Enrico Fermi
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Luis Alvarez: the Ideas Man
CERN Courier March 2012 Commemoration Luis Alvarez: the ideas man The years from the early 1950s to the late 1980s came alive again during a symposium to commemorate the birth of one of the great scientists and inventors of the 20th century. Luis Alvarez – one of the greatest experimental physicists of the 20th century – combined the interests of a scientist, an inventor, a detective and an explorer. He left his mark on areas that ranged from radar through to cosmic rays, nuclear physics, particle accel- erators, detectors and large-scale data analysis, as well as particles and astrophysics. On 19 November, some 200 people gathered at Berkeley to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth. Alumni of the Alvarez group – among them physicists, engineers, programmers and bubble-chamber film scanners – were joined by his collaborators, family, present-day students and admirers, as well as scientists whose professional lineage traces back to him. Hosted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and the University of California at Berkeley, the symposium reviewed his long career and lasting legacy. A recurring theme of the symposium was, as one speaker put it, a “Shakespeare-type dilemma”: how could one person have accom- plished all of that in one lifetime? Beyond his own initiatives, Alvarez created a culture around him that inspired others to, as George Smoot put it, “think big,” as well as to “think broadly and then deep” and to take risks. Combined with Alvarez’s strong scientific standards and great care in execut- ing them, these principles led directly to the awarding of two Nobel Luis Alvarez celebrating the announcement of his 1968 Nobel prizes in physics to scientists at Berkeley – George Smoot in 2006 prize. -
I. I. Rabi Papers [Finding Aid]. Library of Congress. [PDF Rendered Tue Apr
I. I. Rabi Papers A Finding Aid to the Collection in the Library of Congress Manuscript Division, Library of Congress Washington, D.C. 1992 Revised 2010 March Contact information: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/mss.contact Additional search options available at: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.ms998009 LC Online Catalog record: http://lccn.loc.gov/mm89076467 Prepared by Joseph Sullivan with the assistance of Kathleen A. Kelly and John R. Monagle Collection Summary Title: I. I. Rabi Papers Span Dates: 1899-1989 Bulk Dates: (bulk 1945-1968) ID No.: MSS76467 Creator: Rabi, I. I. (Isador Isaac), 1898- Extent: 41,500 items ; 105 cartons plus 1 oversize plus 4 classified ; 42 linear feet Language: Collection material in English Location: Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Summary: Physicist and educator. The collection documents Rabi's research in physics, particularly in the fields of radar and nuclear energy, leading to the development of lasers, atomic clocks, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to his 1944 Nobel Prize in physics; his work as a consultant to the atomic bomb project at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory and as an advisor on science policy to the United States government, the United Nations, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization during and after World War II; and his studies, research, and professorships in physics chiefly at Columbia University and also at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Selected Search Terms The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically therein. -
1 Phys:1200 Lecture 36 — Atomic and Nuclear Physics
1 PHYS:1200 LECTURE 36 — ATOMIC AND NUCLEAR PHYSICS (4) This last lecture of the course will focus on nuclear energy. There is an enormous reservoir of energy in the nucleus and it can be released either in a controlled manner in a nuclear reactor, or in an uncontrolled manner in a nuclear bomb. The energy released in a nuclear reactor can be used to produce electricity. The two processes in which nuclear energy is released – nuclear fission and nuclear fusion, will be discussed in this lecture. The biological effects of nuclear radiation will also be discussed. 36‐1. Biological Effects of Nuclear Radiation.—Radioactive nuclei emit alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. These radiations are harmful to humans because they are ionizing radiation that have the ability to remove electrons from atoms and molecules in human cells. This can lead to the death or alterations of cells. Alteration of the cell can transform a healthy cell into a cancer cell. The hazards of radiation can be minimized by limiting ones overall exposure to radiation. However, there is still some uncertainty in the medical community about the possibility the effect of a single radioactive particle on the bottom. In other words, are the effects cumulative, or can a single exposure lead to cancer in the body. Exposure to radiation can produce either short term effects appearing within minutes of exposure, or long term effects that may appear in years or decades or even in future generations due to changes in DNA. The effects of absorbing ionizing radiation is measured in a unit called the rem. -
Scientific and Related Works of Chen Ning Yang
Scientific and Related Works of Chen Ning Yang [42a] C. N. Yang. Group Theory and the Vibration of Polyatomic Molecules. B.Sc. thesis, National Southwest Associated University (1942). [44a] C. N. Yang. On the Uniqueness of Young's Differentials. Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 50, 373 (1944). [44b] C. N. Yang. Variation of Interaction Energy with Change of Lattice Constants and Change of Degree of Order. Chinese J. of Phys. 5, 138 (1944). [44c] C. N. Yang. Investigations in the Statistical Theory of Superlattices. M.Sc. thesis, National Tsing Hua University (1944). [45a] C. N. Yang. A Generalization of the Quasi-Chemical Method in the Statistical Theory of Superlattices. J. Chem. Phys. 13, 66 (1945). [45b] C. N. Yang. The Critical Temperature and Discontinuity of Specific Heat of a Superlattice. Chinese J. Phys. 6, 59 (1945). [46a] James Alexander, Geoffrey Chew, Walter Salove, Chen Yang. Translation of the 1933 Pauli article in Handbuch der Physik, volume 14, Part II; Chapter 2, Section B. [47a] C. N. Yang. On Quantized Space-Time. Phys. Rev. 72, 874 (1947). [47b] C. N. Yang and Y. Y. Li. General Theory of the Quasi-Chemical Method in the Statistical Theory of Superlattices. Chinese J. Phys. 7, 59 (1947). [48a] C. N. Yang. On the Angular Distribution in Nuclear Reactions and Coincidence Measurements. Phys. Rev. 74, 764 (1948). 2 [48b] S. K. Allison, H. V. Argo, W. R. Arnold, L. del Rosario, H. A. Wilcox and C. N. Yang. Measurement of Short Range Nuclear Recoils from Disintegrations of the Light Elements. Phys. Rev. 74, 1233 (1948). [48c] C. -
EUGENE PAUL WIGNER November 17, 1902–January 1, 1995
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES E U G ENE PAUL WI G NER 1902—1995 A Biographical Memoir by FR E D E R I C K S E I T Z , E RICH V OG T , A N D AL V I N M. W E I NBER G Any opinions expressed in this memoir are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Academy of Sciences. Biographical Memoir COPYRIGHT 1998 NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS WASHINGTON D.C. Courtesy of Atoms for Peace Awards, Inc. EUGENE PAUL WIGNER November 17, 1902–January 1, 1995 BY FREDERICK SEITZ, ERICH VOGT, AND ALVIN M. WEINBERG UGENE WIGNER WAS A towering leader of modern physics Efor more than half of the twentieth century. While his greatest renown was associated with the introduction of sym- metry theory to quantum physics and chemistry, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for 1963, his scientific work encompassed an astonishing breadth of sci- ence, perhaps unparalleled during his time. In preparing this memoir, we have the impression we are attempting to record the monumental achievements of half a dozen scientists. There is the Wigner who demonstrated that symmetry principles are of great importance in quan- tum mechanics; who pioneered the application of quantum mechanics in the fields of chemical kinetics and the theory of solids; who was the first nuclear engineer; who formu- lated many of the most basic ideas in nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry; who was the prophet of quantum chaos; who served as a mathematician and philosopher of science; and the Wigner who was the supervisor and mentor of more than forty Ph.D. -
Nuclear Weapons Technology 101 for Policy Wonks Bruce T
NUCLEAR WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY FOR POLICY WONKS NUCLEAR WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY 101 FOR POLICY WONKS BRUCE T. GOODWIN BRUCE T. GOODWIN BRUCE T. Center for Global Security Research Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory August 2021 NUCLEAR WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY 101 FOR POLICY WONKS BRUCE T. GOODWIN Center for Global Security Research Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory August 2021 NUCLEAR WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY 101 FOR POLICY WONKS | 1 This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in part under Contract W-7405-Eng-48 and in part under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. The views and opinions of the author expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States government or Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC. ISBN-978-1-952565-11-3 LCCN-2021907474 LLNL-MI-823628 TID-61681 2 | BRUCE T. GOODWIN Table of Contents About the Author. 2 Introduction . .3 The Revolution in Physics That Led to the Bomb . 4 The Nuclear Arms Race Begins. 6 Fission and Fusion are "Natural" Processes . 7 The Basics of the Operation of Nuclear Explosives. 8 The Atom . .9 Isotopes . .9 Half-life . 10 Fission . 10 Chain Reaction . 11 Critical Mass . 11 Fusion . 14 Types of Nuclear Weapons . 16 Finally, How Nuclear Weapons Work . 19 Fission Explosives . 19 Fusion Explosives . 22 Staged Thermonuclear Explosives: the H-bomb . 23 The Modern, Miniature Hydrogen Bomb . 25 Intrinsically Safe Nuclear Weapons . 32 Underground Testing . 35 The End of Nuclear Testing and the Advent of Science-Based Stockpile Stewardship . 39 Stockpile Stewardship Today . 41 Appendix 1: The Nuclear Weapons Complex . -
52 Annual Greenville County
nd 52 Annual Greenville County and South Carolina Regional 1A Science and Engineering Fair 2006 Sponsored by Rotary Club of Greenville Roper Mountain Science Center and The South Carolina Academy of Science th th st Judging- March 14 , Public Exhibition – March 15 , Award Ceremony - March 21 Palmetto EXPO Center – Greenville, South Carolina For Immediate Release March 7, 2006 Regional Science & Engineering Fair announces new Charles H. Townes Student Research Award GREENVILLE, SC – The Greenville County and South Carolina Regional Science and Engineering Fair announces a new award recognizing a local high school student for excellence in science research. The Charles H. Townes Student Research Award is the top award in the 52nd Annual Greenville County and South Carolina Regional Science & Engineering Fair to be held at the Palmetto Expo Center. The award honors the career of Greenville’s Charles H. Townes, who received the 1964 Nobel prize in Physics for his research leading to the invention of the laser. To encourage our local future scientists Dr. Townes wrote: “Being a scientist can be a wonderful career. Science involves exploration, figuring things out, understanding our universe and ourselves, and new discoveries. We live in an amazing universe, understanding it is fascinating and inspiring, and also leads to new possibilities for humans. Applied science or engineering uses our scientific understanding to provide new tools, solutions to problems, and remarkable improvements in human life. To do good science, it's helpful to learn all one can, be familiar with a variety of fields, and enjoy exploring. The more we know, the better we can fit ideas together to make new ones. -
22.05 Reactor Physics – Part One Course Introduction
22.05 Reactor Physics – Part One Course Introduction 1. Instructor: John A. Bernard 2. Organization: Homework (20%) Four Exams (20% each; lowest grade is dropped) Final Exam (3.0 hours) (20%) 3. Text: The text book for this course is: Introduction to Nuclear Engineering, 3rd Edition, by John Lamarsh. This covers basic reactor physics as part of a complete survey of nuclear engineering. Readings may also be assigned from certain of the books listed below: Nuclear Reactor Analysis by A. F. Henry Introduction to Nuclear Power by G. Hewitt and J. Collier Fundamentals of Nuclear Science and Engineering by J. Shultis and R. Faw Atoms, Radiation, and Radiation Protection by J. Turner Nuclear Criticality Safety by R. Kneif Radiation Detection and Measurement by G. Knoll 4. Course Objective: To quote the late Professor Allan Henry: “The central problem of reactor physics can be stated quite simply. It is to compute, for any time t, the characteristics of the free-neutron population throughout an extended region of space containing an arbitrary, but known, mixture of materials. Specifically we wish to know the number of neutrons in any infinitesimal volume dV that have kinetic energies between E and E + ∆E and are traveling in directions within an infinitesimal angle of a fixed direction specified by the unit vector Ω. If this number is known, we can use the basic data obtained experimentally and theoretically from low-energy neutron physics to predict the rates at which all possible nuclear reactions, including fission, will take place throughout the region. Thus we can 1 predict how much nuclear power will be generated at any given time at any location in the region.” There are several reasons for needing this information: Physical understanding of reactor safety so that both design and operation is done intelligently. -
Curriculum Vitae: Georg A
Curriculum Vitae: Georg A. Weidlich, Ph.D., phone 650-387-0896 403 Pratt Ln email: [email protected] Palo Alto, CA 94306 url: www.linkedin.com/pub/dir/Georg/Weidlich Professional Experience: - Founder and President, National Medical Physics and Dosimetry Company, Inc., in Palo Alto, California, from 1995 to date - Consulting Physicist and Radiation Safety Officer at ZAP Surgical Systems, Inc., San Carlos, CA, development of novel dedicated Radiosurgery device, January 2016 to date - Director of Radiological Physics at Valley Regional Cancer Center in Modesto, California, from December 1992 to December 1999 - Consulting Professor at Stanford University, Department of Neurosurgery, Palo Alto, CA, 2003 to 2008 - Adjunct Professor at California State University, Fresno, Physics Department November 2015 to date - Consulting Physicist at Siemens in the development of several major Linear Accelerator projects, beam line design, industrial applications, and shielding. - Consulting Radiological Physicist at Sierra View Medical Center, Roger S. Good Cancer Treatment Center, Porterville, California, September 1995 to date - Consulting Radiological Physicist at Sonora Regional Medical Center, Sonora, California, July 1992 to date - Reviewing Medical Physicist for Cureus Journal – Cardiac Radiosurgery, March 2016 to date - Consulting Radiological Physicist at Florence Wheeler Cancer Center, Mercy Hospital, Bakersfield, California, August 1999 to May 2003 - Consulting Radiological Physicist and RSO at California Cancer Center, Fresno, California, -
Memorandum to Participants JASON 1994 Summer Study
Hydronnclear Testing and the Comprehensive Test Ban: Memorandum to Participants JASON 1994 Summer Study Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. 1350 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 300 Washington, D.C. 20005 Tel (main): (202) 783-7800 Cochran (direct dial): (202) 624-9329 Paine (direct dial): (202) 624-9350 Fax: (202) 783-5917 INTERNET: [email protected] Although no commonly accepted defInition exists, a "hydronuclear test" may be generally described as a nuclear weapons test, or high-explosive driven criticality experiment, characterized by a nuclear energy release that is insuffIcient to heat the core material to the plasma temperatures that would cause it to explode "like a bomb." In such a test, the TNT equivalent energy release from fission would therefore not exceed the amount released by the chemical high explosive used to compress the fIssile material, and could be considerably ,less. Nuclear-weapon states, and possibly other states, also perform high-explosive driven implosion experiments using fusjon material, although" these' are not nonnally characterized as "hydronuclear tests". Hydronuclear tests can serve a useful role in the development of the full spectrum of unboosted fIssion weapons, including'first generation nuclear weapons of the implosion type with yields in the 5 to 30 kiloton range, more sophisticated designs with yields up to about a megaton, and advanced micro-nuclear weapons with yields of 5 to 500 tons. For pure fIssion weapons hydronuclear tests can be used to:' * optimize the timing of initiation of the -
Enrico Fermi: Genius
ANNIVERSARY Enrico Fermi: genius This year marks the centenary of the birth of Enrico Fermi, one of the giants of 20th- • century science, and one of the last physicists to be both an accomplished experimentalist and an influential theorist. Here, Gianni Battimelli of the University of Rome "La Sapienza" traces the life of a genius. Enrico Fermi was born on 29 September 1901 in Rome to a family with no scientific traditions. His passion for natural sciences, and in particular for physics, was stimulated and guided in his school years by an engineer and family friend, Adolph Amidei, who recognized Fermi's exceptional intellectual abilities and suggested admission to Pisa's Scuola Normale Superiore. After finishing high-school studies in Rome, in 1918 Fermi progressed to the prestigious Pisa Institute, after producing for the admission exam an essay on the characteristics of the propagation of sound, the authenticity of which the commissioners initially refused to believe. Studies at Pisa did not pose any particular difficulties for the young Fermi, despite his having to be largely self-taught using mate rial in foreign languages because nothing existed at the time in Fermi's group discovered the Italian on the new physics emerging around relativity and quantum radioactivity induced by theory. In those years in Italy, these new theories were absent from university teaching, and only mathematicians likeTullio Levi-Civita neutrons, instead of the had the knowledge and insight to see their implications. alpha particles used in the Working alone, between 1919 and 1922, Fermi built up a solid competence in relativity, statistical mechanics and the applications Paris experiments. -
Historical Background Prepared by Dr, Robin Chaplin Professor of Power Plant Engineering (Retired) University of New Brunswick
1 Historical Background prepared by Dr, Robin Chaplin Professor of Power Plant Engineering (retired) University of New Brunswick Summary: A review of the historical background for the development of nuclear energy is given to set the scene for the discussion of CANDU reactors. Table of Contents 1 Growth of Science and Technology......................................................................................... 2 2 Renowned Scientists............................................................................................................... 4 3 Significant Achievements........................................................................................................ 6 3.1 Niels Bohr........................................................................................................................ 6 3.2 James Chadwick .............................................................................................................. 6 3.3 Enrico Fermi .................................................................................................................... 6 4 Nuclear Fission........................................................................................................................ 7 5 Nuclear Energy........................................................................................................................ 7 6 Acknowledgments................................................................................................................... 8 List of Figures Figure 1 Timeline of significant discoveries