ATOMIC PILE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26567, 16 September 1947, Page 4

ATOMIC PILE

SCIENTISTS’ PLANS AUSTRALIA OR NEW ZEALAND DR MARSDEN'S REPORT P.A. AUCKLAND, Sept. 15. The erection in the future of a low-energy atomic pile in Australia or New Zealand was among the questions discussed with the Australian Council of Scientific and Industrial Research by the secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dr E. Marsden, who has returned from a special visit to Australia. “The erection of an atomic pile will be made so that supplies of certain isotopes which are of increasing interest and importance will be made available to our local scientists and medical men." said Dr Marsden. He added that New Zealand and Australia would act in a complementary way and with the rest of the Empire. In addition to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dr Marsden conferred with other research organisations on projects of mutual interest in which the co-operation ol resources and scientific man-power was desirable both between Australia and New Zealand and with the Empire. While in Australia Dr Marsden saw the details of the rain-making experiments which were recently carried out there. “ The effect is genuine.” he said, “and falls of half an inch of rain over an area of 100 square miles have been produced on several occasions - } by dropping about ljcwt of dry ice on the tops bf large cumulus clouds, which would normally pass over the country without giving rain.” While he thought there was less need for use of the method in New Zealand. Dr Marsden stressed its importance in some pants of Australia, where a fall of rain at the right time meant a few extra bushels of wheat per acre. Dr Marsden will leave the Dominion on Saturday by the Rimulaka to take up an appointment as a scientific liaison officer in London.