Under the Radar

by Goss, W. M.; McGee, Richard X.

• ISBN13: 9783642031403
• ISBN10: 3642031404
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-10-01
• Publisher: Springer Verlag

Summary

This is the biography of Ruby Payne-Scott (1912 to 1981). As the first female radio astronomer (and one of the first people in the world to consider radio astronomy), she made classic contributions to solar radio physics. She also played a major role in the design of the Australian government's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research radars, which were in turn of vital importance in the Southwest Pacific Theatre in World War II and were used by Australian, US and New Zealand personnel. From a sociological perspective, her career also offers many examples of the perils of being a female academic in the first half of the 20th century.Written in an engaging style and complemented by many historical photographs this book gives a fascinating insight into the beginning of radio astronomy and the role of a pioneering woman in astronomy.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Life of Ruby Violet Payne-Scott - 28 May 1912 (Grafton NSW, Australia) to 25 May 1981 (Sydney, Australia)	p. 1
Ruby Payne-Scott: the Early Years: 1912-1938, Ancestors, Childhood, Secondary School and Sydney University	p. 11
Ruby Payne-Scott's Paternal Ancestors in the UK	p. 11
Emigration to Australia by Hubert and Agnes Scott	p. 12
Ruby's Early Childhood	p. 16
Secondary School Education: Sydney	p. 18
Bachelor of Science in Physics at the University of Sydney	p. 22
Master of Science and the Cancer Research Committee at The University of Sydney	p. 23
Woodlands School, AWA, New Career Opportunities for Women in WWII	p. 27
Amalgamated Wireless Australasia: 1939-1941	p. 30
New Career Opportunities for Australian Women, World War II	p. 32
Endnotes for Chap. 3: Woodlands School	p. 34
Personnel File from CSIR/CSIRO	p. 37
Payne-Scott Joins the Radiophysics Laboratory	p. 37
1941-1946, Permanent Employment During the War	p. 39
Transition from CSIR to CSIRO; Discovery by CSIRO of Marriage of 1944	p. 42
Payne-Scott's Resignation in July 1951	p. 47
War Time Research by Payne-Scott at RPL	p. 51
Payne-Scott - The First Woman Radio Astronomer and the Transition to Peacetime -1944-1945	p. 65
Propagation Committee of the Radiophysics Laboratory: 1944-1954	p. 65
Neophyte Radio Astronomer: Ruby Payne-Scott	p. 66
Post War Activities at RPL, 1945: How This Affected the Role of Payne-Scott	p. 69
RPL's First Observations of Solar Noise: Role of Payne-Scott	p. 74
The First Summary Paper in Radio Astronomy, December 1945" Author, Payne-Scott	p. 76
Symposium on Radar, 5-7 December 1945: Payne-Scott was Present	p. 78
Payne-Scott at Dover Heights 1945-1947: Discovery of Type I, II and III solar Bursts and the Introduction of Fourier Synthesis in Astronomy	p. 81
The Collaroy Campaign, October 1945: First Solar Radio Astronomy in Australia	p. 82
Ground-Breaking Developments in Solar Noise Research and Techniques of Interferometry: February 1946, Dover Height	p. 91
Payne-Scott as solo Scientist at Diver Height, July-August 1946; Payne-Scott' Absence from RPL, Late 1946	p. 108
The Behemoth Type II Burst of March 1947: Payne-Scott, Yabsley and Bolton Observe an Amazing Event	p. 117
Payne-Scott Winds Down at Dover Heights: Late 1947	p. 123
Ionospheric Refraction from Dover Heights - Payne-Scott and McCready 1946	p. 125
Pawsey's Assessment of the Impact of the Solar Noise Group, 1946-1947	p. 127
Hornsby 1948: Type III Bursts Revealed; Conflicts with Bolton	p. 129
Payne-Scott has Doubts at Hornsby: Advice from Pawsey	p. 137
The Publication of the Hornsby Observations	p. 140
Cambridge: Collaboration and Controversy	p. 145
The Burgess Experiment: Payne-Scott at Hornsby	p. 150
Payne-Scott at Potts Hill, 1949-1951: Movies of the Outward Motions of Solar Outbursts with the Swept-Lobe Interferometer	p. 153
Payne-Scott's Career in Turmoil 1948; Choice of the Swept-Lobe Interferometer Site	p. 153
Engineering and Scientific Planning for the Potts Hill Swept-Lobe Interferometer	p. 160
Early Testing of the 97 MHz Interferometer	p. 163
Publication of the Results at 97 MHz: Paper I, the Instrument	p. 168
Paper II, Noise Storms(Type I)	p. 172
Paper III, Outbursts (Type IV)	p. 176
Collaboration with Chris Christiansen	p. 182
Payne-Scott and URSI, 1952: Her Last Experience as a Radio Astronomer	p. 185
Reminiscences and Anecdotes of Ruby Payne-Scott as Told by Friends and Colleagues	p. 199
Joan Jelly, née Freeman (1918-1998)	p. 199
K. Rachel Makinson, née White (1917-)	p. 201
Harry C. Minnett (1917-2003) (Chief of RPL, 1978-1981)	p. 204
Professor B.Y. Mills (1920-)	p. 205
Wilbur Norman "Chris" Christiansen (1913-2007)	p. 206
Elizabeth ("Betty") Kate Hall, née Hurley (1919-)	p. 208
O. Bruce Slee (1924-)	p. 212
Gordon J. Stanley (1921-2001)	p. 214
Lyn Brown (J918-)	p. 214
A Remarkable Family: Bill and Ruby Hall	p. 217
Bill Hall	p. 217
Sydney Bush Walkers	p. 219
Bill Hall: the Father	p. 222
Peter Hall: Mathematician	p. 223
Fiona Hall: Artist	p. 229
Payne-Scott, Communist Party of Australia, Commonwealth Investigation Service and Australian Security Intelligence Organisation	p. 237
Danebank School 1963-1974; the Ruby Payne-Scott Lectures	p. 247
The End of Payne-Scott's Life: A Retrospective	p. 251
Last Years	p. 251
The Character of Ruby Payne-Scott	p. 254
Ruby Payne-Scott's Passions	p. 255
Ruby Payne-Scott's Legacy; Why Did She Not Return to RPL in the 1960s?	p. 256
Epilogue: Why Did We Write This Book?	p. 261
Appendix	p. 265
Bibliography	p. 335
Index	p. 345
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