Vintage, special purpose, beta electroscope

Artifact Number:

2023-016

Description

One of a set of beta electroscopes developed and patented at Chalk River in the 1940s under the leadership of Hugh Carmichael for the accurate measurement of radioactivity. (See artifact 2023-015.) This would appear to be a modified version of a Type T.Q.Q.B.. The name plate seen on 2023-015 is absent. This unit appears to be unique in that the others have highly enclosed observation heads whereas this unit is made of Plexiglass. Only after very careful observation, with lighting from an oblique angle was it noted that the thin quartz fibers used in these types of electrographs are still intact in this unit.

Details

Keywords:

electroscope; radiation detectors

Date:

~1950

Associated artifacts:

See also artifacts 2023-014, 2023-015, 2023-017 and 2023-018.

Notes:

This particular electroscope is believed to be unique because of its construction with a Plexiglass chamber. All indications are that it was modified from a “normal” Type T.Q.Q. model but by whom and for what special purpose in unclear. Since it is believed to have been used in the period between 1945 and 1955, it is not expected that any of the people involved are alive at the date (2023) of this cataloguing and that the exact purpose may never be known.

Walt Woytowich was an early technologist in General Physics Division. His recollection in 2023 is that the quartz fibers were developed and mounted by a small group consisting of two girls (one named Hazel) and supervised by Percy Salmon.