Hide Article Text (OCR)
BERKELEY, Calif.( A. P.)—Mesons—mighty atomic particles which may lead science into a great new domain of atomic energy—have been pro- 1 duced in the laboratory for the first time by the Uni- j diversity of California's' U1 giant cyclotron.*| Mesons represent a form of f atom ^mashing Jar more power-f M and effective than m the atoma! bomb.-| Thss scientifically exciting achievement was announced by 8; Prof. Ernest O Lawrence, cyclot-* ron inventor. Nobel Prire winner :jand key figure In the atom bomb . | development and James B. Fisk. ' research direc or for the Atomic {I Energy Commission.u: Although the scientists said nol :mmed;ate practicable application - towards producing atomic energy | e was sn sight they agreed it was | af’one of the greatest milestones of* all times in fundamental atomic | ni research.J Eventually It may point the way . j to new and vastly more effective e wavs of convcr’ir.g matter intoe energy,j I The mesons produced by the .I cyclotron turned out to be some- ! a whar different from those ob-e served in the cosmic rays, their it1 only previous source Two kinds -I of these psrticles heavy and light. f\ i are produced.Ill Heretofore the particles have t! beer, called both mesotrons and t meson* the terms being used o. interchar.geabN Sir.ce two klnda now are known the researchers decided to call the cyclotron products mesons. These mesons Jin turn give rise to lighter sec-¥ I ondary mesons which may eventu-* j ally he called mesotrons.r. Scientists racing each other to ° he the first to produce these par-*1 tlclea in their laboratories have* *aid that the achievement would be the greatest advance in nuclear research since the discovery °f uranium fission. That discovery in 1933 br German scientists led toj; the development of the atom bomb by Americana m 1945.Actual realisation that the big atom smashing machine has produced mesons came on the night of Saturday. February 21. Still a | later It was found that the cy-s j clotron probably had been making t| these potent particles for a year, h Thev had not been detected because of the inadequate means ofobservation The actual work was done by Dr Eugene Gardner of the rad a at ion laboratory staff and Dr. C. M G. Lette*. a Brazilian sciential from the University of Sao Paulo.Mesons are of top importance The mod potent of them, observed high above the earth in B-» bombers equipped with heavy research apparatus runs into the : hundreds of billion* of volt*. In 1 companion, the exploding atoms in bombs produce only 200.000.000 volts.The meson offers hope of pointing the way toward getting many yi times mere energy out of atoms o: than is obtainable in uranium fusion. It might show how even • more terrible bomba could oe made.The mam rmphasis. however, if on the use of the mesons to find ' out more accurately what an atomic nucleus is made of. Despite their achievements with nuclear energy the scientists do not yet know much about the inside* of an atom.The meson. Dr. Lawrence said, is the best tool ever obtained for s-udying these things, particularly _ I the forces which hold various par-£. tides together to form a nucleus. °j Production of mesons in the cy-CAIRNS MARKET RETORT
Newspaper Details
Cairns Post
Cairns, Queensland, AU
Sat, Apr 10, 1948
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 30 May 2023
Other Publications Near Cairns, Queensland
Cairns Northern Herald
Cairns Morning Post
Cairns Post
