University of Washington, Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics records, 1949-2021

Overview of the Collection

Creator
University of Washington. Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics
Title
University of Washington, Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics records
Dates
1949-2021 (inclusive)
Quantity
28.30 cubic feet (31 boxes, including CDs, 5.25 in. floppy disks, and 1 3.5 in. floppy disk; and 1 oversize folder)
Collection Number
UW Resource No. 00314
Summary
Records of the Nuclear Physics Laboratory and the Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics at the University of Washington
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Public records, but advance notice is required to allow for screening of materials protected from disclosure by law. Please contact Special Collections for more information.

Some material stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Analog and digital media is closed until evaluated.

Languages
English, German

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Shortly after the end of World War II, Prof. Joseph E. Henderson proposed a 60-inch cyclotron for nuclear physics research at the University of Washington. Construction began in April, 1948, and full external beam was achieved in 1952 under the leadership of Prof. Fred Schmidt.

In 1962-63 a National Science Foundation grant supported the purchase of a tandem van de Graaf accelerator. A building addition to the cyclotron building was completed in 1964, and the accelerator became operational in 1965. The new facility was called the Nuclear Physics Laboratory (NPL).

In 1994 a shift away from accelerator-based research began with the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory project, and in 1998 the Nuclear Physics Laboratory formally became the Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics (CENPA). CENPA was established in 1998 at the University of Washington as the institutional home for a broad program of research in nuclear physics and related fields. CENPA supports a broad program of experimental physics research in fundamental symmetries, neutrinos, muons, axions, and non-Newtonian gravitation.

(Sources: https://www.npl.washington.edu/cenpa/about

https://www.npl.washington.edu/cenpa/history

https://phys.washington.edu/uw-physics-history)

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Annual reports, progress and final status reports for the cyclotron, laboratory notebooks and data of the Eöt-Wash Experimental Gravity Group, photographs including cyclotron and Van de Graaff construction, minutes, budgets and financial records, schematics, superconducting booster documentation, Mass-8 experiment records and lab notebooks, records related to the First Eöt-Wash Experiment, a scrapbook, and other records from the Center.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Public Records—not subject to copyright. Copying, quotation, publication and other uses are unrestricted if records are open for public release.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Organized into 5 accessions.

  • Accession No. 78-051, University of Washington Nuclear Physics Laboratory records, 1965-1971
  • Accession No. 87-096, University of Washington Nuclear Physics Laboratory records, 1956, 1959-1978, 1981, 1983
  • Accession No. 97-058, University of Washington, Nuclear Physics Laboratory records, 1949-1950
  • Accession No. 22-007, University of Washington Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics records, 1986-2011
  • Accession No. 23-015, University of Washington Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics records, 1948-2021 (bulk 1948-1991)

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Accession No. 78-051: University of Washington Nuclear Physics Laboratory records, 1965-1971Return to Top

0.42 cubic feet (1 box)

Scope and Content: Annual Reports (1965-71)

Restrictions on Access: Public records, but advance notice is required to allow for screening of materials protected from disclosure by law. Please contact Special Collections for more information.

Restrictions on Use: Public Records—not subject to copyright. Copying, quotation, publication and other uses are unrestricted if records are open for public release.

Acquisition Info: Archives holding area Acc# 70-43, 1978-03-30

Accession No. 87-096: University of Washington Nuclear Physics Laboratory records, 1956-1983Return to Top

0.83 cubic feet (2 boxes)

Scope and Content: Annual Reports; 1956, 1959-78, 1981, 1983

Box 1: 1956 and 1959-71; Box 2: 1972-78, 1981, and 1983.

Restrictions on Access: Public records, but advance notice is required to allow for screening of materials protected from disclosure by law. Please contact Special Collections for more information.

Restrictions on Use: Public Records—not subject to copyright. Copying, quotation, publication and other uses are unrestricted if records are open for public release.

Acquisition Info: Maria Ramirez, Nuclear Phys., 1987-11-25

Accession No. 97-058: University of Washington, Nuclear Physics Laboratory records, 1949-1950Return to Top

0.21 cubic feet (1 box)

Scope and Content: Quarterly progress reports on the 60-inch cyclotron (April 1,1949-June 30,1950); final status report for the 60-inch cyclotron (April 1,1950-July 15,1950)

Restrictions on Access: Public records, but advance notice is required to allow for screening of materials protected from disclosure by law. Please contact Special Collections for more information.

Restrictions on Use: Public Records—not subject to copyright. Copying, quotation, publication and other uses are unrestricted if records are open for public release.

Acquisition Info: Engineering Library, 1997-04-28

Accession No. 22-007: University of Washington Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics records, 1986-2011Return to Top

9.33 cubic feet (8 boxes)

Scope and Content: Laboratory notebooks and data of the Eöt-Wash Experimental Gravity Group. Includes the hand-written notebooks, and 5.25 in floppy disks, CDs, and a 3.5 in floppy disk with computer data.

Biographical/Historical Note: The Eöt-Wash Group in the University of Washington Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics works to pioneer new techniques to test and measure weak-field gravity, search for possible new interactions weaker than gravity and is involved in technology for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO). It's research goals are to

1) Search for experimental signs of quantum gravity that violate Einstein's Equivalence Principle and/or the Newtonian inverse-square law.

2) Probe the largely unexplored region of possible interactions weaker than gravity.

3) Make sensitive tests for new interactions that couple to electron spin.

4) Develop sensitive low-noise instrumentation for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO)

(Source: https://www.npl.washington.edu/eotwash/)

Restrictions on Access: No restrictions on access.

Some material stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Analog and digital media is closed until evaluated.

Restrictions on Use: Public Records—not subject to copyright. Copying, quotation, publication and other uses are unrestricted if records are open for public release.

Acquisition Info: Michael Ross, UW CENPA

Container(s) Description Dates
Series 1: Eot-Wash
Scope and Content: Lab notebooks from the first torsion balance apparatus built by the Eӧt-Wash group at the Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics. The apparatus was a rotating torsion balance with a composition dipole pendulum which was used to conduct a variety of experiments including a search for a novel fifth force of nature and a variety of proposed particles.
Box Accession
1 22-007
Lab Notebooks
January 1986-February 1992
5 22-007
Data
January 1986-February 1992
Series 2: LISA
Scope and Content: Lab notebooks from the research conducted by the Eӧt-Wash group for the LISA gravitational wave observatory at the Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics. A collection of tests were performed with dedicated torsion balance apparatus including investigations into outgassing, temperature gradients, and surface effects.
Box Accession
1 22-007
Lab Notebooks
September 2003-December 2007
2 22-007
Lab Notebooks
September 2003-December 2007
5 22-007
Data
September 2003-December 2007
Series 3: Rot-Wash
Scope and Content: Lab notebooks from the Rot-Wash apparatus built by the Eӧt-Wash group at the Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics. This apparatus consisted of a composition dependent torsion balance surrounded by a depleted uranium source mass and was used to test the equivalence principle at short ranges.
Box Accession
2 22-007
Lab Notebooks
January 1991-January 1998
5 22-007
Data
January 1991-January 1998
6 22-007
Data
January 1991-January 1998
Series 4: Spin
Scope and Content: Lab notebooks from the spin experiment conducted by the Eӧt-Wash group at the Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics. These experiments searched for a novel force coupled to spin and violations of CP symmetry.
Box Accession
2 22-007
Lab Notebooks
February 1995-March 2007
3 22-007
Lab Notebooks
February 1995-March 2007
7 22-007
Data
February 1995-March 2007
8 22-007
Data
February 1995-March 2007
Series 5: Plate-Wash and Axion
Scope and Content: Lab notebooks from the Axion and Plate-Wash apparatus built by the Eӧt-Wash group at the Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics. The Plate-Wash experiment was a plate geometry torsion balance test of the short-range behavior of gravity. The Axion experiment was a torsion balance apparatus placed in a high magnetic field that searched for axion-mediated forces.
Box Accession
3 22-007
Lab Notebooks
October 2004-March 2008
Series 6: New-Wash
Scope and Content: Lab notebooks from the New-Wash apparatus built by the Eӧt-Wash group at the Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics. This apparatus consisted of a two-story rotating torsion balance apparatus that was used to test the equivalence principle with a variety of source masses including the nearby hillside, the sun, and the center of the galaxy.
Box Accession
3 22-007
Lab Notebooks
April 1999-September 2011
8 22-007
Data
April 1999-September 2011
Series 7: Miscellaneous
Box Accession
3 22-007
Lab Notebooks
1986-2011
4 22-007
Lab Notebooks
1986-2011
8 22-007
Data
1986-2011

Accession No. 23-015: University of Washington Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics records, 1948-2021 (bulk bulk 1948-1991)Return to Top

17.51 cubic feet (19 boxes and 1 oversize folder)

Scope and Content: Annual reports, photographs including cyclotron and Van de Graaff construction, minutes, budget and financial records, schematics, superconducting booster documentation, Mass-8 experiment records and lab notebooks, records related to the First Eöt-Wash Experiment, a scrapbook, and other records from the Center.

Physical/Technical Access: Box 6 contains glass slides, handle with care

Restrictions on Access: No restrictions on access.

Box 6 contains glass slides, handle with care

Restrictions on Use: Public Records—not subject to copyright. Copying, quotation, publication and other uses are unrestricted if records are open for public release.

Acquisition Info: Nicole Nishihama and Michael Ross, UW CENPA, 2023

Michael Ross, UW CENPA, 2024-01-03

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Accession
1 23-015
“Initial Operation at the University CF Washington 60-inch Cyclotron" by Phillip Livdahl
1952
1 23-015
Photographs: Cyclotron and Van de Graaff construction
1961-1964
1 23-015
Photographs: Cyclotron
1948
1 23-015
Photographs: Lab Equipment
1966
1 23-015
Slide Trays: Van de Graaff construction
1963-1964
2 23-015
Photograph Albums: Van de Graaff construction
1963-1964
3-4 23-015
Negatives: Van de Graaff construction
1963
19 23-015
Negatives and Prints: Van de Graff construction
1963-1964
4 23-015
Photograph prints: Construction
approximately 1963-1964
5 23-015
Slides
Scope and Content: Slides of lab equipment, people, Seattle and Sequim Bay from the air, Lopez Island camping, and plots
1976-1986
6 23-015
Glass Slides: Lab Photos
Scope and Content: Slides of the building, drawings, and graphs related to the Cyclotron
approximately 1950-1953
7 23-015
Van de Graaff Materials
Scope and Content: Notes and correspondence related to the planning, construction, and maintenance of the Van de Graaff building. Includes information related to equipment specifications, new tandem construction, and funding proposals.
1959-1980
7 23-015
Nuclear Physics Lab Proposals
1977-1978
7 23-015
Meeting Minutes
Scope and Content: Minutes, notes, correspondence, budgets
1975, 1979-1981
8 23-015
Nuclear Physics Lab Financial Records
Scope and Content: Budgets, notes, correspondence
1972-1981, 1987-1992
9 23-015
Department of Energy Budget Proposals
1980-1993
9 23-015
Nuclear Physics Lab Budgets
1981-1983
9 23-015
Cost Center Financials
1979-1991
9 23-015
Nuclear Physics Lab Committee Minutes
1981-1982, 1989-1992
10 23-015
Nuclear Physics Lab Financial Records
1982-1989
10 23-015
Cost Center Financials
1984-1986
10 23-015
Superconducting Booster
Scope and Content: Conceptual design report and project management plan
1983
10 23-015
Proposal for an 18MV Tandem Electrostatic Accelerator
undated
10 23-015
Schematics
Scope and Content: High voltage electronics, cesium gun assembly, and magnet control system
approximately 1980-1983, 1987
folder:oversize
OS Folder 1 23-015
Schematics: Vacuum components
1983
Box
11 23-015
Miscellaneous
Scope and Content: Contains correspondence, documentation and guides, and invitation to bid
1982-1987
11 23-015
Mass-8 Experiment
Scope and Content: Includes 20 lab notebooks, notes, and logs
approximately 1995-1997
11 23-015
Annual Reports
1959-1968
12 23-015
Annual Reports
1969-2008
13 23-015
Annual Reports
2009-2020
14 23-015
First Eöt-Wash Experiment
2 5.25 in floppy discs
Scope and Content: Includes notes, drawings, articles, data and graphs, and photographs
1990-1993
15 23-015
First Eöt-Wash Experiment
Scope and Content: Includes notes, drawings, articles, transparencies, data, and graphs
1987-1996
16 23-015
First Eöt-Wash Experiment
Scope and Content: Includes notes, drawings, articles, charts and data, and materials related to grants
1988-1991
17 23-015
Cyclotron and Van de Graaf Building Documents
Scope and Content: Includes Monday Meeting minutes, cyclotron committee minutes, drawings, photographs, articles, specifications, proposals, slides, and other records
1948-1980
17 23-015
Photographs
Scope and Content: Negatives, slides, and photographs of personnel, construction, equipment and buildings, plans, drafting shop, and other subjects
approximately 1950s-1990s
17 23-015
Cyclotron Lab Probe Data
1952
17 23-015
Permits
2007, 2021
18 23-015
Original Architects Drawings of the Lab
approximately 1962
18 23-015
Scrapbook
approximately 1959-1960s

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • University Archives/Faculty Papers (University of Washington)

Other Creators

  • Corporate Names
    • University of Washington. Nuclear Physics Laboratory (creator)
    • University of Washington. University Archives