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Samuel King Allison

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from 1960 to 1963, and chairman of its Committee on Nuclear Science from 1962 to 1965. He was active in the "scientist's movement" for the control of atomic weapons. The scientists successfully lobbied for nuclear weapons to be under civilian rather than military control, which was eventually written
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from Harvard spearheaded an effort to prove that Compton's interpretation of the Compton effect was wrong, and Allison became part of this effort. Duane carried out a series of meticulous experiments to disprove Compton, but instead found overwhelming evidence that Compton was correct. To his credit,
44: 538:, which was planned to accelerate particles to billions of electron volts. Allison still believed that there were useful results still to be found with low energies. He became a pioneer of what became known as "heavy ion physics", accelerating 1325: 456:, told them that time was more important than money, and if two approaches looked promising, they should build both. In the end, this was what was done. Allison was one of 49 scientists who watched the project take a leap forward when 444:
By October 1942, the Metallurgical Laboratory had to consider how it would proceed with designing large production reactors when they had yet to get an experimental reactor to work. Fermi favored taking small steps, while Allison and
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We are determined to return to free research as before the war. If secrecy is imposed on scientific research in physics, we will find all first-rate scientists working on subjects as innocuous as the colors of butterfly wings.
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would be ready for testing in July. Allison formed part of the "Cowpuncher Committee" that "rode herd" on the implosion project, ensuring that it stayed on track and on schedule. Fittingly, he was the one who read the
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went critical at Stagg Field on December 2, 1942. As Compton's reactor project began to spread outside Chicago in 1943, Allison became director of the Metallurgical Laboratory in June 1943.
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In 1930 Allison returned to the University of Chicago, where he became a professor in 1942, and the Frank P. Hixon Distinguished Service Professor of Physics in 1959. He studied the
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on his "Experiments on the Efficiencies of Production and the Half-Lives of Radio-Carbon and Radio-Nitrogen". He was so impressed by the Cavendish Laboratory's
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argued that larger steps were necessary if atomic bombs were to be developed in time to affect the course of the war. The Director of the Manhattan Project,
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were an important means of investigating atomic structures, but the concept that light had both wave and particle properties, as demonstrated by
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and the University of California together at the Metallurgical Laboratory in Chicago. Allison was placed in charge of the experimental work.
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Allison, Samuel K. (January 1936). "Experiments on the Efficiencies of Production and the Half-Lives of Radio-Carbon and Radio-Nitrogen".
256:, on November 13, 1900, the son of Samuel Buell Allison, an elementary school principal. He was educated at John Fiske Grammar School and 395: 398:(NDRC) from October 1940 to January 1941. In January 1941 the NDRC let him a contract to study the possibility of using beryllium as a 307: 291:, writing his thesis on "Atomic Stability III, the Effects of Electrical Discharge and High Temperatures", a topic closely related to 193: 141: 1345: 1134: 450: 379: 437:. During 1942, Compton brought all the research groups working on plutonium and nuclear reactor design at Columbia University, 580:. A side effect of this work was a method to analyze surface materials where chemical analysis was unavailable. His colleague 149: 742: 1315: 1217: 604: 526:
Allison rebuilt his accelerator, which he called the "kevatron", because it could accelerate particles to energies of 400
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on September 15, 1965, while attending the Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research Conference in
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as targets. The data on these reactions of light elements would subsequently prove useful in the study of
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from 1946 until 1957, and again from 1963 until 1965. He was the chairman of the Physics Section of the
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for his work on the Manhattan Project in a ceremony at the University of Chicago on January 12, 1946.
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and was involved in the "scientists' movement", lobbying for civilian control of nuclear weapons.
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missions. Allison continued to take on Ph.D. candidates, some of whom, such as
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Atomic Stability III, the Effects of Electrical Discharge and High Temperature
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One outcome of this was that Allison co-authored a textbook with Compton,
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University of California, Berkeley College of Natural Resources faculty
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subsequently used this to analyze the makeup of the Moon on the later
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By late 1944, the locus of the Manhattan Project had shifted to the
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from 1925 until 1926. From 1926 until 1930 he taught physics at
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1965 Audio Interview with Samuel K. Allison by Stephane Groueff
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Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society
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Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society
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Allison, Samuel K. (1965). "Arthur Holly Compton 1892—1962".
1161:"Samuel King Allison November 13, 1900 – September 15, 1965" 837:. Array of Contemporary American Physicists. Archived from 745:. John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Archived from 661: 659: 975: 973: 872: 870: 868: 1209:
University of Chicago Special Collections Research Center
208:(November 13, 1900 – September 15, 1965) was an American 1129:. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press. 402:. The team he assembled in Chicago would grow into the 1222: 1065:"Guide to the Samuel King Allison Papers 1920–1965" 185: 173: 155: 137: 127: 109: 99: 88: 72: 50: 34: 1205:Guide to the Samuel King Allison Papers 1920-1965 283:. He graduated in 1921, and then embarked on his 492:in July 1945. Groves presented Allison with the 1015: 1003: 991: 964: 927: 915: 903: 888: 859: 519: 467:Allison's Los Alamos Laboratory identity photo 382:that after returning to Chicago he built one. 228:from 1943 until 1944, and later worked at the 573:and other light elements, and measured their 8: 595:Allison died of complications following an 504:After the war, Allison was director of the 1051: 1039: 1027: 979: 876: 818: 729: 665: 530:. The name was a reference to the massive 42: 31: 702: 506:Enrico Fermi Institute of Nuclear Studies 1351:Fellows of the American Physical Society 1336:Los Alamos National Laboratory personnel 1321:Academics of the University of Cambridge 1096:. National Academy of Sciences: 81–110. 27:American physicist and nuclear scientist 1229: 717: 634: 343:Duane conceded that this was the case. 1171:. National Academy of Sciences: 1–17. 829: 827: 603:, England. His papers are kept at the 429:than the graphite-moderated design of 413:In September 1941, Allison joined the 287:in chemistry under the supervision of 302:from 1923 until 1925 and then at the 7: 396:National Defense Research Committee 370:in England, where he studied under 212:, most notable for his role in the 624:. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. 592:went on to distinguished careers. 308:University of California, Berkeley 142:University of California, Berkeley 25: 310:as an instructor, and then as an 298:Allison was a research fellow at 1301:20th-century American physicists 1268: 1256: 1244: 1232: 561:Later, Allison acquired a 2 MeV 338:, was not universally accepted. 1200:Voices of the Manhattan Project 622:X-rays in Theory and Experiment 348:X-rays in Theory and Experiment 216:, for which he was awarded the 374:. He published a paper in the 150:Los Alamos National Laboratory 1: 1331:University of Chicago faculty 1218:Mathematics Genealogy Project 1159:Hildebrand, Roger H. (1999). 1120:; Anderson, Oscar E. (1962). 941:"The Chicago Pile 1 Pioneers" 679:"Obituary: Samuel K. Allison" 620:; Allison, Samuel K. (1935). 605:American Institute of Physics 488:over the loudspeakers at the 481:implosion-type nuclear weapon 264:in 1917, and participated in 242:Institute for Nuclear Studies 1341:University of Chicago alumni 536:Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory 380:Cockcroft–Walton accelerator 326:and the dynamical theory of 1306:American nuclear physicists 1016:Hewlett & Anderson 1962 1004:Hewlett & Anderson 1962 992:Hewlett & Anderson 1962 965:Hewlett & Anderson 1962 945:Argonne National Laboratory 928:Hewlett & Anderson 1962 916:Hewlett & Anderson 1962 904:Hewlett & Anderson 1962 889:Hewlett & Anderson 1962 860:Hewlett & Anderson 1962 1367: 236:for the detonation of the 220:. A professor who studied 790:10.1017/S0305004100018983 689:(12): 88. December 1965. 515:Atomic Energy Act of 1946 510:National Research Council 358:. In 1935, Allison won a 354:with a graduate student, 224:, he was director of the 199: 120: 41: 1346:Manhattan Project people 1123:The New World, 1939–1946 408:Metallurgical Laboratory 226:Metallurgical Laboratory 643:"The Manhattan Project" 563:Van de Graaff generator 556:stellar nucleosynthesis 368:University of Cambridge 95:(B.S. 1921, Ph.D. 1923) 83:Chicago, Illinois, U.S. 524: 468: 289:William Draper Harkins 180:William Draper Harkins 618:Compton, Arthur Holly 473:Los Alamos Laboratory 466: 454:Leslie R. Groves, Jr. 360:Guggenheim Fellowship 262:University of Chicago 258:Hyde Park High School 230:Los Alamos Laboratory 146:University of Chicago 93:University of Chicago 1316:Cavendish Laboratory 1165:Biographical Memoirs 1090:Biographical Memoirs 582:Anthony L. Turkevich 490:Trinity nuclear test 439:Princeton University 364:Cavendish Laboratory 304:Carnegie Institution 293:experimental physics 275:, while majoring in 252:Allison was born in 238:Trinity nuclear test 1214:Samuel King Allison 1118:Hewlett, Richard G. 994:, pp. 317–318. 930:, pp. 180–181. 841:on October 18, 2014 782:1936PCPS...32..179A 749:on October 17, 2014 743:"Samuel K. Allison" 695:1965PhT....18l..88. 534:being built at the 435:Columbia University 356:John Harry Williams 312:associate professor 206:Samuel King Allison 36:Samuel King Allison 1275:Nuclear technology 1251:History of science 469: 300:Harvard University 76:September 15, 1965 906:, pp. 55–56. 720:, pp. 84–86. 704:10.1063/1.3047071 571:isotopes of boron 451:Brigadier General 404:Manhattan Project 400:neutron moderator 386:Manhattan Project 362:to study at the 328:x-ray diffraction 260:. He entered the 254:Chicago, Illinois 214:Manhattan Project 203: 202: 194:Nicholas M. Smith 186:Doctoral students 122:Scientific career 104:Manhattan Project 61:November 13, 1900 16:(Redirected from 1358: 1273: 1272: 1271: 1261: 1260: 1259: 1249: 1248: 1247: 1237: 1236: 1228: 1187: 1185: 1183: 1155: 1153: 1151: 1128: 1113: 1076: 1075: 1073: 1071: 1061: 1055: 1049: 1043: 1037: 1031: 1030:, pp. 9–10. 1025: 1019: 1013: 1007: 1001: 995: 989: 983: 977: 968: 962: 956: 955: 953: 951: 937: 931: 925: 919: 913: 907: 901: 892: 886: 880: 874: 863: 857: 851: 850: 848: 846: 835:"Samuel Allison" 831: 822: 816: 810: 809: 765: 759: 758: 756: 754: 739: 733: 727: 721: 715: 709: 708: 706: 675: 669: 663: 654: 653: 651: 649: 639: 625: 586:Surveyor program 273:water basketball 175:Doctoral advisor 169: 79: 67:, Illinois, U.S. 60: 58: 46: 32: 21: 1366: 1365: 1361: 1360: 1359: 1357: 1356: 1355: 1311:Harvard Fellows 1281: 1280: 1279: 1269: 1267: 1257: 1255: 1245: 1243: 1231: 1223: 1194: 1181: 1179: 1158: 1149: 1147: 1137: 1126: 1116: 1087: 1084: 1079: 1069: 1067: 1063: 1062: 1058: 1052:Hildebrand 1999 1050: 1046: 1040:Hildebrand 1999 1038: 1034: 1028:Hildebrand 1999 1026: 1022: 1014: 1010: 1002: 998: 990: 986: 980:Hildebrand 1999 978: 971: 963: 959: 949: 947: 939: 938: 934: 926: 922: 914: 910: 902: 895: 887: 883: 877:Hildebrand 1999 875: 866: 858: 854: 844: 842: 833: 832: 825: 819:Hildebrand 1999 817: 813: 767: 766: 762: 752: 750: 741: 740: 736: 730:Hildebrand 1999 728: 724: 716: 712: 677: 676: 672: 668:, pp. 3–4. 666:Hildebrand 1999 664: 657: 647: 645: 641: 640: 636: 632: 616: 613: 597:aortic aneurism 575:neutron capture 502: 494:Medal for Merit 388: 320: 250: 218:Medal for Merit 192: 167: 148: 144: 114:Medal for Merit 89:Alma mater 84: 81: 77: 68: 62: 56: 54: 37: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1364: 1362: 1354: 1353: 1348: 1343: 1338: 1333: 1328: 1323: 1318: 1313: 1308: 1303: 1298: 1293: 1283: 1282: 1278: 1277: 1265: 1253: 1241: 1221: 1220: 1211: 1201: 1193: 1192:External links 1190: 1189: 1188: 1156: 1135: 1114: 1083: 1080: 1078: 1077: 1056: 1044: 1032: 1020: 1018:, p. 422. 1008: 1006:, p. 379. 996: 984: 969: 967:, p. 207. 957: 932: 920: 908: 893: 881: 864: 852: 823: 811: 776:(1): 179–182. 760: 734: 722: 710: 670: 655: 633: 631: 628: 627: 626: 612: 609: 578:cross sections 501: 498: 458:Chicago Pile-1 387: 384: 372:John Cockcroft 336:Arthur Compton 330:. At the time 324:Compton effect 319: 316: 249: 246: 201: 200: 197: 196: 187: 183: 182: 177: 171: 170: 159: 153: 152: 139: 135: 134: 129: 125: 124: 118: 117: 111: 107: 106: 101: 100:Known for 97: 96: 90: 86: 85: 82: 80:(aged 64) 74: 70: 69: 63: 52: 48: 47: 39: 38: 35: 26: 24: 18:Samuel Allison 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1363: 1352: 1349: 1347: 1344: 1342: 1339: 1337: 1334: 1332: 1329: 1327: 1324: 1322: 1319: 1317: 1314: 1312: 1309: 1307: 1304: 1302: 1299: 1297: 1294: 1292: 1289: 1288: 1286: 1276: 1266: 1264: 1254: 1252: 1242: 1240: 1235: 1230: 1226: 1219: 1215: 1212: 1210: 1206: 1202: 1199: 1196: 1195: 1191: 1178: 1174: 1170: 1166: 1162: 1157: 1146: 1142: 1138: 1136:0-520-07186-7 1132: 1125: 1124: 1119: 1115: 1111: 1107: 1103: 1099: 1095: 1091: 1086: 1085: 1081: 1066: 1060: 1057: 1054:, p. 15. 1053: 1048: 1045: 1042:, p. 14. 1041: 1036: 1033: 1029: 1024: 1021: 1017: 1012: 1009: 1005: 1000: 997: 993: 988: 985: 981: 976: 974: 970: 966: 961: 958: 946: 942: 936: 933: 929: 924: 921: 918:, p. 65. 917: 912: 909: 905: 900: 898: 894: 891:, p. 44. 890: 885: 882: 878: 873: 871: 869: 865: 862:, p. 29. 861: 856: 853: 840: 836: 830: 828: 824: 820: 815: 812: 807: 803: 799: 795: 791: 787: 783: 779: 775: 771: 764: 761: 748: 744: 738: 735: 731: 726: 723: 719: 714: 711: 705: 700: 696: 692: 688: 684: 683:Physics Today 680: 674: 671: 667: 662: 660: 656: 644: 638: 635: 629: 623: 619: 615: 614: 610: 608: 606: 602: 598: 593: 591: 587: 583: 579: 576: 572: 568: 564: 559: 557: 553: 549: 545: 541: 537: 533: 529: 523: 518: 516: 511: 507: 499: 497: 495: 491: 487: 482: 478: 474: 465: 461: 459: 455: 452: 448: 447:Eugene Wigner 442: 440: 436: 432: 428: 424: 420: 416: 411: 409: 405: 401: 397: 393: 385: 383: 381: 377: 373: 369: 365: 361: 357: 353: 349: 344: 341: 340:William Duane 337: 333: 329: 325: 317: 315: 313: 309: 305: 301: 296: 294: 290: 286: 282: 278: 274: 270: 267: 263: 259: 255: 247: 245: 243: 239: 235: 231: 227: 223: 219: 215: 211: 207: 198: 195: 191: 188: 184: 181: 178: 176: 172: 165: 164: 160: 158: 154: 151: 147: 143: 140: 136: 133: 130: 126: 123: 119: 115: 112: 108: 105: 102: 98: 94: 91: 87: 75: 71: 66: 53: 49: 45: 40: 33: 30: 19: 1180:. 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Retrieved 637: 621: 611:Bibliography 594: 590:James Cronin 560: 546:, and using 525: 520: 503: 470: 443: 433:'s group at 431:Enrico Fermi 412: 392:World War II 389: 352:spectrometer 347: 345: 321: 297: 251: 205: 204: 190:James Cronin 161: 138:Institutions 121: 78:(1965-09-15) 29: 1296:1965 deaths 1291:1900 births 1207:" from the 1182:October 11, 1070:October 11, 950:October 12, 845:October 12, 753:October 12, 427:criticality 423:Stagg Field 419:atomic bomb 415:S-1 Section 277:mathematics 1285:Categories 1082:References 567:Eucryptite 500:Later life 477:New Mexico 248:Early life 57:1900-11-13 1263:Biography 1177:0077-2933 1150:March 26, 1145:637004643 1102:0077-2933 798:1469-8064 552:beryllium 544:deuterons 513:into the 486:countdown 281:chemistry 234:countdown 210:physicist 806:96112054 648:26 March 532:bevatron 269:swimming 1239:Physics 1225:Portals 1216:at the 1110:1759017 778:Bibcode 691:Bibcode 548:lithium 540:protons 390:During 366:at the 266:varsity 132:Physics 65:Chicago 1175:  1143:  1133:  1108:  1100:  804:  796:  601:Culham 332:x-rays 318:X-Rays 222:X-rays 168:(1923) 166:  157:Thesis 128:Fields 116:(1946) 110:Awards 1127:(PDF) 802:S2CID 630:Notes 1184:2014 1173:ISSN 1152:2013 1141:OCLC 1131:ISBN 1106:OCLC 1098:ISSN 1072:2014 952:2014 847:2014 794:ISSN 755:2014 650:2017 550:and 542:and 279:and 271:and 73:Died 51:Born 786:doi 699:doi 528:KeV 475:in 406:'s 285:PhD 1287:: 1169:76 1167:. 1163:. 1139:. 1104:. 1094:38 1092:. 972:^ 943:. 896:^ 867:^ 826:^ 800:. 792:. 784:. 774:32 772:. 697:. 687:18 685:. 681:. 658:^ 607:. 558:. 410:. 295:. 1227:: 1203:" 1186:. 1154:. 1112:. 1074:. 954:. 849:. 808:. 788:: 780:: 757:. 707:. 701:: 693:: 652:. 59:) 55:( 20:)

Index

Samuel Allison

Chicago
University of Chicago
Manhattan Project
Medal for Merit
Physics
University of California, Berkeley
University of Chicago
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Thesis
Atomic Stability III, the Effects of Electrical Discharge and High Temperature
Doctoral advisor
William Draper Harkins
James Cronin
Nicholas M. Smith
physicist
Manhattan Project
Medal for Merit
X-rays
Metallurgical Laboratory
Los Alamos Laboratory
countdown
Trinity nuclear test
Institute for Nuclear Studies
Chicago, Illinois
Hyde Park High School
University of Chicago
varsity
swimming

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