Evening star., 1949-02-14
Stars, Men and Atoms
Copper and Iron Particles
Bomburd Outer Space
Photographs Taken by Balloons
Show Effect at 100000 Feet
By Thomas r. HEM

By Thomas II. HerH
The stars shoot bullets of copper and iron
at the earth.
Finding of nuclei of the atoms of these
middleweght elements in the cosmic radia-
tion which strikes the planets outer atmos-
phere has just been reported by the Atomic
Energy Commission. They were revealed by
photographs taken up to attitudes of 100000
feet in balloons sent aloft by University Of
Minnesota scientists working on an Ofice Of
Naval Research contract. The nature Of the
incoming particles could be deduced from the
radiant tracks made in q cloud chamber
attached to a balloon.
Hitherto it had been presumed that pri-
mary cosmic radiation diffused from outer
space consisted Of elementary atomic par
ticles-neutrons protonS and electrons.
Other particles were produced by impact
with the atoms of the upper layers of the
atmosphere. Finding of fully formed ele-
ments, minus their outer electrons. may call
for considerable revision of cosmic ray
theories.
The source of this radiation. the most
powerful and abundant in the universe, still
is quite debatable. 1t is certain that greater
part Of it comes from the general field Of
the Milky Way, possibly emanating from
exploding stars. There has been recent evi-
dence that minor part of it comes from
opSoo
be the source of the atomic nuclei.
Meson Is Studied.
The commissions major interest in cosmic
radiation lies in getting a clearer UNDER
standing OF the meson, mysterious elemen-
tary particle which is produced when the
bullets from space strike atmospheric atoms.
These recently have been produced to order
at the University of CALIFORNIA; radiation
laboratory. clearer understanding of them
is essential for an adequate explanation Of
the behavior of nuclei under bombardment.
Quite recently, the commission reports.
considerable advances have been made.
There are two known types of .mesons. one
heavy and one light. Commission physicists
have just been able to determine their pre-
else weights. The first has mass 284 times
that of an electron, the second 215 times.
BY precise time measurement it has been
determined that the heavy meson decays
into the light meson in almost precisely
hundredth of mllionth of a second-one
reason why it is not found except at extreme
attitudes.
Hot atom chemistry'-a new field of
science with enormous potentialities-is be-
ing developed in Atomic Energy Com csion
laboratories.
1t promises compounds of clemens V. ch
cannot be produced by any other means.
but the Commissions chemists still do not
understand what happens The new science
is by-product of work on the transmuta-
ton of elements by neutron bombardment
in the great uranium ovens.
Chlorine, for example, can be changed
into sulfur, the next lighter element in the
atomic table. This is all that would happen
if pure chlorine were bombarded. But
when the bombarded chlorine is in chem
lcal combination, such as potassium chloride.
the resulting material is new kind Of
combination of sulfur and potassium which
would normally be impossible. There is
possibility that similar results may be at
tanned throughout most of the atomic table.
A powerful new tool has been placed in the
hands of chemists.
Great Heat Generated.
In the transmutation of one element
into another an enormous amount of heat
is generated for fraction of second. and
the Commission chemists believe, this prob
ably is responsible for the strange new
compounds. Such heats could not possibly
be attained by any other means nor can
cold atoms be expected to act like hot atoms
in chemical reactions.
In the field of biochemistry during the
past six months, the Commission reports.
notable progress has been made in the
production of labelled molecules" sub
stances normally occurring in plants and
animals which contain the element car
bon. group of chemists working for
the Commission at the University Of CAL
ifornia has been able to produce 80 such
compounds with atoms of CA, the most
common form of radioactive carbon, in
fixed positions in their molecules. BY their
use it is possible for the first time to fol-
low intricate chemical reactions IN men,
animals and plants