Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 7: 53-56 (2004)

The IAU Historic Radio Working Group. 1: Progress Report

Wayne Orchiston Anglo-Australian Observatory, and Australia Telescope National Facility, PO Box 296, Epping, NSW 2121, Australia E-mail: [email protected]

Rod Davies Jodrell Bank, , Macclesfield, SK11 9DL, U.K. E-mail: [email protected]

Jean-Francois Denisse 48 rue Mr Le Prince, 75006 Paris, France E-mail messages to: [email protected]

Ken Kellermann National Observatory, 520 Edgemont Rd., Charlotteville, VA 22903-2475, U.S.A. E-mail: [email protected]

Masaki Morimoto Nishi Harima Astronomical Observatory, 407 2 Nishi Kawachi, Sayoh Cho, Hyohgo 679 5313, Japan E-mail: [email protected]

Slava Slysh Astronomy Space Center, Lebedev Physical Institute, PrBoxsojuznaya Ul 84/32, 117810 Moscow, E-mail: [email protected]

Govind Swarup NCRA TIFR, Pune University Campus Pb3, Ganeshkind, Pune 411 007, E-mail: [email protected]

Hugo van Woerden Kapteyn Sterrekundig Instituut, University of Groningen, Box 800, 9700 AV Groningen, The E-mail: [email protected]

This new Working Group was established at the Australia’s pioneering efforts in international radio July 2003 IAU General Assembly in Sydney, with a astronomy, it was only natural that such sessions view to: should form part of the program at the Sydney GA,

(1) assembling a master list of surviving and it was pleasing to see that they drew capacity historically-significant radio telescopes and audiences. Science Meeting 2, on “The Early associated instrumentation found world- Development of Australian Radio Astronomy”, ran wide; all day on July 21, and attracted the following oral (2) documenting the technical specifications and and poster papers: scientific achievements of such instruments; (3) maintaining an on-going bibliography of Sullivan, W. A half-century of Australian radio publications on the history of radio astronomy, 1939-1988: from wartime to astronomy; the Australia Telescope. (4) monitoring other developments relating to Minnett, H. Fifty years of radio science and its the history of radio astronomy. applications. Murray, J. The Penrith and Dapto solar radio This was a joint initiative of Commissions 40 spectrographs. (Radio Astronomy) and 41 (History of Astronomy), Robinson, B. Joe Pawsey and his influence on and as such the new WG comes under the umbrella the development of Australian radio of both Commissions and Divisions X and XII. astronomy. Coincident with the formation of the WG at Slee, B. Early Australian measurements of radio the General Assembly were 1.5 days of meetings source structure. about the history of radio astronomy, organised Robinson, B. Early observations of the H-line in jointly by Commissions 40 and 41. Given Sydney. IAU Historic Radio Astronomy WG Report #1 Murray, J. Development of the Murraybank In addition to the two specialized sessions multi-channel H-line receiver. mentioned above, other historic radio astronomy McLean, D. The solar radio astronomy program papers were given in Science Meeting 1 (on a at Culgoora: an historical overview. possible 500–2000 yr old SN in the Crux-Centaurus Suzuki, S. The Culgoora Spectropolarimeter. region recorded in Maori ‘star lore’), and Working Duncan, R.A. History of the determination of Group Meeting 1 (an account of the ATNF’s Jupiter’s rotation period. Historic Photographic Archive and development of McAdam, B. From Molonglo Cross to MOST: a a digital database). It is hoped that all Australian- scientific appraisal. related papers from these various meetings will be Batchelor, B., Brooks, J., & Sinclair, M. brought together in a book. “Receiver development for the Parkes . Meanwhile, publications on the history of Milne, D., & Whiteoak, J. The impact of Frank radio astronomy that have appeared since 1998 include: Gardner on the first years of research with the Parkes Radio Telescope. Birthday dish [40th Birthday of the Parkes Radio Finlay, E., & Jones, B. The 30 MHz array at Telescope]. Sky & Space, 14(5), 18-27 (2001). Fleurs. Bracewell, R.A., 2002. The discovery of strong Robinson, B. URSI (Sydney) 1952: the first extragalactic polarization using the Parkes international meeting of radio astronomers. Radio Telescope. Journal of Astronomical

Most of these papers dealt with the work at the History and Heritage, 5, 107-114. various C.S.I.R.O. Division of Radiophysics field Davies, R.D., 2003. Fred Hoyle and Manchester. stations and at Parkes, although Bruce McAdam gave Astrophysics and Space Science, 285, 309- 319. an excellent review paper about the University of Finley, D.G., and Goss, W.M. (eds.), 2000. Sydney’s Molonglo Cross. Apart from Woody Radio : The Saga and the Sullivan’s introductory overview—which effectively Science. Green Bank, National Radio set the scene for the day—all of the papers were Astronomy Observatory (Workshop Number prepared by retired radio astronomers who were 27). actively involved in Australian radio astronomy at Kellermann, K.I., and Moran, J.M., 2001. The one time or another during the period 1945–1988. In development of high-resolution imaging in addition to the various papers, a video about Grote radio astronomy. Annual Review of Astronomy Reber was screened during lunchtime. This Science and Astrophysics, 39, 457-509. Meeting was organised by Miller Goss, Dave Menon, T.K., 2001. The discovery of the first HI Jauncey, Ken Kellermann, Wayne Orchiston (Co- shell in the Galaxy. In Taylor, A.R., Chair), and Woody Sullivan (Co-Chair). Landecker, T.L., and Willis, A.G. (eds.). For those wanting yet more, Wayne Orchiston Seeing Through the Dust. The Detection of HI and Bruce Slee organised Science Meeting 5 on and the Exploration of the ISM in Galaxies. “Pioneering Observations in Radio Astronomy”, San Francisco, ASP (Conference Series, which was held on the morning of July 22. This Volume 276). Pp. 23-26. featured the following oral and poster papers: Moran, J.M., 1998. Thirty years of VLBI: early days, successes, and future. In Zensus, J.A., Kellermann, K. Grote Reber: maverick scientist Taylor, G.B., and Wrobel, J.M. (eds.). Radio and father of radio astronomy. Emission from Galactic and Extragalactic Radhakrishnan, V. Olof Rydbeck and early radio Compact Sources. San Francisco, ASP astronomy in Sweden. (Conference Series Volume 144). Pp. 1-10. Sullivan, W Wurzburg dishes: German WWII Orchiston, W., 2001. Focus on history of radar antennas vital to early radio astronomy Australian radio astronomy. ATNF News, 45, in every country but Germany (and Australia). 12-15. Orchiston W. Dr Elizabeth Alexander: first Orchiston, W., 2004a. From the solar corona to female radio astronomer? clusters of galaxies: the radio astronomy of Goss, M. Ruby Payne-Scott (1912-1981): Bruce Slee. Publications of the Astronomical Australian pioneer in radiophysics and radio Society of Australia, 21, 23-71. astronomy. Orchiston, W., 2004b. Radio astronomy at the Kardashev, N., & Matvennko, L.I. The early short-lived Georges Heights field-station. development of USSR radio astronomy. ATNF News, 52, 8-9. Goss, M., McGee, R., and Slee, B. The Orchiston, W., 2004c. The rise and fall of the discoveries of Sagittarius A in New South Chris Cross: a pioneering Australian radio Wales in 1951 and Sagittarius A* in West telescope. In Orchiston, W., Stephenson, R., Virginia in 1974. Débarbat, S., and Nha, I-S. (eds.). Morimoto, M. Early Japanese mm-wave Astronomical Archives and Instruments in the observations and their impact on international Asia-Pacific Region. Seoul, Yonsei University radio astronomy. Press. Pp. 157-162. Débarbat, S. Fifty years of radio astronomy in Orchiston, W., and Slee, B., 2002a. The France. Australasian discovery of solar radio Jauncey, D., Lovell, J.E.J., Koyama, Y., Fey, emission. AAO Newsletter, 101, 25-27. A.L., Edwards, P.G., Aller, M.F., Aller, H.D., Orchiston, W., and Slee, B., 2002b. The Klein, M.J., & the GAVRT Team. Interstellar flowering of Fleurs: an interesting interlude in scintillation observations: back to the future. Australian radio astronomy. ATNF News, 47, Orchiston, W., Chapman, J., Parsons, B., Sharp, 12-15. P., Slee, B., & Wilcockson, B. Interpretation Orchiston, W., and Slee, B., 2002c. Ingenuity of the historic Dover Heights field station: an and initiative in Australian radio astronomy: ATNF heritage project. the Dover Heights hole-in-the-ground 54 IAU Historic Radio Astronomy WG Report #1 antenna. Journal of Astronomical History and contributors of radio astronomy or SETI-type papers Heritage, 5, 21-34. are Bruce Balick, Ron Bracewell, Chris Chyba, Orchiston, W., Chapman, J., and Norris, B., Marshall Cohen, Steve Dick, , Miller 2004. The ATNF Historic Photographic Goss, Mott Greene, Alastair Gunn, Karl Hufbauer, Archive: documenting the history of Richard Jarrell, Ken Kellermann, Wayne Orchiston Australian radio astronomy. In Orchiston, W., & Bruce Slee, Richard Strom and Dan Werthimer. Stephenson, R., Débarbat, S., and Nha, I-S. With the passing of the years, increasing (eds.). Astronomical Archives and Instruments numbers of radio astronomy pioneers are being in the Asia-Pacific Region. Seoul, Yonsei taken from us. Those who have died within the last University Press. Pp. 41-48. three years include Semion Braude (Ukraine), Frank Radhakrishnan, V., 2001. The first twenty years. In Taylor, A.R., Landecker, T.L., and Willis, Gardner (Australia), (U.K. A.G. (eds.). Seeing Through the Dust. The and Australia), Victor Hughes (U.K. and Canada), Detection of HI and the Exploration of the Harry Minnett (Australia), Grote Reber (U.S.A. and ISM in Galaxies. San Francisco, ASP Australia), Gordon Stanley (Australia and U.S.A.), (Conference Series, Volume 276). Pp. 6-18. Kevin Westfold (Australia), and Don Yabsley Robinson, B., 1999. Frequency allocation: the (Australia). Obituaries for Gardner and Minnett are first forty years. Annual Review of Astronomy in active preparation, while for Hanbury Brown, and Astrophysics, 37, 65-96. Reber, Stanley, Westfold and Yabsley refer to the Robinson, B., 2001. Reminiscences of early 21- following publications:

cm research at the C.S.I.R.O. In Taylor, A.R., Browne, G., & Burge, E., 2001-2002. Kevin Landecker, T.L., and Willis, A.G. (eds.). Charles Westfold 24 August 1921–3 October Seeing Through the Dust. The Detection of HI 2001. Trinity Today, Number 59 [Electronic and the Exploration of the ISM in Galaxies. Newsletter of Trinity College, University of San Francisco, ASP (Conference Series, Melbourne. URL: Volume 276). Pp. 19-22. http://www.trinity.unimelb.edu.au/publication Robinson, B., 2002. Recollections of the URSI th s/trinitytoday/]. 10 General Assembly Sydney 1952. The Hanbury Brown, R., 1991. Boffin. A Personal Radio Science Bulletin, 300, 22-30. Story of the Early Days of Radar, Radio Steinberg, J.-L., 2004. Les cinquante ans de Astronomy and Quantum Optics. Bristol, Nançay. L’Astronomie, 118, 5-9. Adam Hilger. Sullivan, W.T., 2000. Kapteyn’s influence on the Kellermann, K., 2003. Obituaries: Gordon James style and content of twentieth century Dutch Stanley. Today, 56(2), 74-75. astronomy. In Kruit, P.C. van der, and Berkel, Kellermann, K., 2003. Obituaries: Grote Reber, K. van (eds.). The Legacy of J.C. Kapteyn. 1911–2002. Bulletin of the American Dordrecht, Kluwer. Pp. 229-264. Astronomical Society, 35, 1472-1473. Sullivan, W.T., 2001. The cultural value of radio Kellermann, K.I., 2003. Obituary. Grote Reber astronomy. In Cohen, R.J., and Sullivan, W.T. (1911-2002). Nature, 421, 596. III (eds.). Preserving the Astronomical Sky. Kellermann, K.I., Orchiston, W., and Slee, B., San Francisco, ASP. Pp. 369-376. n.d. Gordon James Stanley and the early Tarter, J., 2001. The search for extraterrestrial development of radio astronomy in Australia intelligence (SETI). Annual Review of and . Submitted to Publications of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 39, 511-548. the Astronomical Society of Australia. Westerhout, G., 2001a. The pioneers of HI. In Orchiston, W., 2004. Solar radio astronomy at Taylor, A.R., Landecker, T.L., and Willis, the short-lived Georges Heights field station. A.G. (eds.). Seeing Through the Dust. The ATNF News, 52, 8-9. [About Lehany and Detection of HI and the Exploration of the Yabsley] ISM in Galaxies. San Francisco, ASP Orchiston, W., and Slee, B., 2002. Vale Gordon (Conference Series, Volume 276). Pp. 3-5. Stanley. ATNF News, 46, 3. Westerhout, G., 2001b. The start of 21-cm line Tyson, J.A.., 2003. Obituaries:Grote Reber. research: the early Dutch years. In Taylor, Physics Today, 56(8), 63-64. A.R., Landecker, T.L., and Willis, A.G. (eds.). Seeing Through the Dust. The Detection of HI Hanbury Brown’s autobiography is captivating and the Exploration of the ISM in Galaxies. reading, and far more scintillating than any San Francisco, ASP (Conference Series, obituary! Volume 276). Pp. 27-33. Semion Braude was Ukraine’s foremost radio

We are keen to build up a definitive bibliography on astronomer, and Gregory Tsarevsky kindly arranged the history of radio astronomy, and would like to for his colleagues to provide us with biographical hear of other recent publications—particularly in notes which were used in compiling the following brief account. languages other than English—which are not included in the above list (e-mail details to: Semion Yakovych Braude was born on 28 [email protected]). January 1911 in Poltava, Ukraine, and in 1932 An up-coming conference with a significant graduated from the Kharkov Institute of Physics, historical radio astronomy component is “The New Chemistry and Mathematics (now the Kharkov Astronomy: Opening the Electromagnetic Window National University), where he had studied and Expanding our View of Planet Earth. A Meeting physics. He subsequently obtained a Ph.D. to Honor Woody Sullivan on his 60th Birthday”. (1937) and Doctor of Technics (1943). From This will be held at the University of Washington, 1933 until 1955 he worked at the Institute of Seattle, from 16 to 18 June 2004, and a separate Physics and Technology of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, rising to Department Head notice (including the URL of the web site) appears (1949-1955). In 1955 he was appointed elsewhere in this Newsletter. Confirmed Scientific Deputy Director of the Institute of 55 IAU Historic Radio Astronomy WG Report #1 Radio Physics and Electronics Engineering, received many honours from both the Ukraine NASU, and from 1980 to 1987 was Head of the and the USSR. He was a man of talent, wide Department. From 1987 until his death he was a erudition, inexhaustible energy and capacity to Councillor for the Directorship of the Institute. work, rare charm and kindness. He was sociable Braude’s initial research fields were radio- and witty, and will be remembered by everyone location and radio-oceanography, but in 1957 he who was lucky to commune with him. With his turned his attention to radio astronomy. He then passing, on 29 June 2003 at the age of 92, the established an observatory in the Kharkov region scientific community lost an outstanding radio where he and his colleagues erected a number of astronomer. high-yield broadband decametric radio Finally, like other C40 members we were telescopes, the largest and best-known being the shocked to hear of Lucia Padrielli’s death on 22 UTR-2. He was behind the URAN Project, which involved a VLBI network of decametric December 2003. Lucia was Chair of Commission antennas that was used for a high-resolution 40 when plans for the formation of our WG were in survey of selected radio sources. He was an train, and she gave us her whole-hearted support and important pioneer in decametric radio astronomy. encouragement. We extend our condolences to her Over the years, Professor Braude published family, her colleagues and her institute. more than 270 monographs and papers, and

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