Experiment

In the 1950’s the main thrust of departmental research was in nuclear and particle physics. Experimental groups were distinguished primarily by the particle detection technique used, thus there was a cloud chamber, nuclear emulsion and counter group. The establishment of the department on the world scene and the first operation of the electron synchrotron were marked in 1954 by the ‘Rochester Conference’.

John Gunn was Cargill Professor in charge of the theory section and the HoD (Regius Professor) was Philip Dee. Dee was one of Rutherford’s bright young men, who distinguished himself in the development of radar during WWII (one of the reasons for the relatively high political standing of physics in the following three decades) before coming to Glasgow. He delighted in describing the excitement at the Cavendish on the discovery of the neutron in 1932, giving us a first hand link to the origins of nuclear and particle physics. He also regaled us with stories of his first experience as a Ph.D. student there, when he was shown into an empty lab. and essentially told to "get on with some research". His high quality alpha particle studies using the cloud chamber required him to find a suitable high voltage clearing field to remove residual ions. This he achieved by cycling round the neighbourhood, collecting lead acid accumulators which were being discarded. This indicates that the lack of adequate funds for experimental programmes is by no means a new phenomenon! Further proof of the same was provided in the immediate aftermath of the ceasefire at the end of WWII, when Jimmy Atkinson (later director at Dounreay) hired a lorry and visited large numbers of military bases around the country, collecting electronic equipment which was to prove invaluable for the research in the Department. In fact, many of the units (heavy 240 DC supplies, E.H.T. units, potential dividers, scalers etc.) continued to be used, latterly in the Honours