New Atom-Smashing Achievement In United States

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 July 1947, Page 6

New Atom-Smashing Achievement In United States

NEW YORK, July 11. / An atomic scientist, Dr Glenn Seaborg, announced that the University of California’s new 4000-ton cyclotron had produced the first manmade replicas of the mysterious cosmic rays. Dr Seaborg, who was addressing 200 scientists from all parts of the United States at Paloalto, California, said that bombardments by the cyclotron with 200,000,000 electron volt neutrons and 400,000,000 electron volt alpha particles—a bombardment 10 times more energetic than was produced by any other known atomsmasher —had resulted in: Four Results (1) The blasting from the atomic nucleus of 22 or possibly 30 particles, compared with the pre-war record of two or three. (2) The prospect that well over 100 new radioactive isotopes of the common elements —valuable in biological and medical research —would be produced. (3) Entirely new nuclear processes, of greater complexity than the relatively simple patterns of the lower energy range. (4) The “leapfrog” transmutation of one element to another during the bombardment: for example, the bombardment of arsenic with alpha particles brought transmuted products of chlorine. Extensive Smashing

An Associated Press correspondent says: “The atom has been extensively smashed for the first time. Hitherto atom-smashing has consisted of knocking one or two bits off the nucleus. Even an atom bomb explosion divides the nucleus into not more than five parts. The hitiherto unknown products of these operations will increase the versatility of atomic medicine and of various branches of research using radio-active substances. Explaining the comparison with cosmic rays, the correspondent says that the devastating effects produced by the experiments were similar in some respects to the shattering of atoms by low-energy cosmic rays—which are still more powerful than anything man has yet devised. Claims for New Explosive Science has developed a new explosive powerful enough to hurl steel cones beyond the pull of gravity, where they will float round the globe for ever, according to Dr Fritz Zwicky, astronomer at the Mount Wilson Observatory. He said that the explosive, which was called penolite, had been a closely guarded military secret since its development in 1940. It was reputed to be one-third more powerful than T.N.T. and capable of propelling one of the cones at six miles a second. Dr Zwicky, who was reporting to the Astronomical Society, said that scientists had already attempted to toss projectiles high enough to become artificial satellites like the moon, circling the earth at altitudes ol 200 to 600 miles. The attempts had failed, but new experiments were being planned. Bombing Base In Alaska “The world’s first airfield built expressly for atomic warfare is being rushed to completion on the outskirts of Fairbanks, Alaska,” says the “Honolulu Advertiser.” The newspaper publishes an article by a military correspondent who has just returned from a tour of major bases in Alaska with Vice-Admiral John Price, commander of the United States naval air forces in the Pacific. The correspondent says: “The United States Air Force is constructing just one runway 15,000 feet long, and sturdy enough to base any future heavy bomber. This is in line with the new concept of atomic bombardment. Instead of mass flights by ordinary bombers, just one huge plane would take off with an atomic bomb and head for. a target perhaps 5000 miles away. “Another atomic plane field is scheduled to be built near Fairbanks. More than 40,000,000 dollars will be spent on permanent military installations in the Fairbanks area.”