft carriers, and airplanes. He ANNUAL ALUMNI DANCE points out the many-sided functions of the ~ avy, and makes SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 1940 suggestions as to training, and as to the commissioned, non­ Biltmore Blue R oom, Los Angeles commissioned, and enlisted strength "·hich should be assigned Tickets $1.85 per couple to the fleet. Get Your Tickets Early!

16 Alumni Review December, 1939 PRODUCTION GOES UP COST GO DOWN

WHEN LAN E-WELLS GUN P ERFOBArES AN OIL WELL Perforating of oil well casing two miles or more below the surface was just a ch-earn of a few short years ago when Lane-Wells engineers ta ck.led the problem. It meant designing a gun that would fit inside pipe and yet be powerful enough to penetrate as many as three strings ot heavy casing. It meant solving the problem of measurement to place each shot with deadly accuracy. It meant building controls to fire the individual charges. How well these engineers have succeeded is proved by the fact that m ore than 22.000 oil wells have been Gun-Perforated by Lane-Wells since 1933 throughout the oil fields of the world. The story of Lane-Wells Gun Perforating is available to all engineers. Write to the nearest Lane-Wells office.

Operators today drill and cement casing straight through all the pro­ ducing zones. They Gun-Perforate the lowest zone and alter produc­ tion has been exhausted run a Lane­ lANE WEllS Wel/s bridging plug. perforate the next upper zone and continue to produce the well.

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