Evening star., 1933-03-02
SCIENTISTS SEEK
NEW COLD RECORD
Apparatus Designed to Force
Mercury 1894 Degrees
Below Zero.
BY the Associated Press

By the Associated Press.
BERKELEY, Calif March 2.-Ap-
paratus Designed to create new extremes
OF temperature rivaling the coldneSs
Of interstellar space will be placed in
operation here soon, utilizing q prin-
ciple calculated to bring science q step
nearer than ever before to absolute
1ero-45s.4 below on the Fahrenheit
scale.
For several years Prof. W. F. Giau-
que and D. P. MacDougall Of the Uni
yersity Of California chemical laboratory
have been developing process orig
mated by Prof. Giauque to produce
temperatures below the limit believed
attainable through existing methods.
Sciences field Of battle lies on the
border of the complete absence of heat,
In the fractions below degree absolute
BY means Of the evaporation Of liquid
helium, as at Leyden, Holland, 1t has
been possible to get down to within IA
degrees Fahrenheit Of absolute absence
Of heat.
To get lower than this temperature,
which Is about 45796 degrees below
zero, Fahrenheit, is the problem.
Slight Heat Generated.
To achieve this, Prof. Giauque,s pro-
CCSS AlNOAVCo, Ill OllC VI lto 1lIldl otcpc,
extracting from suitable working SUBJ
stance the heat generated In the sub
stance when it Is magnetized and de-
magnetized. Gadolininiun sulfate
octahydrate Is the substance being used,
but many others are expected to prove
susceptible to the unique cooling pro-
cess. Gadolirium Is a metallic element
discovered in 1880.
In the research work q gadolinium
compound is used, the ingredients other
than gadolinium being In negligible
amount in water solution.
When a substance Is magnetized, 1t
is explained, the tendency Is for the
atomic magnetons to Zine up," an
action which produces heat, inflnites-
imally small IN amount under normal
considerable amount when produced
under certain temperatures and condi-
tions. The atomic elements of magnet
ism are due to the spinning Of the
electrons and the rotation Of the elec-
irons within the atom.
In the case of gadolinium only the
spin Of the electron Is concerned. The
heat this action generates Is absorbed
by liquid helium maintained at tenn
perature of one or two degrees absolute
by boiling under reduced pressure.
Ammonia refrigeration Is employed
to start the cooling process, employing
another machine to reach q sufficiently
low temperature to hquefy air. With
this liquid air it is possible to liquefy
hydrogen, giving a temperature Of about
1864 degrees below zero Fahrenheit.
Helium Gas Liquefied.
Using this 1t is next possible to
nquefy helium gas, and this, when SUBJ
jected to a vacuum pump, can be
further cooled to approximately 458
degrees below zero.
At this point the new apparatus is
put into use and the magnetic cycle"
begins. The heat generated by magnet
izing and demagnetizing is drawn out
Of the substance by liquid helium
then isolated from the hehum by high
vacuum. The magnetic field is de-
creased and this action Of itself further
cools the substance.
theoretically, Prof. Giauque states, 1t
should be possible to go considerably
lower than can be done by use of ex-
isting methods employing liquid helium.
Although Prof. Giauque declines to
speculate on what the asttainment. Of
practical absolute zero temperatures
would mean to the research laboratory,
1t Is held that study Of numerous prob
lens would be facilitated. and would
lead to a greater knowledge Of the
structure of matter
In a forthcoming issue Of the Cali
fornia monthly publication of the uni
versity, the details of the process and
the comprehensive mechanism which
has been constructed will be described.
Although there Is maze Of tubes,
wires and paraphernalia, the vital por-
ton Of the apparatus is comparatively
simple. The small chamber in which
it is hoped will be created the coolest |
spot yet known lies within a metal
flask much resembling the ordinary |
carbonated water tank common to soda +,
water fountains