Biographical Memoirs Volume 80 (2001) / Chapter Skim
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Robert Rathbun Wilson
Robert Rathbun Wilson
Pages 348-365
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From page 349... ...
He was the driving force for the creation of two of the four worId-ciass high-energy physics laboratories in the Unitecl States: the Cornell Laboratory of Nuclear Studies en c! Fermilab, which houses the woricl's highestenergy accelerator initially the 500-GeV proton synchrotron en cl since ~ 990 the tevatron, the worIcl's first high-energy superconducting magnet synchrotron.
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From page 350... ...
In spite of this frequently interrupted eclucational career he set up a rudimentary laboratory where he experimenter! with vacuum phenomena using high vacuum pumps of his own design en cl construction.
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From page 351... ...
the Physics Research Division, which was responsible for experimental nuclear research en cl later for nuclear measurements that were macle cluring the test of the first atomic bomb. Toward the end of the war Wilson workocl effectively for civilian control of atomic energy.
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From page 352... ...
his colleagues built four electron synchrotrons, each with unique physics capability. In 194S, shortly before the first synchrotron began to operate, he described in his yearly report to the Office of Naval Research what he thought the research program wouIcl be: The most important problems of nuclear physics, to our minds are: What are the elementary particles of which nuclei are made and what is the nature of the forces that hold these particles together?
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From page 353... ...
He clicl important experiments in pi-meson photo production, inclucling the first observation of the second nucleon excited state en cl published an analysis of its properties, he did the first measurements of the photo-procluction of strange particles, he pioneered a class of experiments using the circulating synchrotron beam en cl with this technique clicl funciamental work on the structure of neutrons en c! protons, extending the pioneering work of Hofstacler at Stanford.
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From page 354... ...
Among the physics contributions were sensitive tests of quantum electrodynamics (QED) at short distances, discovery of the second nucleon resonance, first measurements of K-meson and rho-meson photo production, and precise measurements of nucleon structure.
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From page 355... ...
K Berkelman, continued in this "Cornell style." FERMILAB In 1967, after completing the 12-GeV synchrotron, Bob left Cornell to become the director of the new National Accelerator Laboratory (now Fermilab)
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From page 356... ...
Rapid construction maintains excitement and esprit cle corps, while slow construction runs up costs. He believer!
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From page 357... ...
This concern of Wilson is eloquently expressed in his colloquy with Senator John Pastore in testimony before the Congressional Joint Committee on Atomic Energy on April 17, 1969. Senator Pastore: "Is there anything connected with the hopes of this accelerator that in any way involves the security of the country?
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From page 358... ...
The tevatron undertaking was vintage Wilson. The accelerator required approximately 1,000 very accurate and reliable superconducting magnets to guicle the circulating beams.
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From page 359... ...
This was, of course, also the case for the much heavier top quark, for which the full energy of the tevatron was required. HADRON CANCER THERAPY A paper of Wilson's published in the journal Radiology in 1946 en cl entitlecl "Racliological Use of Fast Protons" has assumer!
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From page 360... ...
Proton beams have now been usecl successfully for cancer therapy at a number of accelerators. With the advent of magnetic resonance imaging en cl positron emission tomography, which can determine the positions of cancerous tumors with high precision, there has been a large increase in interest in this therapy, en cl single-purpose hospital-basecl proton accelerators have been built for haciron therapy in many different countries.
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From page 361... ...
I think most of the time institutional memories are rather short; even people who play important roles are forgotten surprisingly quickly. This is emphatically not the case for Fermilab and your father.
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From page 362... ...
Declassified May 19, 1952, Atomic Energy Commission Document AECD-3373, also Univeristy of California Radiation Laboratory UCRL-833, 37 pp.
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From page 363... ...
Scattering of high-energy electrons by protons. Nature (GBJ 188:94-97.
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From page 364... ...
364 BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS 1977 The tevatron.
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