Evidence for the Continuous Creation of the Common Elements Out of Positive and Negative Electrons

Abstract

layer is not altered by a five-hundred fold change in the surrounding pressure. Further evidence for believing that a condition characteristic of the metal itself has been reached is furnished by the fact that the photoelectric sensitivity of an outgassed specimen remains constant for twelve hours after heat treatment. The work of Davisson and Germer9 on electron reflection from nickel is also against such a point of view. They found that it takes several hours for the characteristic reflection to be obscured by the accumulation of gas on the surface.The evidence obtained from the study of cosmic rays that the more stable and more abundant elements like helium (abundant in the heavens), oxygen, silicon and iron, are being formed at the present time out of the primordial positive and negative electrons, the former of which is the nucleus of the hydrogen atom, may be briefly summarized as follows:First.-The pilot-balloon experiments of Millikan and Bowen,' in which they sent up recording electroscopes 0.92 of the way to the top of the atmosphere and in which the absorption coefficient of the cosmic rays at, or near, the top of the atmosphere came out of the same order of magnitude as that found near sea-level,2 show conclusively that these rays consist of a definite and distinct region of spectral frequencies, or oscillations, a hundred times more rapid than those produced by the most powerful subatomic changes heretofore known, namely, those accompanying radio- VOL. 14, 1928 445

From cosmic ray physics to cosmic ray astronomy: Bruno Rossi and the opening of new windows on the universe

“…He moved there in early 1946 and established the Cosmic Ray Group at the Laboratory for Nuclear Science and Engineering. 22 Excited by the return to the active research and by the possibility to form a new generation of researchers, he started to think on a grand scale, relying on the large economic resources which physicists had at their disposal after the scientific and technological achievements of war research.…”

“…His early researches must be in fact examined on the background of a wider perspective regarding the study of the interaction between radiation, http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1954/bothe-lecture.html . 4 During the previous years Robert Millikan had provided theoretical justifications for his theory according to which cosmic rays were the "birth cry" of atoms in space, being born in the form of γ-rays, from the energy set free in the synthesis of heavier atoms through fusion of primeval hydrogen atoms [19] [20] [21] [22]. For an accurate reconstruction of Millikan's strategy for measuring cosmic ray energy, and his theories on the origin of cosmic rays see [23,Ch.…”

International scientific cooperation during the 1930s. Bruno Rossi and the development of the status of cosmic rays into a branch of physics

“…16 13 During the previous years Robert Millikan had provided theoretical justifications for his ideas on their 'cosmic' origin. According to his theory, cosmic rays were the 'birth cry' of atoms in space, being born in the form of γ-rays, from the energy set free in the synthesis of heavier atoms through fusion of primeval hydrogen atoms; see for example: [109,107]. For an accurate reconstruction of Millikan's theories on the origin of cosmic rays see [73,Ch.…”

“…people who could build good Geiger counters with low backgrounds were thought to be wizards or sorcerers.' 107 After he had finished his first counter, given his first seminar on the counter, and demonstrated it, Arthur Compton proposed him to upgrade his counters to make cosmic-ray measurements. Since his participation in the conference on nuclear physics in Rome, Compton had been highly impressed by Rossi's arguments and research.…”