Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-04
WASHINGTONMEN ]
WIN SCIENCE PRIZE
Creation Of Artificial Radiunl
Rays Brings $1,000 to Trio
at Carnegie Institution.

CLEVELAND, Ohio, January s.
Measurement and artificial creation of
radium rays in q 1000. 000-volt x-ray
tube which are more penetrating than
any heretofore produced and measured
today received the 81 900 award of the
, American Association for the Advance
ment Of Science.
The 81 1000 went to M. A. Tuve, L. r.
Hafstad and G. Dahl of the Department
OF Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie In
stitution. Washington. for their paper
read wednesday before the American
Physical Society here
The three scientists announced they
were able 10 produce still more pene-
trating rays from a 5000, 000-volt tube,
but no measurements Of these had been
taken. The rays from a tube having
this voltage are equivalent to thcae
given on by $ls2,ooo,ooo worth Of RAJ
dunn. SN
Have Varying Lengths. FL
The new rays which the three sci-
entiSts measured correspond to radiuin
radiation having q short-waye length.
The radium rays, or gamma rays, are
not confined to single wave length,
but cover a wide band Of differing
lengths.
Rays previously obtained In labora-
tories may be compared with the red,
yellow and green light in the visible
spectrum. Using the same analogy, the
new rays might be called the ultra
violet" of radium.
These gamma rays are the ones used
Tor medical purposes in the treatment
of cancer.
Radium also produces two other types
OF rays. One of these are the beta rays,
consisting Of electronS travelling al al
most the speed Of light, which Is 1867
600 miles a second.
Beta rays are produced by the three
scientists at washington at q power
nearer that Of the real radium
emanation than heretofore obtained.
The other radium emanation consists
OF alpha rays, which are heavy nuclei
OF atoms shooting out into space at q
velocity Of $4,000 miles a second. These
alpha rays have not yet been obtained,
but they are the chief objective Of this
type of work.
When, by developing stil1 higher
power in these tubes, these alpha par
ticles finally are obtained, It is the
intention Of scientists to shoot them out
TO smash atoms. In smashing atoms
It Is hoped that some interesting predic-
tons of scientists may come true, such
as the transmutation Of elements,
While the gamma rays are being
produced the high voltage tube is I'M
mersed In big pressure tank nine feet
long. The tank Is made Of iron similar
to heavy steam vat.
The tube, when stood on end, a rs
long as a very tall man. It looks like
string Of diversified base balls made
Of hollow glass. Smuggling close to the
tube in the tank Is the Tesla coil, which
Is like the baton of giant bandmaster,
with knob on each end. Around the
Tesla coil Is q heavy coil Of wire.
Ordinary OIL Used.
AS the high-voltage Tesla coil pro-
duces the current it hops over to the
X-ray tube. @
Ordinary transformer oil surrounds
the coil and tube to prevent stray
Streaks of lightning from jumping where
1t shouldn't. To produce the very high
voltage the oil is put under pressure
by the same means that the hzz Is put
into soda pop bottles. s
Tie tank has peep-holes so the
operators can look In Powerful auto
mobile headlights are submerged in the
oil to throw light on the operations.
The rays are measured by an an
paratus which is surrounded by q shield
Of lead six inches thick. The rays from
q 2,00o, 000-volt tube are strong enough
| to penetrate three inches of lead.
Extra precautions have been made In
the laboratory to prevent the leakage Of
stray radiations, which may be danger
Gus to the operators.