Peierls, Rudolf E. (Rudolf Ernst), 1907-1995
Oral history interview with Rudolf Ernst Peierls, 1969 August 11, 12 and 13.
Aspects of Peierls' life and his work in theoretical physics. Physicists and physics research in Manchester, Cambridge, Birmingham and other British institutions, beginning in 1933 after Rockefeller Fellowship in Rome and Cambridge. Observations on Russian physics. Peierls marries Russian physicist. Trips to Russia in the 1930s; attitude toward fission and his work with Otto R. Frisch on the possibility of developing the atomic bomb; impressions of the U.S. in 1942 and his war work which was involved with atomic energy research. Other topics discussed are: James Chadwick's cyclotron; Lord Cherwell's accelerator at Oxford; Cecil F. Powell's discovery of the pion and development of photographic emulsion techniques; background of the Klaus Fuchs case; postwar experimental work at Birmingham University; his role in postwar development of quantum electrodynamics; participation in conferences; the effect of atomic energy on world politics. Postwar concern with broad-based issues in academic, social and political fields.
British theoretical physicsist. Ph. D., Leipzig University (1929). Assistant to Wolfgang Pauli (1929-1932); researcher, Manchester University (1933-1935); Royal Society Mond Laboratory, Cambridge (1935-1937); professor of applied mathemataics, later mathematical physics, University of Birmingham (1937-1963); Wykeham professor of theoretical physics, University of Oxford (1963-1974).
Chadwick, James, 1891-1974
Cherwell, Frederick Alexander Lindemann, Viscount, 1886-1957.
Frisch, Otto Robert, 1904-
Fuchs, Klaus Emil Julius, 1911-1988
Peierls, Rudolf E. (Rudolf Ernst), 1907-1995
Powell, Cecil Frank
University of Birmingham.
University of Cambridge.
University of Manchester
Atomic bomb -- Research.
Cyclotrons -- Great Britain.
Nuclear energy -- Political aspects.
Nuclear fission.
Particle accelerators -- Great Britain -- 20th century.
Photographic emulsions.
Physics -- Research -- Great Britain -- 20th century.
Physics -- Soviet Union.
Pions.
Quantum electrodynamics.
Theoretical physics
World War, 1939-1945 -- War work.
Oral histories. aat
Interviews. aat
Sound recordings lcgft
Transcripts. aat
Weiner, Charles interviewer.
AIP-ICOS
American Institute of Physics. Niels Bohr Library & Archives. One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA