A Forum of The American Physical Society • Volume IX No. 3 • Fall 2004 of Physics HISTORYNEWSLETTER From the Chair Report From The Chair By Nina Byers, Forum Chair

Stephen S. Brush, one of our illustrious past officers, wrote facilitate this we have sponsored FHP contributed paper an interesting and thought-provoking article entitled “Scientists sessions at April general meetings whenever a sufficient as Historians” [Osiris, 10: 215-31 (1995)] which was very helpful number of historical papers have been submitted, and would- to me when I first began to do research and writing on history of like to do so as well at the March meeting. We hope a good physics. He remarks that there is a distinction one can make number of members will make such contributions. The length between history of physics and physicists’ history. Though the of FHP talks cannot be more than twenty minutes. We realize distinction is subtle and somewhat arguable, I find it a useful way of that for most us writing historical papers is an unfamiliar and classifying scholarship. Simply put (no doubt an oversimplifi- difficult occupation but we hope members will find a short talk cation) the distinction is that history of physics tends to place possible. Abstracts in total are limited to ~ 200 words. To be developments in physics in the social environment (sociological, published in the Bulletin the abstracts must now be submit- political, economic, historical, etc.) in which they took place, while ted electronically. See http://www.aps.org/meet/abstracts/. physicists’ history tends to focus more narrowly on physics Contributors may also submit abstracts on paper, either by mail advances and how they occurred. Both are fields of study to which or fax. However contributors who submit abstracts on paper will our members can make useful contributions. have only their titles and author list published in the Bulletin of The era we have lived through has been one of great The American Physical Society. The text of the abstracts will discoveries and advances in physics. Many APS members not appear either in print or online. We are advised that the elec- have been, and perhaps still are, active participants, and have tronic submission form for the March and April 2005 meetings historical data they can share with other interested parties. To will be available online at the end of September 2004. If you are submitting an abstract, please be sure to indicate it is in category 18.3 (history). We hope to have lively FHP contributed paper sessions in the March and April meetings. Before going on to tell you about other new and exciting innovations the Forum is working on for 2005, I would like to add a caveat to what I have written above. Many of our colleagues have spanned the divide betweenwhat might be termed his- tory of physics and physicists’ history. Illustrious examples are

INSIDE

Editor’s Note 2

Forum News 3

Call for Nominations 4

Meeting Programs 5

Candidates’ Statements 10

Future Meetings, Notes and Announcements 14

Book Reviews 16

Martin J. Klein, winner of first Pais Award in History of Physics Gerald Holton, Peter Galison, Ste- – the Einstein Year, the APS has suggested award of the Abraham Pais Prize. The first phen Brush himself and many others. that, with their financial help, we provide recipient of the Pais Prize will be Martin It does not seem useful to me to keep invited speakers to regional APS meetings Klein, and he will present an associated these two forms of scholarship sepa- . (See Harry Lustig’s Treasurer’s Report lecture. In the April meeting a ‘Named’ rate. I have drawn attention to this in- for details. Please contact Chair-elect Bob lecture will be given in honor of Gertrud teresting distinction in an effort to Romer, chair of FHP Program Committee, Scharff Goldhaber and in March there encourage members to share with us their for further information.) Our vice-Chair will be a Robert H. Dicke lecture. Donors thoughts on past history, even though Virginia Trimble, together with the APS have generously given financial support they may feel they are not historians and Topical Group in Gravitation (GGR), is for these. Please see the Treasurer’s Report cannot do so professionally. Personal creating a program of speakers who will regarding this and a new development, the recollections of physicists who have been be available for schools and other groups creation of a ‘Special Fund’ in the FHP involved in the many wonderful discover- for 2005 - the World Year of Physics. See account to receive donations earmarked ies of the past century are, in my view, of http://www.physics2005.org/speakers. Vol- for Forum use. Finally I would like to interest and great value. The remarks I unteers are being solicited for the list of draw your attention to the report of John have made here may be controversial and, speakers. As you will see on the website, Rigden from the Historical Sites Commit- if so, I hope they will provoke discussion schools and colleges around the country tee in this Newsletter which inter alia tells which may appear in future Newsletters. are invited to request a speaker. Details can us that “During the year 2005, the centen- As Chair of the Forum I am proud be found at http://www.phys.utb.edu/WYP- nial of Einstein’s most creative year and that FHP provides a number of venues for speakers/REQUESTS/howto.html. The the year being celebrated internationally scholarship and discussion of historical APS general fund is providing some funds as the World Year of Physics, the Historical issues. We not only will be sponsoring to cover travel expenses for some speakers Sites Committee will seek to name several contributed paper sessions, we also will whose host institutions may not otherwise sites for national recognition.” We expect sponsor several invited speaker sessions be able to support them. that the Historical Sites Program will be in both the March and April meetings. For Additional special plans for 2005 are a continuing activity for years to come celebrations of the World Year of Physics the initiation of FHP ‘Named’ lectures which will enrich our nation’s appreciation in the March and April meetings and the of its past.

of Physics HISTORYNEWSLETTER The Forum on History of Physics Editor’s Note of the American Physical Society. It is distributed free to all members Online vs. Paper vations are of possible interest to our of the Forum. The Forum also has As with everyone else in our readers, and I would like you to consider reciprocal arrangements with the e-connected world we are confronted this to be a standing invitation to send us for History of Science Society, with the question of whether or not to consideration whatever items you Philosophy of Science Association, continue sending our Newsletter to think might be worth presenting. The HOPOS. Nonmembers who wish readers the old-fashioned way, that is, Editor would also appreciate being to receive the Newsletter should by paper. The alternative is to join the alerted to articles and books in the history make a donation to the Forum of on-line revolution and offer it exclusively of physics, personal and institutional $5 per year (+ $3 additional for via the web, thereby saving considerable histories, memoirs, and any other works airmail). Each 3 year volume money. Fortunately we do not have to face in physics history that would be worth consists of six issues this Hobson’s choice. Due to a generous, calling to our readers’ attention, as well as Editor anonymous donation our paper mailing announcements of appropriate meetings Benjamin Bederson will continue, at least for the next several and other such activities. New York University years. (See treasurer’s report). But please FHP Homepage Physics Department be advised, if you specifically request We invite our readers to visit the FHP 4 Washington Place so, we will discontinue mailing the paper Homepage, where information concern- New York , NY 10003 version to you. Please send an email to ing many FHP activities can be obtained. [email protected] the Editor to this effect, if you would like There you will find links to other history (212) 529 8687 to be taken off the paper mailing list. Of of science websites, details of committee Associate Editor course the Newsletter is always available memberships, all back issues of the FHP Michael Riordan online at www.aps.org/units/fhp/FHPnews, Newsletter, etc. Go to: www.aps.org/units/ Institute of Particle Physics in both pdf and html formats. University of California fhp/index.cfm Santa Cruz, CA 95064 Invitation to our Members Corregidum Please consider this to be a continu- [email protected] The volume number of the Spring 2004 ing invitation to all our members to use (831) 459 5687 issue of the Newsletter was incorrectly this venue as a platform for any of you listed as Volume XI No.2. The correct whose personal memories and obser- listing is Volume IX No. 2. 2 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 Call for Contributed Talks technical talk at a division or topical group contributed talk, who will be designated In honor of the World Year of Physics, session, without either being placed on the the John Bardeen Student, thanks to a your Forum will host sessions of contrib- supplementary program. Please consider donation from his family. If you have (or uted talks at both the March (21-25, Los sharing your interests in history of physics are) such a student, when the abstract is Angeles) and April (16-19, Tampa) meet- by giving such a talk! For further details ready, please also send it to vtrimble@uci. ings. This conveniently coincides with a see Report from the Chair, above. edu with a note that this is a candidate for decision by APS council to allow each For March (only) there will be some the Bardeen title. The student selected by member at each meeting to give a talk travel support, probably $500, available a subcommittee will be notified early in at a session of some forum as well as a for one outstanding student, giving a December. Forum News

FIRST PAIS AWARD quantum theory and of Einstein’s first centenary celebration of Einstein’s annus GRANTED: WINNER IS paper on quanta. During the following four mirabilis, it has been exceeded. We now years, he published several more papers have $140,000 in hand. ANNOUNCED TO BE MARTIN on Planck’s and Einstein’s contributions to As soon as the Award Selection J. KLEIN quantum theory, and Einstein’s, Schröding- Committee, the FHP Executive Commit- Report by Roger H. Stuewer er’s, Planck’s, and Lorentz’s letters on tee, and APS noted that achievement, there Martin J. Klein, Eugene Higgins wave mechanics, which he translated into was a unanimous agreement and commit- Professor Emeritus of History of Phys- English. This distinguished body of his- ment to mount an effort to elevate the Pais ics and Professor Emeritus of Physics at torical work led to the award of a second Award to the Pais Prize. A prize, which Yale University, is the winner of the 2005 Guggenheim Fellowship in 1967-1968 carries a stipend of $10,000 based on an APS/AIP Abraham Pais Award for the and to his appointment as Professor of the endowment of $200,000, is the highest History of Physics “for his pioneering History of Physics at Yale University in scholarly distinction that the APS can studies in the history of 19th and 20th- the fall of 1967. Since then he has held a confer. Most of the divisions of APS, century physics, which embody the highest number of visiting appointments at other which unite physicists in the traditional standards of scholarship and literary universities, lectured widely, and published research disciplines, award such a prize. expression and have profoundly influenced a large number of further historical papers, We believe that it is important for the generations of historians of physics.” He as well as his magnificent biography of recognition of the field of history of will deliver his Pais Lecture at the APS Ehrenfest and biographies of Ehrenfest, physics and of its practitioners that there meeting in Tampa, Florida, April 16-19, Einstein, and Gibbs for the Dictionary be a Pais Prize. 2005. The talk is entitled “Physics, History, of Scientific Biography. In addition, he Therefore, our fund-raising contin- and the History of Physics”. served as senior editor of four volumes of ues. We have some outstanding pros- Klein received his higher education the Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, pects for donations and a pledge from in physics at Columbia University and further enhancing his reputation as one of a foundation to contribute the last $13,000. MIT and was appointed to the faculty of the most profound analysts of Einstein’s However, a substantial gap remains. Thus, the Case Institute of Technology in 1949. life and work. both personal contributions and pledges, as He spent a year as an NRC Fellow at Klein is a Fellow of the AAAS and of well as “tips” about individuals who may the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies the APS and has been elected to the Acadé- be prospects for sizeable gifts, are very in 1952-1953, received a Guggenheim mie Internationale d’Histoire des Sciences, much welcome and needed. Please send the Fellowship to study at the Lorentz Institute the National Academy of Sciences, and the former, as well as inquiries on how to of Theoretical Physics of the University of American Academy of Arts and Sciences. make a gift or pledge to Leiden in 1958-1959, and served as Acting Darlene Logan, Director of Develop- Chairman of the Department of Physics PAIS AWARD FUND RAISING ment, The American Physical Society, at Case during 1966-1967. His research CONTINUES One Physics Ellipse College Park, MD was principally on the theory of thin Report by Harry Lustig 20740-3844, Phone (301)209-3224, Fax ferromagnetic films and on various theo- After three years of effort, the APS (301)209-0867; E-mail logan@aps,org. retical problems in statistical mechanics. Award in the History of Physics, under the Send the latter to me or any other member Klein’s research began to turn to the aegis of FHP and AIP’s Center for History of the committee. It consists of Benjamin history of physics during his year in of Physics, is now firmly established. It Bederson (chair through 2004), Gloria Leiden, when he published a two-part has been named in honor of Abraham Lubkin, Michael Riordan, Roger Stuewer, paper on Ehrenfest’s contributions to the Pais, and the first winner has been chosen, Spencer Weart, and Harry Lustig, Chair development of quantum statistics and ed- as noted above. ited Ehrenfest’s Collected Scientific Papers. The endowment of $100,000 that is APS Forms Historical Sites In 1962-1963 he published further papers required to establish an Award has been Committee on Ehrenfest’s work and his penetrating reached and mirabile dictu, and, most Report by John S. Rigden studies of Planck and the beginnings of fortuitously on the threshold of the The designation of a site as “historical”

History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 3 can attract attention. More importantly, benefit physicists by increasing their own at the site in a way that is readily acces- however, a historical site can be the means awareness of important past scientific sible to public view. For C2 sites, nomina- of informing and educating the viewing advances, hence of the historic evolution of tions will be made largely by individuals public. With these ends in mind, Michael their profession. at the local level familiar with events of Riordan, in his capacity as chairman of Two categories of sites will be se- physics-related interest. A standard the APS Forum on the History of Physics, lected: the first category, (C1), consists nomination form will be posted on the established the Historic Sites Commit- of those sites with national/international Historic Sites (HS) web page along tee (HSC). Appointed to the committee significance to physics and its history; with a few selection criteria. From these were Gordon Baym, Sid Drell, Millie the second category, (C2), consists of nominations, the HSC members will select Dresselhaus, Gerald Holton, and John sites with more local significance. The sites to be recognized. The HSC will keep Rigden. Spencer Weart serves as an advisor committee will select both C1 and C2 sites the FHP Executive Committee informed to the committee. Rigden was named the either from potential sites suggested by about its activities. chairman by the committee. committee members or from those sites Selection criteria are now being The charge, pending approval by formally nominated by APS members. developed. In this process, we are guid- the APS Executive Board to the HSC Both C1 and C2 sites will carry the impri- ed by the experience of the National is to “examine policy issues and other matur of the American Physical Society. Register and groups, such as the Institute of questions regarding the implementation C1 sites can be focused on an Physics, that recognize sites of historical of a proposed American Physical Society individual(s) or an event such as the importance. Since we believe that local project to select, signify and publi- Michelson-Morley experiment in Cleve- sites have a great potential for raising cize noteworthy institutions and loca- land, Henry Rowland’s lab in Baltimore, a community’s awareness of physics, tions in the United States where major Willard Gibbs at Yale, Benjamin Frank- we shall adopt somewhat more liberal advances in physics occurred….The lin in Philadelphia.Also, C1 sites can be selection criteria for C2 sites. During the Committee may also serve as the selection a place (examples might be Lawrence year 2005, the centennial of Einstein’s committee charged with naming these Berkeley Laboratory, Jefferson Laboratory most creative year and the year being sites if that option is later deemed desirable at Harvard, University of Chicago, MIT, celebrated internationally as the World by the Executive Committee of the Forum Fermilab, SLAC, Bell Labs) where many Year of Physics, the Historical Sites on History of Physics, and it will keep important advances have been made by WCommittee will seek to name several the Executive Committee well informed of physicists of renown. sites for national recognition. its recommendations.” Before APS makes public a select- Plaques will have a standard format.. A We, members of the committee, ed site, the committee will obtain the ceremony will be held at the site when the believe the presence of strategically-placed endorsement of those individuals historically plaque is unveiled. plaques that identify sites of historical connected to the event being celebrated After the APS Executive Board has significance to physics will be an effective and an agreement will be made with the approved the HSC initiative, an announce- means to raise public awareness of physics. local authority administering the selected ment will be made inviting nominations for We also recognize that the initiative will site that enables the plaque to be mounted site recognition. Call for Nominations Report by Michael Riordan This year the Forum’s Nominating identifying these candidates in the coming Benczer-Koller , Michael Nauenberg, John Committee, which I chair, faces a truly months, when the Nominating Commit- Rigden, Roger H. Stuewer daunting task. In addition to convincing tee will be doing its work. Please forward Ex Officio Members good candidates to run for Vice Chair and your suggestions to me at my new email the Executive Committee positions that address, [email protected]. And if you Michael Riordan, Gloria B. Lubkin, will come open, it must also find them for wish to run for office yourself, we would Spencer R. Weart , Benjamin Bederson Treasurer and Forum Councilor. The latter of course be delighted! Committee Memberships will be vacated in 2006 by Gloria Lubkin, FHP Officers 2004-2005 who has ably represented the Forum on Editorial Board and Chair: Nina Byers, the APS Council for two terms. Thus we Publications Committees Chair-Elect: Robert Romer, need an unusually large number of good Benjamin Bederson, Chair, William Vice Chair: Virginia Trimble historians and physicists to come forward Evenson, Daniel Greenberger, John Rigden, Acting Secretary-Treasurer: in the next few months and offer to take on Michael Riordan, Spencer Weart Kenneth W. Ford these responsibilities. Fellowship Committee The health and vitality of the Forum Members at Large Virginia Trimble, Chair,Gerald Holton, depend crucially on such people. Therefore Patrick McCray, Daniel Siegel, Noemie Robert Romer, Roger Stuewer I seek the help of the entire membership in

4 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 Nominating Committee (Pais) Award Committee Membership Committee Michael Riordan, Chair, Noemie Harry Lustig, Chair, Benjamin Bederson, Harry Lustig, Chair, William Evenson, Benczer-Koller, Gloria Lubkin, Daniel Gloria Lubkin, Michael Riordan, Roger Patrick McCray, Michael Nauenberg, Segal, George Trilling Stuewer, Spencer Weart Daniel Siegel, Virginia Trimble Program Committee (Pais) Award Selection Committee Historic Sites Committee Robert Romer, Chair, Nina Byers, Lau- Roger Stuewer, Chair, Allan D. Frank- John Rigden, Chair, Gordon Baym, Alan rie Brown, Gerald Holton, Harry Lustig, lin, Lillian Hoddeson, Anne J. Kox, Chodos, Sidney Drell, Mildred Dressel- Michael Nauenberg, John Rigden, Roger Spencer Weart haus, Gerald Holton, Spencer Weart Stuewer, Virginia Trimble Meetings

INVITED PAPERS, MARCH Institute) The Rise of Basic Research at tha Blaes on active galaxies, Fulvio Melia on AND APRIL APS MEETINGS. Bell Labs: Young Turks and Younger Turks the Milky Way, Jeff McClintock on X-ray We present a short summary of the two Philip Anderson (Princeton University) binaries, Cole Milleron undetected, primor- invited paper sessions at the March APS The History of Physics at IBM T.J. Watson dial, intermediate mass, and other obscure meeting and the three such sessions at the Laboratories Allen Fowler (IBM) Physics black holes, and Virginia Trimble, a last April meeting. Several of these sessions at Microsoft Research Jennifer Chayes minute substitute for Werner Israel on were jointly sponsored by other APS units, (Microsoft) history and theory of the topic.) as indicated. We thank all of the organizers Monolayers and Multilayers: The consensus contexts are galactic of these sessions; they were well attended Agnes Pockels and centers and binary stars. Black holes and received. Several summaries of talks Katharine Blodgett. of millions to billions of solar masses, are included; abstracts of most of the Jointly sponsored by FHP and CSWP accreting from their surroundings, have remaining talks can be obtained from the Agnes Pockels: Life, Letters and long been accepted as the best-bet power APS website by clicking on “meetings”. Papers sources for quasars and other active galax- Christiane A. Helm (Institut fur Physik, ies. A more recent discovery is that nearly Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universitat, 17489 all galaxies have such black holes, with 100 Years of Monolayers at the Air/ masses typically 0.1% of their masses in March Meeting Water Interface: Agnes Pockel’s Scientific old (bulge, spheroid) stars. The non-active Legacy ones are hungry rather than hole-less, and The History of Physics in Charles Knobler (Department of progress on the details of how the accretion energy is transformed into magnetic fields Canada: Some Highlights. Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569) and relativistic particles has been painfully Harriet Brooks: Canada’s First slow in the 40 years since the basic model Woman Physicist Geoffrey Rayner- Katharine B. Blodgett: Aunt, Friend and Physicist Katharine Gebbie (National was put forward (Blaes). Canham (Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, Our own Milky Way is only mildly Memorial University) Institute of Standards and Technology) 70 Years of Built-Up Films: Katha- active, with a compact central radio source McLennan, Allen and Misener: known for decades as Sgr A* and its Low temperature physics at Toron- rine Blodgett’s Scientific Legacy Daniel Schwartz (Department of Chemical and X-ray and infrared counterparts found to in 1920-1936 and the discovery of more recently (indeed the infrared one in superfluidity. Allan Griffin (De - Biological Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder) the last few months). It is fairly hungry at partment of Physics, University of best, because there isn’t much around for it Toronto) Boris P. Stoicheff (Department of to accrete, but it is in fact even fainter than Physics, University of Toronto) April Meeting the gas supply would suggest, meaning Brockhouse and others: Neutron that, one way or another, energy goes down Scattering and Condensed Matter the tubes. There are, of course, competing Physics at Chalk River Labs Eric Svensson mechanisms (Melia).Compact sources The Discovery of Black Holes. (National Research Council Canada, of X-rays in our own and other nearby Jointly sponsored by DAP and FHP— Steacie Institute Neutron Program, Chalk galaxies are generally associated with close report by Virginia Trimble River Laboratories, Stn. 18. Chalk River, orbiting star pairs. Radial velocity curves Observers’ black holes have sizes com- ON, K0J 1J0 Canada) of the star you see optically can then be parable with their Schwarzschild radii, R used to estimate the mass of the star you The History of Physics in Industrial = 2GM/c^2, are too massive to be neutron don’t see, and a dozen or more of these Laboratories. stars, and swallow things. These undoubt- now fall unambiguously in the black hole Jointly sponsored by FHP and FPS edly exist in two, three, or more contexts X-ray binary category, with masses of 6 From X-Rays to MRI: Physics in GE concurred the five speakers at “The Dis- - 16 solar masses and some evidence for Roland W. Schmitt (Rensselaer Polytechnic covery of Black Holes” session (Drs. Omer distortions of the surrounding space-time, History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 5 swallowing, etc. Theorists are quite happy Mössbauer Spectroscopy: Various the late notice, everyone came. The 90- to produce these in requisite numbers Historical Perspectives. member list of participants included three (McClintock). Report by Catherine Westfall Argonne who were – or were to become – Nobel Among the other sorts of possible National Laboratory laureates (Madame C. S. Wu and John black holes are the very small, the very This session, which was organized by Bardeen, in addition to Mössbauer himself, large, and the very intermediate. Mini Catherine Westfall and chaired by Gopal who by then was at Caltech.) The sessions (primordial) BHs are either not very Shenoy, started with a brief introduction went from 8:30 am to past midnight, and common in the universe, do not emit by Shenoy. As Shenoy explained, start- controversies raged, for example, on the Hawking-Bekenstein radiation in the ing in the mid-1950s, Rudolf Mössbauer, interpretation of the gravitation red shift expected fashion, or both. Very large a German graduate student, conducted experiments. The conference proceedings, ones floating alone through space would experiments that demonstrated in the which was published in 1962, served as an gravitationally lens their backgrounds next three years that an atomic nucleus important reference for work in the field. and are also not a major part of the in a crystal does not recoil when it emits The early excitement had lasting results: cosmic dark matter. a gamma ray and provides the entire the conference ended up starting a series of The newest category contains the emitted energy to the gamma ray. Möss- conferences that continue in 2004. intermediate mass black holes of 100 - 1000 bauer spectroscopy subsequently became Catherine Westfall next gave a solar massses, bigger than the XRB a powerful tool in a variety of fields, historical overview. Focusing in particular ones but smaller than the galactic nuclei including nuclear and condensed matter on Mössbauer spectroscopy at Argonne, citizens. These are the most straightforward physics. A current—and exotic – appli- she explored the role played by large explanation of compact X-ray sources, cation of Mössbauer spectroscopy is the multidisciplinary U.S. national laboratories mostly in other nearby galaxies with pair of palm-sized spectrometers on the – the so-called “Homes of Big Science” active star formation, that have energy Mars Explorations Rovers which began in the production of research. She first outputs which must otherwise be greatly in analyzing rock samples in Spring, 2004. examined two smaller-scale efforts: a excessive of the Eddington limit or strongly John Schiffer then focused on the program led by nuclear physicists in beamed. There is also some dynamical period right after Mössbauer published the early 1960s that explored xenon evidence for these at the centers of a few his discovery in 1958/59. Although at compounds and a program led by con- star clusters, and theorists (including Mill- first few believed his Mössbauer’s result densed matter physicists in the mid- er) are hard at work producing them. A the- was real, it was confirmed in August 1959 1960s through the 1970s that studied orist’s black hole has strange things inside, and quickly understood in analogy with transuranics. She compared this work and of the existence of these we are far less the recoil-free scattering of x-rays essen- with research performed since the 1990s certain. Possibilities include balls of super- tial to x-ray diffraction, known since the at the Mössbauer beamline at Argonne’s string, time and space exchanging their 1920s. A very favorable case was quickly Advanced Photon Source, the largest identities, true singularities, and entrances discovered in 57Fe. The next few months operating U.S. accelerator. She judged the to time machines. A good many theo- were exciting and eventful as the implica- APS work to be surprisingly similar to the retical issues (white holes, Einstein-Rosen tions of the discovery were pursued. As earlier work, concluding that it represented a bridges, implications of alternative theories many as five Letters were published in a different kind of little science rather than of gravity...) remain, but the most exciting single issued of Physical Review Letters, Big Science. Further she noted that large unanswered question is whether naked sin- with a turn around time of 2-3 weeks laboratories provide “sites of collabora- gularities, without a censoring horizon, can between submission and publication. In tion,” exotic materials, and specialized form in the real world (Trimble substituted the first few months of 1960 a variety of equipment that facilitate novel research at as Chair) new physics topics were explored, from a variety of scales. Science Advising, Jointly sponsored hyperfine fields and chemical shifts to rela- Hollis Wickman finished up the by FHP and Forum on tivistic effects. Particularly interesting was session with a talk that discussed what Physics and Society the description of the gravitational red shift he sees as the closing chapter for “new D. Allan Bromley, Yale University, experiments Ted Cranshaw and Schiffer did physics” inherent in the Mössbauer effect “The President’s Scientists: Reminiscences with others at Harwell that confirmed the – work from 1964 to 1970 focused on con- of a White House Science Advisor” expected effect at the 10% level and story densed matter phenomena that affect the Gregg Herken, University of Califor- of the competition with Robert Pound and various spectroscopic parameters measured: nia, “Presidential Science Advising from Glen Rebka. isomer shift, recoil free fraction, magnetic Roosevelt to Reagan” The next part of the story was taken up hyperfine interaction, and the quadrupole Wolfgang Panofsky, SLAC, “Science by Hans Frauenfelder, who organized the interaction. He noted that wrapping up the Advising Successes and Failures” first international Mössbauer spectroscopy dynamic phenomena included essentially Jack H. Gibbons, “On Advising conference in June 1960 at a conference all of the earlier static effect physics as Congress and the President” See article. center, “Allerton House” operated by the well. Wickman also noted that it took Joel Primack, UC Santa Cruz, “The University of Illinois. The rush of excit- about 12 years to “mine” all the new Congressional Science Fellow Program ing new data meant that Fraunfelder felt spectroscopic physics from the Mössbauer and Other Efforts to Help Congress and compelled to organize the conference in effect. This was remarkably fast, given the the Public Make Wiser Decisions on a mere five weeks and to proceed with a primitive state of computers at the time. As Technology” leg broken in a skiing accident. Despite a calibration for the “physics problems,” 6 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 high temperature superconductivity was on the basis of his investigations, that the with Johannes Stark, evolved into Adolph discovered in 1987, but is still a mystery failure to develop the bomb was attribut- Hitler’s favorite physicists. Both turned into in many important respects. able, as he states in his Abstract, to “the virulent anti-Semites and (in the author’s April APS Meeting minuscule resources devoted to the project, opinion) helped form the Nazi’s poor opin- the lack of German industrial capacity, the ion of “Jewish physics” and, by extension, contributed papers session poorly organized and decentralized orga- nuclear physics, perhaps helping to explain The contributed papers session at the nization of the research, and the modus their assignment of low priority to atomic April APS meeting , held on Monday May operandi of researchers, including Heisen- weapons (see the Lustig paper). Bederson 3, was a smashing success, taking place berg, of simultaneously pursuing other went on to discuss the most important before a packed room from beginning to interests”. By the end of the War, not one experiments of Ramsauer (and Townsend) end. Six papers were presented. It was gram of U 235 had been separated] who discovered that heavy rare gas cross Chaired by Bob Romer. The second paper was presented by sections went through deep minima at one The first paper was by Harry Lustig, Elisabeth M Sopka, affiliated with or two electron volts, a phenomena which [APS Treasurer Emeritus] Professor of FOCAS—Four Corners Analytic could not easily be described by classi- Physics Emeritus at the City College of Sciences, entitled Bonebrake Theological cal scattering theory, if at all. While Bohr New York. The title was “Germany’s Seminary—Most Secret A-Bomb Project and other pioneers in quantum mechanics failure to achieve an atomic bomb in Site. Dr. Sopka is the daughter of the late pondered the matter deeply, it remained World War II: bad science, good inten- Dr. John J. Sopka, whose work on the for several “bread and butter” physicists, tions or neither?” Lustig has been explor- development of the neutron source for namely Faxen, Hotsmark, Morse, and Allis, ing this question [intensively] for the past the “Fat Man” implosion bomb she de- to achieve quantitative agreement between two years. He has traveled to Munich and scribed in vivid detail. At the talk she was calculations and experiment, using the old Berlin, and has examined many archived accompanied by her mother, Dr. J. Sopka’s scattering formalism of Lord Rayleigh, documents at their original sources. He widow. A thorough summary of Elisabeth’s in the 1870s. He had solved the problem showed some copies of several of these talk prepared by her is given in an accom- of scattering of a plane sound wave from documents during his talk. While he was panying article (WHO KNEW I), to which a sphere, using expansions in spherical not ready to draw a definitive conclusion, we refer the reader. harmonics and Legendre Polynomials, but he opined that in all likelihood the answer The third paper was given by Ben- applying boundary conditions appropri- was “neither”. There was a remarkable lack jamin Bederson, New York University, ate to the Schroedinger equation. (See of priority attached to the German atomic Early electron-atom scattering and its the Miller article in this issue.) Thus, bomb project by the government. Lustig influence in the development of quan- the Ramsauer experiments were the first pointed out the enormously larger effort tum mechanics. Bederson discussed the to show the existence of diffraction and exerted on rocket and missile research, important role played by early experiments interference, albeit indirectly, even before compared to atomic weapons research-an in electron-atom collision studies at low Davisson and Germer observation already made by Goudsmit in electron energies in the development of There followed a paper by Michael his ALSOS report. Unlike Paul Lawrence quantum mechanics. The first such ex- Nauenberg, Department of Physics, Rose in his book “Heisenberg and the periment was a cross section absorption University of Clifornia, Santa Cruz, Nazi Atomic Bomb Project, 1939-1946 study of low energy electrons by sev- Newton’s diffraction experiments. He – A Study in German Culture”, Lustig did eral rare gases in 1903 by Philip Lenard. describes his paper here: not belittle the scientific progress made This important experiment, while more This year marks the tercentenary of the by the Germans, including Heisenberg, qualitative than quantitative, revealed two publication of Newton’s Opticks containing who, perhaps after some initial fumbling, important phenomena that in hindsight his celebrated theory and experiments on certainly did understand the difference were to reveal, first,. that atoms had inter- colors, which first appeared in the 1672 between a slow neutron “runaway reactor” nal structure—not hard spheres—whose Philosophical Transaction of the Royal used as a bomb (which is not possible), absorption probability (i.e., “cross sec- Society. It is still fairly unknown, however, and a critical uranium 235 assembly rely- tions”) increased with decreasing energy, that in this book Newton also reported ing on the generation of fast neutrons in and second, that rather than increasing several beautiful experiments on dif- a chain reaction. Lustig certainly did not without limit as energy decreased, reached fraction fringes obtained from various endorse the claim, by Thomas Powers, in a finite value in the limit of zero energy, ‘’slender’’ objects placed in a narrow beam his book “Heisenberg’s War” that Heisen- an indication (also in hindsight) of electron of sunlight. In its preface Newton remarked berg and perhaps other leading German diffraction. This experiment, not as well that ‘’the Subject of the Third Book scientists held back on their research known as the contemporary Franck-Hertz [diffraction] I have also left imperfect, not because of ethical scruples, but neither did experiment, which revealed the important having tried all the Experiments which I Lustig attribute the German failure to their fact that static atomic energy levels were intended when I was about these Matters, scientific inadequacy, which did not exist. also important in understanding dynamic nor repeated some of those which I did [On the contrary Heisenberg and others atomic effect, were the earliest direct evi- try, until I had satisfied my self about all did understand very well the nature of a dence that stationary states (as Bohr stated) their Circumstances. To communicate what fast neutron change reaction, as well as the were the very same states that participated I have tried, and leave the rest to others related slow neutron reactions resulting in dynamic, as well as static, phenomena for farther Enquiry, is all my Design in from a reactor pile.) Rather, he believes in atoms. As an aside, later Lenard, along publishing these Papers (1).

History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 7 they only rise in our estimation as we character in someone else’s play) rising up compare them with later attempts to to the moon at dawn in a very large dew- improve on them’’. drop. The world he expected to find there REFERENCES was rather better than ours, and he was lucky to be living in a relatively permissive 1. Isaac Newton, Opticks society, for the concept of better worlds, (Dover reprint 1979) p. cxxi not just other worlds, appears to have been 2. I. Bernard Cohen, The case of the what got Giordano Bruno into trouble. The missing author: the title page of Newton’s current version of other worlds within the Opticks 1704, with notes on the title page solar system focussed on the possibility of of Huygen’s Trait\’e de la Lumiere}, in liquid water on Mars in the past and under “Isaac Newton’s Natural Philosophy”, the dirty ice surfaces of large moons of Fig. 1 edited by J.Z. Buchwald and I.B. Cohen Jupiter and Saturn. (MIT Press 2001) pp. 15-45 Newton carried out a series of very Fourth and finally, one might think 3. Michael Nauenberg, Comparison of careful measurements of the spacing of of other potentially detectable systems Newton’s Diffraction Measurements with diffraction fringes as a function of the like ours, whether earth-centered (support- the theory of Fresnel}, in “The Founda- distance of the screen from the diffract- ers including Bradwardine around 1330, tions of Newtonian Scholarship”, edited ing object. In his Opticks, he reported Occam, who had a razor, and Buridan, who by R.H. Dalitz and M. Nauenberg (World diffraction data from a strand of his hair, had an ass) or sun-centered, like Thomas Scientific 2000) pp. 59-69 and from an ingenious slit with variable Digges and Bruno had in mind. The next paper was by Virginia thickness made by the edges of two knives This fourth idea leads directly, via a Trimble, on Other Worlds. Here, in her inclined relative to each other at a small number of false alarms, to modern methods words, is a summary of the talk: angle (see Fig. 1). But these diffraction of detecting planets in orbit around other Some 2300 years ago, Epicurus taught experiments posed insurmountable stars, of which there are at least two dozen, that there are an infinite number of worlds difficulties to his corpuscular theory of yielding so far more than 100 planets. All like (and unlike) ours, and Aristotle taught light. To explain the occurrence of color but a few of these have been found by a that there is only one. Neither hypothesis fringes in thin plates, which were origi- single method, period residuals in radial can currently be falsified, though the past nally described by Robert Hooke in his velocities of their host stars. Nearly all decade has seen remarkable success in the Micrographia, Newton assumed that light exoplanets so far are at least as massive as detection of planets orbiting other sun-like corpuscules traversing a medium, like air or Saturn, orbit stars that are relatively rich stars, one possible meaning of the phrase glass, initiated oscillatory vibrations in this in heavy elements, and have periods less “other worlds.” medium setting ‘’fits of easy transmission than about a decade. The first and third In fact the concept of aperoi and reflection’’ at the interface between two are observational selection effect, and cosmoi, multiplicity or plenitude of different media. But such a theory could ways of overcoming these limits are on worlds, has had at least four separate not account for the diffraction fringes the horizon. meanings over the intervening centuries, which are observed when light passes There were lots of pictures, and, in each of which has a modern analogy. through a narrow slit or past a sharp edge. the post-talk discussion, our new fellow, What Epicurus had in mind, and Aquinas I believe that it was this failure, rather Frieda Stahl suggested that the moon might later rejected for the Church, were com- than to avoid further disputes with Hooke, be of greater importance to life on earth pletely separate (earth-centered) non-com- who died in 1703, that explains Newton’s than the speaker had indicated, because of municating universes. The 21st century ana- long delay in publishing his book, which its role in stabilizing the terrestrial rotation log is the multi-verses of self- reproducting he had begun to write already in 1687, axis. Just how important this is probably inflationary cosmology. shortly after completing his Principia. depends on how well you like unexpected Multiple worlds in temporal succes- Newton’s reservations about his attempts major changes in your environment sion were suggested by Origen and, much of a theory of diffraction are also revealed The last paper was by William Shields, later, Oresme. A cyclic universe (ruled out by the deletion of his name from the of Virginia Tech, on Karl Popper’s by general relativity if all the stuff around frontispiece of the first edition (1704) of Quantum Ghosts. Shields submitted the has non-negative energy density) is one the Opticks (2). following resume: modern version. The 3-d universes formed Recently I compared Newton’s Karl Popper, though not trained as when higher-dimension branes collide and experimental results on diffraction with a physicist and embarrassed early in his bounce off each other are also of this sort. the predictions of the Fresnel wave theory career by a physics error pointed out Third is the possibility that the moon, of light, and I found that his measure- by Einstein and Bohr, ultimately made other planets, and even the sun might be ments were remarkable accurate (3) These substantial contributions to the interpre- inhabited. This dates largely from the experiments paved the way to Young’s tation of quantum mechanics. As was post-telescopic era. Mars with the canals of correct explanation of the diffraction fring- often the case, Popper initially formulated Schiaparelli and Lowell and the moon with es as a wave interference phenomenon. his position by criticizing the views of the forests sketched by Herschel belong Young aptly concluded that ‘’the optical others*in this case Niels Bohr and Werner to this tradition, as does the illustration of observations of Newton are yet unrivalled, Heisenberg. Underlying Popper’s criticism Cyrano de Bergerac (no, he wasn’t just a and excepting some casual inaccuracies was his belief that, first, the “standard

8 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 interpretation” of quantum mechanics, ty Principle?” Fortschr. Phys. Vol. 48, put on its shoes.” In matters of S&T policy sometimes called the Copenhagen inter- 463-471 (2000); Shih, Yanhua, Kim, our community needs to learn how to put pretation, abandoned scientific realism and Yoon-Ho, “Quantum Entanglement: From on our shoes more promptly…and keep second, the assertion that quantum theory Popper’s Eraser to Quantum Eraser,” them on!. was “complete” (an assertion rejected by Optics Communications Vol. 179, 357-369 Einstein among others) amounted to an (25 May 2000). After nearly two decades “playing unfalsifiable claim. Popper insisted that the Bonebrake Theological Seminary— hard” at the bench of experimental physics, most basic predictions of quantum mechan- Most Secret A-Bomb Project Site by I had the honor and (oft-times) pleasure ics should continue to be tested, with an Katherine and Elisabeth Sopka FO- of drifting into the twilight zone between eye towards falsification rather than mere CAS—Four Corners Analytic Sciences , government and the science, engineering, adding of decimal places to confirmatory see separate article. and technology communities. On many experiments. His persistent attacks on the On Advising Congress occasions over the past thirty-odd years of Copenhagen interpretation were aimed “science advising,” my wife has probed me not at the uncertainty principle itself and and the President , John H. about why it was that I left the relatively the formalism from which it was derived, Gibbons calm waters of research for such a turbu- but at the acceptance by physicists of an Annual American Physical Society lent second career. unclear epistemology and ontology that Meeting Denver, Colorado May 3, 2004 The explanation is easy. Challenging left critical questions unanswered. Though Abstract: and rewarding as research is, I felt a need Popper died in 1994, his influence in this I devoted two decades trying to enable to forge closer links between the perspec- field of physics has continued. elected policymakers improved access tives and activities of scientists and those In early 2000, University of Maryland to science and technology issues, and to of politicians It is not a new idea. Our ear- physicists Yanhua Shih and Yoon-Ho Kim bringing trained scientists and engineers liest (U.S.) founders, especially Franklin, reported the results of a “realization of into government. After two years of estab- Jefferson, Hamilton, and Madison, recog- Popper’s experiment.” Their experimental lishing and directing the Office of Energy nized the essential value of knowledge in setup did not use Popper’s point particle Conservation (under President Nixon), the new nation’s future and consequently source (such as a decay of positronium) it 13 years as Director of the U.S. Congres- the imperative for public and private in- used entangled photons produced by a laser sional Office of Technology Assessment terests to be joined in sustained support of and refracted by lenses through slits. Their (OTA), and more than five years serving scientific research as well as wise gover- results, taken at face value, appeared to the President as Science and Technol- nance of technology. show a violation of the uncertainty princi- ogy Advisor, I can confirm Victor Hugo’s That theme appears and reappears in ple. This would mean, from Popper’s point observation that “Science says the first our nation’s history, replete with spectacu- of view, that the Copenhagen interpretation word on everything and the last word on lar successes in areas such as agriculture, is in error. But Shih and Kim argued that nothing.” There are strong similarities, biotechnology, communications, energy, it is impermissible to apply the uncertainty but also major differences in the functions health, transportation, environment, space, relations to each of the entangled-state of advisor to the Congress vs. advisor and fundamental sciences. But the explo- photons separately. These photons are, in to the President. These differences are sive emergence of S&T since WWII in their view, represented by a “nonfactorize- discussed by examples; lessons learned will both the civil and military sectors soon able two-dimensional wave packet” such be drawn. One conclusion is that, given made it clear that the cornucopia of S&T that “*y*py ** is not applicable to either today’s S&T-laden governance issues, it inescapably requires both support and so- photon 1 or photon 2 individually.” They is imperative to continue to try to bridge cietal governance. Virtually every powerful concluded: “Our experimental demon- the communication “gap” between natural discovery presents opportunities both for stration of Popper’s thought experiment science and politics so aptly defined long good and ill. As Ralph Waldo Emerson call (sic) our attention to the important ago by C.P. Snow. That gap shows up not once observed, “Nature never gives any- message: the physics of an entangled two- only in the different “languages” used but thing to anyone: everything is sold. It is particle system is inherently different from also, for example, in different sensitivities only in the abstractions of ideas that choice that of two individual particles.” to near-term vs. long-term issues. comes without consequences.” Shih and Kim’s papers (see below) has I conclude that while great progress is Despite the fact that the priorities and generated a flurry of responses, comments, being made despite serious setbacks, the processes of governance involve S&T, criticisms, and suggestions for further potential contribution from S&T analy- those who seek leadership in politics work. A number of papers published since sis/advice to all branches of government seldom are technically literate. The two 1999 have explored the implications and is much greater than currently exists. Our professions do not tend to attract the same practicality of “Popper’s Experiment,” community can be more helpful by heed- types of personalities. Fortunately such so- and it is likely that more experiments will ing lessons learned, participating in and cially concerned men as Einstein, Szilard, pursue the issue that virtually obsessed reinforcing first-rate analyses, and coun- W. Golden, V. Bush, H. Brooks, J. Wiesner, Popper: does human knowledge alone have tering the efforts of those who attempt G. Brown helped to establish the institu- physical effects? to make political gains out of purposeful tions and procedures of S&T governance Shih, Yanhua, Kim, Yoon-Ho, distortions of scientific consensus. Mark and support we enjoy today. “Experimental Realization of Popper’s Twain once observed that “a lie can travel I’m a relatively late-comer, but I also Experiment. Violation of the Uncertain- halfway around the world before truth can have had a full measure of experience

History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 9 in S&T advising to both Congress and case I had the great fortune of being fully decision-making. the White House. This short essay draws utilized by both the President and the Vice REPORT ON APS ACTIV- on the realities of those experiences and President because of their mutual convic- IES—THE WORLD YEAR OF lessons learned along the way. tion of the central importance of science PHYSICS S&T “Advice” to the Congress and technology in serving the overarch- ing goals of economy, security, health, by Alan Chodos, Associate Executive In the face of mounting controversy environment, and the advance of knowl- Officer, APS about how to resolve issues such as the edge to provide for the future. Science and Readers of this Newsletter do not proposed civilian supersonic transport technology also were seen as key tools need to be reminded why 2005, as (SST), nuclear power plant siting, and oil in deficit reduction (e.g., higher produc- the centennial of Einstein’s “miracu- tanker safety, and with the able assistance tivity in government operations through lous year”, is an appropriate time to of the National Academy of Sciences, technology and better interagency links celebrate the World Year of Physics. Congress established its Office of Technol- such as merger of civil-military weather The World Year has been endorsed by ogy Assessment (OTA) in the early 1970’s satellites, space launch research, provid- the International Union of Pure and OTA’s addressed Congressional com- ing commercial access to geo-position- Applied Physics (IUPAP), by the mittees’ concerns about how to treat ing satellites [GPS]), in international United Nations Educational, Scientific oft-conflicting technical claims about affairs (e.g., cooperation in disarmament, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), technology.. The challenge for OTA was “big” science, health, space). Finally, the and by the General Assembly of the to accurately, fairly, and authoritatively President charged me to forge more United Nations itself, thereby making it provide the Congress (and the public) with productive “partnerships” in the national not only the World Year but also officially an accurate but understandable description interest between federal agencies and the the International Year of Physics. A of the chosen issue, explanation of the private sector (e.g., the Partnership for a resolution declaring 2005 the Year of controversy or confusion surrounding it, New Generation of Vehicles [PNGV]). Physics has also passed the US House of and alternative ways to treat the public Along the way, as Science Advisor, I Representatives, and a similar resolution policy aspects of the issue. was deeply engaged in the resolution of is pending in the Senate. The bottom line description of the issues such as cessation of underground In the US, the APS and its various units job of science and technology advisor to nuclear weapons testing and the futures of are spearheading WYP activities. The goal Congress was to be aware and sensitive to the space station and the Super-conduct- is to bring the importance and excitement the political process and to provide authori- ing Super Collider (the latter two inher- of physics to the public. It is not generally tative, timely and helpful advice but not to ited from previous administrations). Also known, but the World Year of Physics was take sides beyond presenting findings. I was responsible for a myriad of other inspired by the year of physics organized Thus the “advisor” best served his job not duties including the heading of national in Germany in 2000, which was stunningly by advising in the traditional sense, but by telecommunications in case of a declared successful: as one yardstick, enrollments of presenting thoughtful, authoritative findings national emergency; review and approval entering physics majors jumped about 25% and options. Since OTA’s was a completely of the launch of the (plutonium isotope- in a single year, with more modest but open process (except for classified work), powered) Cassini mission to Saturn; State steady increases in the years after that. an important aspect was its two-way functions such as bilateral international The central location for finding out accessibility to all comers. I see that commissions on science and technology and about the WYP and for posting events in function as highly responsive to James various ceremonial events linking the the US is the WYP web site, www.phys- Madison’s admonition in a letter he wrote President and Vice President to honor Nobel ics2005.org. The site is filled with com- in 1822, “A popular government, with- Laureates, Presidential Medals of Science prehensive information and is continually out popular information, or the means of and Technology, awards to science and being updated. Below I describe some of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or math teachers, recognition of Astronauts, the projects and events that might be of tragedy; or, perhaps both. Knowledge will and others. particular interest to members of the FHP. forever govern ignorance, and a people The job of Science and Technology Together with the Topical Group on who mean to be their own governors must Advisor to the President, while heav- Gravitation and the Division of Astrophys- arm themselves with the power which ily dependent upon the priorities and ics, the FHP is participating in a speakers’ knowledge gives.” personalities of the President and the program to provide good public speak- Science Vice President, is inherently diffuse and ers about Einstein and physics for the The work history of different science diverse. S&T Advisers who hold high-level general public. Information on this activity advisors is highly varied—by neces- policy positions in the White House (for is available at the WYP web site. sity—because the job must be defined by instance, Allan Bromley and I) have the An event of likely interest to FHP the President to meet his management style opportunity and the authority to deal at the members is the Einstein International and priorities. In past times the science highest levels of governance. Regrettably Gala, which will take place in Washing- advisor’ relationship with the President our current President has down-graded the ton on February 20, 2005 in conjunction (and White House staff) ranged from very position, encumbering the abilities of Jack with the AAAS annual meeting. Details personal (e.g., Wiesner-Kennedy) to almost Marburger to contribute to policy-making, are still being worked out, but the current non-existent (one advisor was relegated to at the very time we need careful reason- concept is to have actors, in costume and in the National Science Foundation). In my ing and thoughtful analyses as inputs to character, at the gala representing

10 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 notable 20th-century physicists. They wave Observatory (LIGO) is collaborating Physics departments and other institu- would be sponsored by the embassies of the with the APS on a distributed computing tions around the country are being urged physicists’ countries: Denmark for Bohr, project, Einstein@home. This is similar to stage local WYP events. These will be Germany for Heisenberg, Italy for Fermi, etc. to the well-known SETI@home, but the core of the WYP effort in the United Einstein himself will also be there, and instead of searching for extra-terrestrial States. Anyone who needs ideas and other if anyone reading this wants to have intelligence, participants will besifting assistance in organizing an event can get Einstein at a WYP event, please contact actual LIGO data in a searchfor gravita- help at the WYP site; anyone who is me ([email protected]) and I’ll put you in tional waves. It is possible that Einstein@ already planning an event can enhance its touch with someone who modestly bills home will provide the first bona fide visibility by registering it in our searchable himself as the world’s foremost Einstein detection of these waves, which of data base. impersonator. course are a key prediction of Einstein’s FHP members, more than most others, The WYP also has the potential to general relativity. The project will are aware of the momentous significance of give rise to a major scientific discovery, become operational in early 2005, but Einstein’s achievements in 1905. We hope and any FHP member with a broadband participants can sign up now at the WYP- that you will join with us to help make internet connection can be part of the web site, to ensure that they will be 2005 another miraculous year. effort. As a direct result of the WYP, notified as soon as the Einstein@home the Laser Interferometer Gravitational- screen-saver becomes available. Notes, Reports and Announcements

The Seven Pines Symposium— torians, philosophers, and physicists were on “Quantum Mechanics from Informa- Report by Roger Stuewer invited to participate in this year’s sym- tion Theory.” The morning and afternoon The Seven Pines Symposium is posium. Adrian Cho, writer for Science of Saturday, May 8, was devoted to the dedicated to bringing leading historians, magazine, also attended. general topic of “Quantum Communica- philosophers, and physicists together for Each day the speakers set the stage for tion and Computation,” with Markus several days in a collaborative effort to the discussions by addressing major his- Aspelmeyer (Vienna) speaking on “Tele- probe and clarify significant foundational torical, philosophical, and physical issues portation,” John P. Preskill (Caltech) issues in physics, as they have arisen in pertaining to the subject of the symposium. speaking on “Introduction to Quantum the past and continue to challenge our Thus, the morning of Thursday, May 6, Information Science,” William G. Unruh understanding today. was devoted to the general topic of “The (British Columbia) speaking on “What is The eighth annual Seven Pines Sympo- Copenhagen Spirit,” with Michel Jans- Quantum about Quantum Computing?” sium was held from May 5-9, 2004, on the sen (Minnesota) speaking on “Quantum and Gerard J. Milburn (Queensland) speak- subject, “Quantum Mechanics, Quantum Dialogues, 1925-1927” and Don Howard ing on “Realizability.” Before dinner on Information, and Quantum Computation.” (Notre Dame) speaking on “Quantum Friday, May 7, Alan E. Shapiro (Minnesota) It was held in the Outing Lodge at Pine Dialogues, 1955-1960.” That afternoon the also spoke on “Newton Writes his Opticks: Point near Stillwater, Minnesota, a beauti- general topic was “Interpretations of Quan- On the 300th Anniversary of its Publica- ful facility surrounded by spacious grounds tum Mechanics,” with Geoffrey Hellman tion.” The closing discussion on Sunday with many trails for hiking and bird- (Minnesota) and Jeffrey Bub (Maryland) morning, May 9, was chaired by Roger H. watching. Its idyllic setting and superb speaking on “Major Interpretive Issues” Stuewer (Minnesota). cuisine make it an ideal location for small and James B. Hartle (UC Santa Barbara) Lee Gohlike, the founder of the Seven meetings. Its owner, Lee Gohlike, is the speaking on “Decoherent Histories.” The Pines Symposium, has had a lifelong founder of the Seven Pines Symposium; he morning of Friday, May 7, was devoted to interest in the history and philosophy of outlined its goals in his opening remarks. the general topic of “Computability and physics, which he has furthered through Unlike the typical conference, the Computational Complexity,” with Itamar graduate studies at the Universities of talks are limited to 30 minutes, twice Pitowsky (Hebrew University) speaking Minnesota and Chicago. To plan the an- as much time is devoted to discussions on “Turing and Other Concepts of Com- nual symposia, he established an advi- following the talks, and long midday breaks puting” and Gregory J. Chaitin (IBM) sory board consisting of Roger H. Stuewer permit small groups to assemble at will. As speaking on “Computational Complexity (Minnesota), Chair, Jed Z. Buchwald preparation for the talks and discussions, Theory.” That afternoon the general topic (Caltech), John Earman (Pittsburgh), Geof- the speakers prepare summarizing state- was “Quantum Information,” with Charles frey Hellman (Minnesota), Don Howard ments and background reading materials H. Bennett (IBM) speaking on “Intro- (Notre Dame), Alan E. Shapiro (Minne- that are distributed in advance to all of the duction to Quantum Information” and sota), and Robert M. Wald (Chicago). Also participants. Twenty-two prominent his- Christopher A. Fuchs (Bell Labs) speaking participating in the eighth annual Seven

History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 11 Pines Symposium were Armond Duwell pation in a two-week orientation sponsored FHP is collaborating with the Topi- (Pittsburgh), Anthony J. Leggett (Illinois), by AAAS. Fellows have considerable cal Group on Gravitation and General Serge Rudaz (Minnesota), and Philip choice in congressional assignments. Relativity and the Division of Astrophys- Stamp (British Columbia). A stipend of $50,000 is offered in addi- ics to provide “World Year of Physics” The ninth annual Seven Pines tion to allowances for relocation, in-service speakers, especially for 4-year colleges, Symposium will be held from May 4-8, travel, and health insurance premiums. but also for community groups 2-year 2005, on the subject, “The Classical- Application should consist of a letter colleges, and so forth. An important goal Quantum Borderlands.” of intent of approximately 2 pages, a list is to encourage undergraduate science History of Science Society of key publications, a 2-page resume and students to continue in science beyond the three letters of reference. Please see the BS/BA degree. And, of course, we need The History of Science Society will APS website http://www.aps.org/public_ from time to time to remind present and be holding its general meeting in Aus- affairs/fellow/index.cfm for detailed infor- future voters and taxpayers what we are tin, Texas, joint with the Philosophy of mation on materials required for applying doing with their money and why. Science Association, 18-21 November. and other information on the program. There is already a web site where A very large program is scheduled. Of All applications must be postmarked by colleges, etc, interested in hosting a WYP particular interest to Forum readers are the January 17, 2005 and should be sent to the speaker can go to make requests (a num- following sessions: following address: ber of which have already come in). It Rethinking National Security and APS Congressional Science is http://www.phys.utb.ed/wypspeakers/ American Physics 50 Years after the Fellowship Program REQUESTS/howto.html Oppenheimer Hearing Schwartz, Mullet, C/o Jackie Beamon-Kiene If you are willing to be a speaker Kaiser; Chair Nye APS Executive Office in this program, please get in touch Astronomy and Representation in the One Physics Ellipse ([email protected]), providing your Nineteenth Century: Henchman, Gossin, College Park, MD 20740-3843 name, location, topic(s) you would talk Canales; Commentator MacDuffie, Chair AIP STATE DEPARTMENT about, and levels at which you would feel Henchman SCIENCE FELLOWSHIP – This Fel- comfortable given talks, from K-12, The Politics of Cosmology in Early lowship represents an opportunity for through college and amateur astronomy Modern Europe: Friesen, Miller, Jensen, scientists to make a unique contribution groups, to “Princeton PhD’s only”.). Broecke, Commentator and Chair Johns to U.S. foreign policy. At least one Fellow DIBNER INSTITUTE NAMES Theory Confronts the World: Eisen- annually will be chosen to spend a year SENIOR FELLOWS, POSTDOC- staedt, Molvig, Silva, Perovic, Chair and working in a bureau of the State Department, TORAL FELLOWS AND GRADUATE Commentator TBA providing scientific and technical expertise STUDENTS FELLOWS FOR 204-2005 The German Physical Society and to the Department while becoming directly The Dibner Institute for the History National Socialism: Beyler, Hoffman, involved in the foreign policy process. of Science and Technology announced the Eckert, Chair and Commentator, Walker Fellows are required to be U.S. citizens appointments of the Dibner Institute Details of the meeting, and of the and members of at least one of the 10 AIP Fellows for 2004-2005. The Institute Society, can be found at http://hssonline.org Member Societies at the time of application. will welcome eleven Senior Fellows, one APS CONGRESSIONAL SCIENCE Qualifications include a PhD in phys- Science Writer Fellow, two Senior FELLOWSHIP: The American Physical ics or closely related field or, in outstand- Research Scholars, four Postdoctoral Society is currently accepting applications ing cases, equivalent research experience. Fellows, five re-appointed Postdoctoral for the Congressional Science Fellow- Applicants should possess interest or expe- Fellows, and seven Graduate Student ship Program. Fellows serve one year on rience in scientific or technical aspects of Fellows. Of particular interest to Forum the staff of a senator, representative, or foreign policy. Applications should consist readers among the senior Fellows are: congressional committee. They are of a letter of intent, a two-page resume, David Cahan, Professor of History at afforded an opportunity to learn the legis- and three letters of reference. Please visit the University of Nebraska. lative process and explore science policy http://www.aip.org/gov/sdf.html for more Olival Freire Jr, Professor, Univer- issues from the lawmakers’ perspective. In details. All application materials must be sidade Federal de Bahia, Brazil, author of turn, Fellows have the opportunity to lend postmarked by November 1, 2004 and the book, David Bohm e a Controversia scientific and technical expertise to public sent to: AIP State Department Science dos Quanta, 1999. policy issues. Fellowship, American Institute of Physics, Giora Hon, University of Haifa, Israel, Qualifications include a PhD or equiva- Attn: Audrey Leath, One Physics Ellipse, author of “Towards a Typology of Experi- lent in physics or a closely related field, a College Park, MD 20740-3843. mental Errors: An Epistemological View” strong interest in science and technology EDUCATION AND OUTREACH IN (1989) and “Putting Error to (Historical) policy and, ideally, some experience in 2005—Report by Virginia Trimble Work: Error as Tell-tale in the Studies of applying scientific knowledge toward the Are you (a) reasonably good at speak- Kepler and Galileo” (Centaurus, 2003). solution of societal problems. Fellows are ing to and with students and (other) non- Cesare Maffioli, Ecole EuropTenne required to be US citizens and members physicists and (b) interested in something in Luxembourg, author of Out of Gali- of the APS. that ties in with Einstein, 1905, or general leo: The Science of Waters: 1628-1718 Term of appointment is one year, be- relativity and gravitation? If so, then your (Erasmus, 1994) ginning in September of 2005 with partici- help is needed.

12 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 James Voelkel, author of The Com- constructed of heavy brown stones in on a regular schedule and to have these position of Kepler’s ‘Astronomia Nova’ 1879 by the Church of the United delivered to Dayton. (Princeton, 2001) and Johannes Kepler and Brethren, had been built originally as The physicists at Bonebrake had two the New Astronomy (Oxford, 1999). housing for seminarians attending the main areas of work: first, to provide the Among the postdoctoral Fellows are United Theological Seminary. means to measure the amount and purity of Peter Bokulich (Notre Dame) and David The interior of the building im- Polonium produced by the chemists at each Pantalony (University of Toronto) mediately underwent extensive reno- step in their extraction processes; second, In addition several graduate student vation to accommodate administrative to detect and measure radioactive contami- fellowships have been awarded offices, various laboratories for chemistry, nation on both personnel and equipment. physics and electronics, a special Counting b and g radiation were measured using WHO KNEW, I ? Room for measurements of radioactivity, regular glass Geiger tubes with digital BONEBRAKE—Elisabeth Sopka machine shop and glassblowing facilities. counters and from these measurements the With the 60th anniversary now of the Much attention was paid to the interior amount of Polonium present in the samples Manhattan Project and all its attendant design to maintain security and to control was calculated. Direct measurement of the publicity, one small, but crucial piece contamination. Outside the building, the a radiation intensity was desired because of this incredible effort remains largely only change was to surround the property it was the crux of the bomb initiator, but, undocumented. At the end of 1943, John with a nine-foot cyclone fence, placing a because a radiation cannot penetrate glass, Sopka, recent graduate in Physics from small guardpost at the front entrance gate. standard Geiger tube technology could Harvard University, found himself on Otherwise, no external evidence belied the not be employed. So, almost immedi- his way to Dayton, Ohio where he would building’s change in status to a top-secret ately after arriving at Bonebrake, Sopka serve as its first staff physicist. He is the military research facility. traveled to the University of Chicago’s source of much of this exposition. To staff the facility, Thomas initially Metallurgical Laboratory to learn state of In June, 1943, Manhattan Project drew largely from Monsanto, appointing the art radiation measurement. He returned head, Gen. Leslie Groves, recruited one Dr. James Lum as Laboratory Director in with two instruments called a monitors. of the country’s top commercial research July, 1943. Dr. W. Conrad Fernelius was These ionization chambers, capable of chemists, Charles Allen Thomas, to serve recruited from Purdue in August to serve measuring a radiation, needed adaptation to as the lead scientist to coordinate all the as Chief Scientist. He rapidly assembled a accommodate 1) the wide range of radia- chemical processing required for the plu- team of chemists including R. W. Moshier, tion levels presented by the various forms tonium bomb including the production of Carl Rollinson, Norman Coulter, Fred of samples, and 2) the differing physical the Polonium-210 needed to supply the a Leitz, Henry Kuivalla, John Schulte, R. A. characteristics of these. radiation for the bomb’s initiator. Thomas Staniforth, E. M. Larsen and Louis Marchi The first test samples of Polonium was then Director of Monsanto Chemical among others. were shipped to Los Alamos on March 15, Company’s Central Research Laboratory The research at Bonebrake was 1944, less than six months after the start of based in Dayton, Ohio. essentially radiochemistry, a field in its the project. These early samples provided infancy; it quickly became clear that sig- sufficient clear evidence of the suitable nificant support was needed in the areas of potency of Polonium, enabling scientists physics and electronics. Through the fall, there to abandon work on the original physicist Dr. Donald Woernley was on loan gun-type plutonium weapon and to re-focus from Monsanto until John Sopka arrived at their efforts on developing the so-called the end of December, 1943, from Princeton ‘Gadget’ implosion device. University where he had been teaching Throughout the Bonebrake Project, mathematics. everything was conducted under utmost The specific objective at Bonebrake secrecy. Information was available to was to develop a suitable process to extract individuals within the project strictly on and purify Polonium-210 needed as the a a ‘need to know’ basis. Those recruited Bonebrake Seminary, Dayton Ohio emitter for the bomb’s triggering mecha- to work on the project joined it without nism. Although discovered more than 35 knowing anything about the purpose of the While all aspects of the Manhattan years earlier by Marie and Pierre Curie, project. During their work, they only knew Project operated under extreme security, prior to 1944, Polonium had never existed that bismuth ingots arrived from ‘Site X’ Thomas recognized that this work was in sufficient quantity or purity to have its and purified Polonium was delivered to particularly critical and chose to isolate essential chemical and physical properties ‘Site Y’. The first explicit reference to it completely from all other parts of the defined. Much early research at Bonebrake ‘atomic bomb’ and ‘Trinity test’ was made Manhattan Project, siting it in Dayton. focused on extracting Polonium from lead at Bonebrake on V-J Day, August 15, In September 1943, the Army Corps of residues, but it was soon determined that 1945. From the moment they arrived at Engineers leased from the city of neutron-bombarded bismuth metal would Bonebrake, all employees were ordered to Dayton an empty building, known as the be a more satisfactory source. It was discuss their work with no one, including Bonebrake Seminary, located at the arranged to have the Clinton Reactors at close family members. When they departed edge of the downtown business district. Oak Ridge bombard 50 lb Bismuth ingots the project, as John Sopka did at the end The substantial, three-story building,

History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 13 of August 1945, they were explicitly told papers. And, yes, the AFCRL researchers The notebooks in RJS’s hand are ‘Don’t say anything, ever!’ John Sopka were able to extract useful data on early more carefully written and indexed. The first spoke of his experiences at Bonebrake sky brightness, which they published. The first starts in 1916 with work on gas Seminary in 2003 in preparation of the library also purchased the collected works phenomena. Others detail work on electric contributed paper for the April meeting of Sir George Stokes, which Stokes had discharges and afterglows, optics, aurora, described in this paper. presented to JWS, and which contains airglow, and spectra of the sky. The final WHO KNEW, II? marginal notes by JWS. Mrs. Sidgwick notebook goes through October of 1944, was a sister-in-law of JWS, and a sister ending with afterglow studies. These Lord Rayleigh and the Air Force of Arthur Balfour, who became Prime notebooks average about 150 pages Research Laboratory at Hanscom AFB. Minister of Britain. each. Mrs. Sidgwick’s notebook begins, Report by Thomas M. Miller, Research The Rayleigh materials became a sec- “Cavendish Laboratory, April 1880”. It Physicist, Hanscom Air Force Base ond career for the AFCRL Chief Scientist, records experimental observations on cir- When I found that my branch of the John N. Howard, a founding editor of the rus clouds, capillarity, viscosity, and soap Air Force Research Laboratory library had journal Applied Optics. He cataloged the bubbles, and contains notations by JWS. the notebooks and papers of one of the notebooks and papers and had microfilm One final note: there was no first Baron greatest of the 19th century scientists, Lord copies of all of the materials made for Rayleigh. George IV was to confer this Rayleigh (John William Strutt, 1842-1919) deposition at Imperial College and at the honor on Joseph Holden Strutt, a Member (JWS), as well as those of his son, the 4th Niels Bohr Library of the AIP. He also of Parliament. Strutt did not wish to give Baron Rayleigh (Robert John Strutt, 1875- edited a 3792-page Dover edition (1964) up his seat in Commons, and had the honor 1947) (RJS), I assumed that at some point of Rayleigh’s papers and added valuable transferred to his wife, who became Baron- we had had a head librarian who loved notes and photographs. JWS’s “Scientific ess Rayleigh. The current Baron Rayleigh, old books so much that he couldn’t resist Papers” is unique in that 5 of the original the 6th, is John Gerald Strutt (1960-). buying some now and then. This impres- 6 Cambridge volumes (1899-1920) were Thanks are due Ed Murad, John sion was reinforced by seeing many old printed while JWS was living, giving him Howard, and current AFRL librarians at journals on the shelves such as Phil. Trans. the opportunity to correct errors in the pa- Hanscom AFB, John Griffin and Margaret Roy. Soc. from 1665, and old oriental pers and add notes. RJS completed the task Wawrow, for information used in preparing journals, some of which were purchased by for the 6th volume. A historian would thus this note. the occupation forces in Japan. The idea be advised to read both the original papers isn’t farfetched: Ed Murad, who has been and the Dover versions. [Dover might be at this laboratory for 38 years, said that wise to reissue the 1964 edition: an Inter- “the good library years have been those net search reveals only copies selling for when the library was run by people who many hundreds of dollars, and a single loved books.” set of the original volumes selling for But, as it turns out, there was a le- $1150.] Howard also organized a section of gitimate research purpose behind the pur- Applied Optics (Vol. 3, issue 10, 1964) chase, in 1962, of the Rayleigh materials. which contains several articles by Howard Physicists at what was then called the Air and others and RJS’s sons Charles R. Strutt Force Cambridge Research Laboratory and Guy R. Strutt on the lives and science (AFCRL) had used airglow measurements of WJS, RJS, and Mrs. E. M. Sidgwick. to track the effect of solar activity on the Howard reports that he gave many lectures upper atmosphere since 1950, but had little on the Rayleigh papers in those years, and information prior to that year. They came continues to receive one or two requests across published data by RJS, with indica- per year for information. tions that he had made almost daily air- The earliest notebook in JWS’s hand is glow measurements from about 1920 until titled “J. W. Strutt, Trinity College 1862” his death in 1947, a period which would and contains 80 pages of notes from class- John Howard cover two 11-year sunspot cycles. After es and texts. The 2nd and 3rd notebooks some effort, they found that the modern Eri Yagi, Professor Emeritus of include notes on Stokes’s lectures. The 8th Strutt family had little interest in science, Toyo University, Tokyo. Director notebook covers his discovery and isolation and had placed the scientific notebooks, of Eri Yagi Institute for History of of argon in 1894, with William Ramsay, manuscripts and papers in the hands of a Science Kawagoe, Japan. which earned him a Nobel Prize in physics, London bookseller. The AFCRL librar- In recognition of Professor Yagi’s and Ramsay a Nobel Prize in chemistry, in ians, Ole Groos and John Armstrong (both retirement from Toyo University the 1904. The notebooks range in length from of whom died this summer) had enough Editor asked her to prepare a brief 50 to 326 pages. The final experimental control over discretionary spending to summary of her career in the history of note, on gratings, is dated 6 March 1919. purchase the materials, which turned out thermodynamics, and in particular of the The 12th notebook lists JWS’s published to be a great treasure consisting of 12 work of Clausius.: papers and who requested copies of the notebooks by JWS, 22 by RJS, and 1 by Born in Tokyo, Eri Yagi received her papers over the years. Eleanor Mildred Sidgwick, among other undergraduate education in physics at

14 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 Ochanimizu Women’s University, Approach to Entropy, Collected Papers of to study Clausius‘s mechanical theory of Tokyo. After studying under the late Eri Yagi and her Coworkers, at the Occa- heat. They are the method of mathemati- Professor Derek Price at the Depart- sion of Her Retirement, 2002, International cal equation analysis, that of experimental ment of History of Science and Medi- Publishing Institute, Tokyo, Japan. table analysis, and that of technical term cine, Yale Graduate School (1960- Firstly, Yagi started to work with analysis. For that of mathematical equa- 63) during three years of leave of Clausius‘s text analysis with the help of tion analysis, Yagi and her coworkers absence from the Department of Physics, his Manuscripts, which were available at collected about 500 equations as their the Graduate School, the University of the Archives in the Library, Deutsches own database from Clausius‘s 16 papers Tokyo, Yagi received a Ph.D. in phys- Museum, Munich. Through the text analy- (1850-65) on the mechanical theory of ics from the University in 1965. Her sis, Yagi found Clausius was strongly heat which includes such three fields as thesis was on several topics related to influenced by J.Fourier ‘s mathemati- thermodynamics, gas theory, and the theory the history of physics in Japan, which cal method in the analytical theory of of electricity. Through the use of the above developed a statistical approach to Japa- heat (1822). Here Fourier was succeed- database, the following important fact was nese science, and considered the internal ed in obtaining only the second order realized that the first and second laws of history of Nagaoka’s atomic model and differential with no first order within thermodynamics are handled by Clausius spectroscopy. the volume element (dxdydz) by tak- as a related set of analytical equations. Yagi with two coworkers published ing the difference between two flows( in The database is published as a supplement in 1993, a catalogue to the Archives of and out) along x-axis. Clausius applied with the above book; A Supplement of the Toshiko Yuasa, Ochanimizu Women’s Uni- Fourier‘s method to various cases of physical collected Papers of Eri Yagi and her versity, the first Japanese women physicist phenomena, namely stationary flows with Coworkers, a Database from R. Clausius (1909-80). only gradual linear changes as light (1849), ‘s Abhandlungen I-XVI, 2002. Eri Yagi For these twenty years ,Yagi has been heat (1850) and electricity (1852). Institute of History of Science, Rm 404 studying R.Clausius and his concept of In addition to the above traditional Honkawagoe 2nd LM,30-4, Renjaku-cho. entropy. Most of her papers on R.Clausius text analysis, Yagi and her coworkers have Kawagoe, Saitama, 350-0066, Japan. are compiled as a book; A Historical been exploring several useful methods (written July 22, 2004) Book Reviews

Elga Wasserman. The Door in the institutions have been reluctant to address who are not (yet) NAS members. On the Dream: Conversations wtih Eminent the issues brought about by changing plus side are some interesting speculations Women in Science. Joseph Henry Press lifestyles among their employees, women on why, with both the biological and the (Washington DC) 2000. ISBN 0-309- scientists must either juggle roles as scien- physical sciences starting from roughly 06568-2. 253 + xiv pages. B&W photos. tists, wives, and mothers without help from 0% women 75 years ago, the former has Preface by Rita Colwell the institutions in which they work or forgo changed so much more rapidly than the Reviewed by Virginia Trimble having children. No male scientist has to latter. On the minus side, I wish the author Some of your friends are among the confront such a Hobson’s choice.” Immedi- had been more generous in providing the heroines of this volume: Esther Conwell, ately I was transported in memory back to birth names of her biographies and had the late Gertrude Scharff Goldhaber, our a summer day in Aspen, Colorado, where somewhere explained the meaning of the own past president Myriam Sarachik, Vera the conference program required (perhaps subtitle . It must be a quotation, but not Rubin. The population pool contained the it still does) participants to check into their one that rates a listing in Bartlett’s, which 86 women elected to the National Acade- accommodations and to being attending has only Jung explaining that a dream is my of Sciences before 1 July 1996 and still sessions on Monday morning. I stood next a door. living at that time. About 10 have since to a colleague, who was juggling a small Robert Zimmerman. Leaving Earth- died. A subset of 26 (with birth years bag of groceries, a door key, a notebook, -space stations, rival superpowers, and spread from before 1900 to after 1950) and the hand of a child, who said “You the quest for interplanetary travel. are the subjects of 2-5 pages mini-biog- know, this schedule just isn’t designed for Publisher: Joseph Henry Press, Washing- raphies, some entirely in the words of single parents.” He was (and I wasn’t), ton, D.C. 2003 the author, others with extended quotes and you can surely think of examples Reviewed by Robert K. Soberman from the subjects, who were interviewed among your colleagues of men who have Space and history buffs alike will on paper or by telephone, primarily in had to tackle equally difficult choices enjoy reading this detailed description of 1995. Every one of the stories has some- between careers and families. Nothing is mankind’s space travel beginnings from the thing to inform or inspire the reader. said about issues facing same-sex couples. dreams of science fiction authors like Jules But I started on the wrong page (219- Perhaps there are none among the aca- Verne and Willy Ley, through the launch of 220), where I found the following, and demicians, but I, and surely you, know a Sputnik in 1957 to December 2002 when really never recovered: “Because most good many among productive scientists the book was completed. Let not the his-

History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 15 tory lesson deter you as the book, though structures, all but the Spacewatch volun- mood of cosmonauts aboard the Mir replete with references and the results of teers were convinced we were looking at Space Station while the Soviet Union first hand interviews, contains excitement, an iron meteorite. It was not until it was collapsed below them and Boris Yelt- poignancy and edge of chair suspense. cut open to reveal an imbedded metric sin formed the Russian Federation that For American space professionals screw that its manufactured origins were took over the program. While space and enthusiasts alike the book offers an given credence. Later, in a meeting with was always political, we read here how “in depth” look at the formidable Rus- one of my FSU counterparts in Moscow, President Clinton used it as a conduit sian space effort traditionally slighted I was shown some experimental apparatus to provide cash to the near bankrupt or totally ignored in the western press. being flown on Soviet satellites to measure Russian government to prevent their return The exploits of cosmonauts, famous in micrometeorites. Apparently, little if any to Communism. the former Soviet Union (FSU) and lat- effort was devoted to making the equip- The book concludes on a somber note. er Russia, are described. Their back- ment smaller and/or lighter. The Russian and U.S. space programs have grounds, training and in cases where Countering, to some degree, the early passed each other traveling on opposing important, their families and personal lives Soviet superior launch capabilities was paths. While the Russians have become are detailed. After Sputnik and the first the participation of Wernher von Braun freer and continue to follow paths to animals and humans to orbit the Earth, the and his German colleagues in the United economic independence, NASA has press devoted most stories to the American States space program. When U.S. troops become a bureaucracy of the type the winning of the Moon race. Little noted first reached the Nazi V2 rocket base at former FSU would have envied. It is was the Russian capture of all records for Peenemünde, General Electric engineers, largely populated by “apparatchiks” human and equipment endurance in space. under government contract, brought what- whose primary concern is enlarging Zimmerman points out that while the ever equipment and personnel they found their fiefdoms. Where the cosmonauts American manned program lost its direc- to the United States. This formed the ba- have been given greater freedom to tion after the lunar landings, the Russian sis for the U.S. Army’s missile center in improvise and perform independent program remained focused upon manned Huntsville, Alabama. During the mid research, astronauts have been placed un- missions to Mars and beyond, despite 1950’s the U.S. Air Force was given sole der ever more rigid ground control. This is technical failures, political upheavals and responsibility for ICBM development. Nu- counter to what would be required of virtual bankruptcy. merous highly regarded scientists blocked interplanetary voyagers. Inciden- Zimmerman contrasts the secrecy that any Air Force investigation into ablation as tally Zimmerman exaggerates the time pervaded and hampered the FSU space a means of surviving atmospheric re-entry. delay for one way Mars mission com- program with the publicity given the Only when von Braun’s group demonstrat- munication at 20 minutes, which is the American effort. However, he neglects ed successful intermediate range ballistic maximum when Earth and Mars are in or is unfamiliar with, the head start the missile (IRBM) re-entry with a wood superior conjunction (furthest in their or- Soviets gained from their approach to coated nose cone did the Air Force begin bits from one another, on opposite sides of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) ablation research. Later, after von Braun’s the Sun). However, even half that could problem that faced the two post World group became the foundation for a NASA easily prove catastrophic if emergency War II (WWII) superpowers. To transport a center at Huntsville, they designed and built directions must be received from mission nuclear bomb one quarter of the way the Saturn V launch vehicle for the Moon control on Earth. around the globe, Americans worked mission. This was the first U.S. rocket to Brian Austin Schonland: Scientist to make the bomb as small and light exceed Soviet launch capabilities. and Soldier Institute of Physics Publish- as possible. The Soviets, on the A few of the practical jokes and antics ing, Bristol and Philadelphia other hand, designed their rockets to the astronauts/cosmonauts played upon Reviewed by Richard Collins, Emeritus carry the comparatively large and mas- one another and on ground controllers are Professor of Physics, The University of sive early bombs. Their superior launch described. It helps to highlight the very Sydney capabilities became evident about 1960. human nature of these explorers. This is a remarkable book about a After Sputnik, Prof. Fred Whipple of Successes and failures are elucidated. remarkable man. The book is simultaneous- the Harvard-Smithsonian Astrophysical The book keeps the reader in suspense as ly a thoroughly researched and referenced Observatory organized Operation Space- oft-innovative spur of the moment repairs academic history, and a most readable watch where volunteers visually tracked save lives from imminent space disasters. account, of the life of a person once artificial satellites. Members reported While the jury-rigged umbrella that saved wdescribed as “South Africa’s scientist of that they had observed a piece of a Skylab is familiar to most western space the (20th) century.” As I read through it, I re-entering satellite that imbedded itself enthusiasts, equally or more dangerous fail- found myself becoming progressively more in a Midwestern crosswalk. The alleged ures aboard Soviet/Russian spacecraft such surprised, and perhaps even a little embar- satellite fragment was brought to Cam- as fires and collisions were deliberately rassed, that I had never heard of its subject bridge, Massachusetts for examination. As kept from the public lest they jeopardize before. As noted by the author in the pref- then Chief of the U.S. Air Force Meteor future funding. ace, however, the name of Schonland is not Physics Branch, I was present. Faced As the political and financial envi- widely known, even in his home country. with this semispherical iron slug about ronments were/are critical to the space Basil Schonland was born in 1896 six inches in diameter, knowing the light- program, the author provides those back- into an academic South African family, weight fragile aluminum American satellite grounds for the reader. He describes the and demonstrated outstanding scientific

16 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 abilities at an early age. After the comple- to have no ego or pretensions to self-impor- is a small price to pay for the remarkable tion of his first degree at Rhodes University tance. At the same time we find him driven insights that we are given into the life and College, he went to the Cavendish Labora- to make advances in fundamental science, person of a very significant and influential tory at Cambridge to undertake a Ph.D. and to do useful things for his home and scientist who, until now, had been nearly under Rutherford. These studies were adopted countries. He was a man who was forgotten. This is an important book, and interrupted for a time when he served in much loved, and who inspired others. a good read. the First World War. Upon completion of A carefully researched history such Charlotte Froese Fischer: Douglas this degree, he returned to South Africa as this is illuminating for the picture Rayner Hartree, His Life in Science and and took up a post at the University of that it paints of the views of senior sci- Computing Cape Town. Realizing that his isolation entists of the day. Like his colleagues, Reviewed by Walter R. Johnson, Profes- would make it impossible to continue Schonfeld clearly saw the pursuit of new sor of Physics Notre Dame University effective research in nuclear physics, he knowledge through basic, fundamen- Charlotte Froese Fischer, Hartree’s commenced work on understanding the tal, “pure” research as a higher calling final doctoral student and the one that physical processes that occur in lightning – something superior, and to be better followed most closely in his foot- – something in plentiful supply in South regarded, than mere development, or steps, is author of this interesting and Africa – and developed an international mission-oriented science, although much informative biography written from a reputation in this field. In 1936 he was of his work was in the latter categories. physicists’ perspective, complete with appointed to the Carnegie-Price Chair of In this regard, his views mirror those of a family tree, photographs, letter ex- Geophysics, and Director of the Bernard Cockcroft, in whose shadow he moved cerpts, testimonials from students and Price Institute for Geophysical Research, through much of his life. He appears to associates, tables of angular couplings, at the University of Witswatersrand. In have been subjected to considerable pres- and mathematical formulas. She not 1938, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal sure during his term as Director of Harwell only describes Hartree’s contributions to Society for his work on lightning. Ear- to manage the organization in more direct- physics, but also discusses his interactions ly in the Second World War, he under- ed ways than when it was under Cockroft. with other luminaries of early twentieth- took pioneering research on radar in In a very real sense, Schonfeld seems to century physics: Bohr, Rutherford, Dirac, South Africa and led the group respon- have suffered somewhat from the legacy Eherenfest and Einstein, to mention a few. sible for development of the first work- of his predecessor’s hands-off management This biography covers Hartree’s ing radar systems in that country. He style – Cockroft seems to have believed family heritage, early education, World again went to England during this war, that Harwell should operate in much the War I work on ballistics, early research at and utilized his outstanding scientific, same way as a university research depart- Cambridge, doctoral research on atomic managerial and organizational skills in ment. It is intriguing how, when Schonfeld physics, development of self-consistent support of Britain’s war effort, including assumes this responsibility, the story shifts field theory, research on radio waves, a period as scientific adviser to Montgom- from his own achievements to the activities Manchester years, differential analyzer, ery. After the end of the war, he returned of his organisation. His life seems to be control theory, service during World War to South Africa to set up and lead that consumed with the crises, both scientific II, Cambridge years and the dawn of the country’s Council for Scientific and and political, that inevitably occur in the computer age. Industrial Research, while also continuing operation of such an organisation. One Douglas Rayner Hartree was the oldest part time with his work at the University senses that he did not enjoy his time in this of the three sons of Eva Rayner, Mayor of of Witswatersrand. A decade or so later, position as much as when he had lesser Cambridge and president of the National he relocated again to England and shortly responsibilities. Council of Women, and William Hartree afterwards succeeded Sir John Cockcroft as One of the great values of a book such who taught engineering at Cambridge Director of Harwell, in which capacity he as this is its completeness. We are given University. Hartree’s two younger brothers served until his retirement. highly detailed insights into the science that died before reaching adulthood. He became If this book simply chronicled Schon- Schonfeld did, to the way that he interested in mathematics at the Bedales feld’s achievements during his life, it thought, and to the nature of his rela- school in Petersfield. (The Bedales school would be a most worthwhile addition to tions with his masters, peers, subordi- website mentions Sarah Armstrong Jones, the history of science, particularly in an nates, and with his family. The author Minnie Driver and Daniel Day-Lewis area that has been somewhat neglected is to be commended for the way that as illustrious alumni but, alas, fails to in the past. The author does much more he has so thoroughly researched and mention Hartree.) In 1915, Hartree entered than this, however. Through the existence drawn from the extensive published and St. John’s College Cambridge. His educa- of extensive personal records, including personal records, and from the mate- tion was interrupted by World War I during Schonfeld’s own diaries and letters written rial gathered during the interviews that he which time he worked with the Ministry by him, and aided by many face-to-face in- carried out. The detail is such that the read- of Munitions on ballistics and anti-aircraft terviews with Schonland’s contemporaries, er is at times left with the impression that gunnery. He returned to Cambridge after the reader is given revealing insights into the author could not bear to leave anything the war and graduated in 1921. In 1923, the personal attributes of the person. They out, and that the book might have ben- Hartree married Elaine Charlton; they show a modest, even shy man who, unlike efited from a slightly heavier hand by the had three children. Hartree completed his many of his contemporaries and despite his publisher. This is a minor criticism, how- doctorate (atomic structure calculations quite extraordinary achievements, appears ever, and the occasionally tedious detail based on Bohr’s theory of the atom) in

History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 17 1926, just at the time that principles of He also maintained a lifelong interest in ing a copy of De revolutionibus . quantum mechanics were being developed trains. This copy was richly annotated by a by Schroedinger and Heisenberg. Again, this is a delightful and infor- knowledgeable reader, who was later After his doctorate, Hartree turned to mative biography written by an expert on identified to be Erasmus Reinhold, a wave mechanics and applied the exper- atomic structure theory, illuminating the prominent sixteenth century astrono- tise in numerical methods that he gained life of a major figure in physics during the mer. Gingerich became interested in the during the war to the calculation of atomic first half of the twentieth century. comments others might have made self-consistent fields and wave functions. In Owen Gingerich: The Book Nobody subsequent to its original publication, 1928, he published four seminal papers on Read, Chasing the Revolutions of Nico- which could provide important insight into the self-consistent field approach to atomic laus Copernicus Walker & Company New the thinking of contemporary astronomers structure. Hartree was elected Fellow of St. York, N.Y.10011, 2004 concerning the impact and consequences John’s College 1924-1927 and Fellow of Reviewed by: Sidney Borowitz and of Copernicus’ masterwork. With the Christ’s College 1928-1929. Benjamin Bederson, New York University conversation with Ravetz still fresh in his In 1929, Hartree was appointed The author, Professor Owen Gingerich, mind he decided to undertake a search for Professor of Applied Mathematics at Man- is a Professor of Astronomy and the His- as many volumes of the Copernicus book chester. He held that position until 1937 tory of Science at Harvard University as he could find. About 1,000 first editions when he moved to the Chair of Theoreti- well as an Astronomer Emeritus at the of the book had been printed in 1543, cal Physics. In 1932, he was elected Fel- Smithsonian Astronomical Observatory. and about six hundred seconds edition in low of the Royal Society. Hartree visited The book, one might think, should appeal 1566. Vannevar Bush at MIT twice in 1932-1933 mostly to bibliophiles, especially those His decision surprisingly led him to learn about the differential analyzer. After interested in astronomy books published ultimately to visit thirty- three countries his return to Manchester, he built a simple in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth centuries. and twenty states of the United States plus differential analyzer from Meccano toy However, despite the supposed narrowness the District of Columbia. He managed to parts. He later supervised construction of of the subject matter of the book, it is so examine at least 600 copies of first and a more sophisticated (8 integrator) beautifully written and has sufficient gossip second editions of “De revolutionibus” differential analyzer. In 1935, Douglas about the community of ancient astrono- photographing the comments he found in was joined in his calculations of atomic mers as to be interesting even if one does a great many of them, frequently made by self-consistent fields by his father, William, not know whom he is gossiping about. distinguished astronomers. He measured who took responsibility for much of the Parenthetically, there is a modern mystery the copies’ dimensions and noted any un- numerical work. about a theft that author managed to solve usual tears, omissions and other identifying In 1946, after working with the Minis- and the author’s role in bringing the culprit marks. By these means he was able to iden- try of Supply during World War II, Doug- to justice. tify sources and previous owners. With the las Hartree was appointed Professor of In 1970, during a sabbatical leave he help of Charles Eames, of furniture fame, Mathematical Physics at Cambridge, a was spending in England, Gingerich was he obtained photographs of Copernicus position he held until his death in 1958. He dining in York with an old friend and and his many distinguished contemporaries was offered the Cambridge position while fellow astronomer from Poland, Jerry that he was able to find in museums and he was in the USA at the invitation of the Ravetz. Copernicus had been born in universities he was visiting. The result was US War Department advising on scien- 1473 and they were discussing the com- a publication, “An Annotated Census of tific applications of the ENIAC, the first ing celebration of his Quinquecenten- Copernicus’ De revolutionibus (Nuremberg, general-purpose digital computer which nial since they were both on the plan- 1543 and Basel 1566). Nuremberg and Ba- was set up and operating at the University ning committee for this event. Their sel were the cities where the first and sec- of Pennsylvania. conversation led them to discuss ond editions respectively were published. In addition to his work on atom- Copernicus’ magnum opus De revolutioni- The present volume is, basically, a per- ic self-consistent fields, we learn that bus (the full title, translated, is On the Rev- sonal story describing how that census was Hartree made significant advances in olutions of the Heavenly Spheres), the 400 obtained. And, not incidentally, he uses this studies of reflection of radio waves from page book in which he hypothesized that recounting to offer the reader a generous the ionosphere, control theory, stability the Sun stands still and the Earth and its supply of his own knowledge and wisdom, conditions for the magnetron oscillator, planets revolve around it. In the course of as well as some admittedly controversial and hydrodynamics of laminar bound- the conversation Gingerich asked whether opinions, of the entire history of early ary layers. He was author of six books Ravetz thought anybody really had re- astronomy. All the principal actors, from and more than 100 journal articles on ally read the book. The question arose be- Brahe and Kepler on down appear, mainly mathematical physics. Two of his books: cause Arthur Koestler had asked the same through their own annotated copies of Calculation of Atomic Structures} (1957) question in his book, “The Sleep Walkers”. Copernicus. We are given the privilege of and numerical Analysis (1958) are con- The details of the subsequent discussion meandering through this marvelous period sidered by many to be classics of math- are not important but consequences are. of scientific history with the skilled help of ematical physics. Aside from physics and Shortly after that evening Gingerich one of its most knowledgeable guides. numerical analysis, Hartree played the found himself in Scotland at the Royal And, as documented by the many piano and conducted an amateur orchestra. Observatory in Edinburgh, examin- annotated copies that he personally ob-

18 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 served, both in the original and in copies, physicists he showed early precocious- have been guided more carefully through contrary to Koestler’s statement, De revo- ness in mathematics. In his early years Kelvin’s early thinking, especially about lutionibus seems to have been a sixteenth his “natural philosophy”, i.e., physics, heat and thermodynamics. Here is a subject century best seller, widely read. interests ranged widely across the then whom the great scientists of the Eighteenth The Catholic Church’s position about most challenging topics, especially in heat and Nineteenth centuries probed, ulti- Copernicus’ heliocentric assertion is and thermodynamics and electricity, He mately successfully, squeezing blood from presumably well known. But its position early on acquired a mathematical style, a stone, you might say, since the edifice of that heliocentrism is a hypothetical scheme based primarily on elegant French math- thermodynamics owed more to intellectual useful for mathematicians but is not ematical methods, most notably that of achievement than to the precise knowl- physical reality and is accordingly not to Fourier. However he became truly famous edge of how microscopic systems actually be condemned outright, is not so widely through his practical accomplishments. behaved. Lindley’s discussions of these understood . (Does this resonate with Which ancient reader of this Newsletter magnificent accomplishments mainly Creationists’ position on evolution?) Any does not remember the mirror galvanom- talked around, rather than through, the hint that this was a real effect was to be met eter, the instrument of choice for almost important concepts. The interplay of these with censorship or worse. In the book we a century for measuring tiny currents? masters, Clausius, Maxwell, Rayleigh, Car- learn that the great astrophysicist Johannes Most impressive was his leadership role not, Helmholtz, to name a few, and Kel- Kepler wrote in of his notes that Coperni- in establishing measurement standards— vin’s interactions with them, is for sure a cus thought that his theory was physical temperature, of course, but also several fascinating tale. The book is, in the end, reality. This comment caused a great furor standard electrical units. These are vital more about the personal Kelvin, his life, in the Church and among the astronomers contributions if not particularly sexy ones. his quirks, and his substantial accomplish- of that era. His everlasting fame was in the end ments, than it is a history of the develop- Good copies of De revolutionibus sell attributable to his pursuit of the laying of ment of thermodynamics, and Lindley can- nowadays for hundreds of thousands of telegraphic cables, especially across the not be faulted for this. Readers will have to dollars at auctions. It is a great tempta- Atlantic. It was his persistence and ulti- go elsewhere for deeper treatments. tion for thieves to attempt to steal these mate success in this effort that led to his Still, I guarantee that you will enjoy valuable volumes. Gingerich’s census was title, (The Queen was grateful for the vital this book, which not only thoroughly a valuable adjunct in establishing that such contribution made by the overseas tele- explores his life but offers as well a bril- a theft has taken place. However, the value graph to holding the Empire together). His liant picture of the physics world of the of the present book relates not so much to title was chosen from that of a small river late Nineteenth and very early Twentieth its documentation of inventory as to its in- near Cambridge, now immortalized in the century sights into the impact that Copernicus had absolute temperature scale. A minor observation: you need a on the subsequent evolution of scientific The full title of Lindley’s book is scorecard to keep track of all the Thom- thought leading, ultimately, to the final, “Degrees Kelvin, a Tale of Genius, sons, related and unrelated to William. I correct, understanding of the basic work- Invention, and Tragedy”. The “Trag- counted fifteen of them in the index, as ings of the Solar System by Galileo. edy” relates to his later years, when his well as one Thompson. David Lindley: Degrees Kelvin, A tale stubbornness in acquiring wrong-headed REPORT OF THE SECRETARY– of genius, invention, and tragedy, Joseph ideas very nearly cancelled out his early TREASURER by Harry Lustig Henry Press, Washington DC 2004 reputation. He had always been enam- Editor’s Note: with this report Dr. Reviewed by Benjamin Bederson ored by models—he kept dreaming up Lustig has resigned his position as David Lindley is the author of several mechanical schemes that would explain Secretary-Treasurer. He is being well-regarded books, including The End electromagnetic phenomena. He developed temporarily replaced by Kenneth Ford, of Physics (a fine book, although I didn’t similar fantasies to explain atomic struc- pending election of a new permanent care much for the title), and a biography of ture. None of these ideas have survived. Secretary-Treasurer. Ludwig Boltzmann. Now Lindley has And famously he was done in by his This report deals mainly with the taken on the Nineteenth Century celebrity underestimation of the age of the Earth. financial aspects of the job. Other duties physicist, William Thomson, Lord Kel- Surely here is an object lesson to the include keeping the records of our Forum, vin. It is a book of considerable charm, physicists who think they have it right. including membership lists and statistics, while also presenting a very well-rounded In fact he did have it right. His classical and minutes of the Executive Committee portrait of a most Victorian, talented, calculations of heat loss might not have meetings, conducting the annual elections, complex individual of mixed achievement. been far off, except of course that he ne- acting as liaison between the Forum and Lindley is by no means effusive over Lord glected the possibility of an internal heat the APS officers and keeping up the Web Kelvin’s accomplishments, and in fact he source. page where much information about FHP is somewhat lukewarm, finally, in his sum- As a book that gives pleasure to the can be found at (http://www.aps.org. ; click mary of Kelvin’s scientific contributions. reader I recommend it highly. Its weakness, on APS Units, Forum Homepages, History Kelvin came from an academic back- maybe not the fault of the author, is that, of Physics (FHP). ground (his father was a professor of written only in words without any quantita- Calendar Year 2004 mathematics at Glasgow), and as is so tive description of actual physics, I found it Our regular income comes from the often the case with later to become famous somewhat frustrating. I would have liked to following sources:

History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004 19 1) A “capitation” allocation from APS The sum of these items is $22,252. The “named lectures” will be discussed and for each FHP member. In 2004 this will net loss for 2004 is thus projected at $2353 decided by the FHP Executive Committee amount to about $12,400. Membership in and the assets that will be carried over to at its April 2005 meeting. FHP is free for all APS members (and not 2005 are estimated to amount to $12,072. In order to accommodate and encour- available for persons who are not members Calendar Year 2005 age such donations, as well as help support of APS), except for those who already 2005 is the World Year of Physics, other FHP programs, we have set up belong to two or more forums., for whom in observation of the 100th anniversa- an “FHP Special Programs Fund” in the annual charge is $7. ry of Einstein’s “miracle year” 1905. the APS office. We hope that many of 2) FHP’s share of APS’ revenue for (See the article on APS activities). All you will consider contributing to this the March and April meetings, which is over the world the achievements in fund. Please send your unrestricted based on the number of contributed paper physics of the last 100 years will be contributions (which are, of course, tax- sessions that are organized by us. For 2004 celebrated. While in a number of ven- deductible) to Darlene Logan, Director this income amounted to about $1156. By ues the emphasis will be on Einstein’s of Development, The American Physical special dispensation of the APS Council, work and the work of those who have Society, One Physics Ellipse College members may give a “technical” as well as stood on his shoulders, there will also be Park, MD 20740-3844, Phone (301) a history talk at each meeting. Individuals explications of other events and develop- 209-3224, Fax (301) 209-0867; E-mail who are not members of APS may give a ments in physics during the century and logan@aps,org. If you have a suggestion talk if they are sponsored by a member. of the historical milieu in which they took for a named lecture, or an inquiry, please Further information about submitting place. contact any FHP officer. Guidelines for abstracts for history talks may be found We have therefore resolved to make accepting and using such donations will in this Newsletter in the article “Call for 2005 our miracle year, by substantial- also be on the agenda. Contributed Papers”. ly expanding FHP’s normal programs. Finally, we have an opportunity to 3) The Forum (and every unit of APS) (The miracle may well be stretching our undertake two special outreach programs receives interest at 7% annually on its resources to pay for the programs.) in 2005. APS has offered us $2000 as assets held and invested by APS. At the As Robert Romer reports in this issue contributions for the travel of history of beginning of 2004, this balance was there will be three invited papers sessions physics speakers at undergraduate colleges. $14,425. Because during the year, on the theme “Einstein and Friends” alone. Institutions that will normally have the op- expenses will progressively exceed income, Some of the speakers will come from portunity to hear these talks will receive I estimate that at the end, our balance Europe. In order to be able to afford them preference. APS will also pay up to $500 will be $11,000. Total investment income and the larger than normal number of talks for the expenses of history speakers at for 2004 will amount to about $1300. the anonymous donor has also pledged to meetings of each of the eight geographi- An anonymous donor has generously donate up to $5000; at this time I am bud- cal sections, because they attract large made a personal contribution of $5000 “in geting half of that amount, in the hope that numbers of graduate and undergraduate honor of the newsletters’ excellent cur- it will suffice. Furthermore, for the first time students. Virginia Trimble is in charge of rent and past editors”. This donor has also in its history, I believe, FHP has, with the both “match-up” programs and has or can pledged to contribute equal amounts in approval of the APS Council, instituted point you to a growing list of speakers and 2005 and 2006. I therefore project that the “named lectures”:a donor will be able to topics. Because of the contingent nature total income for 2004 will be $19,900. name an invited talk after a deceased phys- of the programs and because APS will The greatest single recurring expense icist. In 2005 there will be two such talks. probably pay the expenses directly, they are is the Newsletter. Each of the two annual One, which was solicited by our vice-chair, also omitted from the FHP 2005 budget. issues, if they are printed and mailed to the Virginia Trimble, will be sponsored by the In sum, our income estimate from all membership, costs at least $5000. Goldhaber family in memory of Gertrude sources for 2005 is $22,370; our expense A second expense arises from the need Scharff-Goldhaber. The second, thanks estimate is $26,300; these will result in a to pay for the travel expenses of some in- to a $1000 donation by Bob Romer, our net asset carryover to 2006 of $8102. vited speakers which for 2004 amounted to chair-elect, will honor his mentor, Robert $3598. Miscellaneous expenses, estimated H. Dicke. Permanent guidelines for the this year to be about $1400. solicitation and acceptance of funds for

20 History of Physics Newsletter • Volume IX, No. 3 • Fall 2004