Early History of Cosmic Ray Studies, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1985 Personal Reminiscences with Old Photographs Coll. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, Vol. 118

On the occasion of the International Conference on Cosmic Rays held in Kyoto in August 1979 five aged members of the cosmic ray fraternity, H. Elliot, V. L. Ginzburg, B. Peters, Y. Sekido, and J. A. Simpson met together as a dinner party devoted to the enjoyment of Japanese cuisine and reminiscences of our younger days. This pleasant occasion called to of our own age as well as some eminent seniors not present at the mind the many friends conference whose recollections would have further enriched and enlivened our evening. By the time the dinner came to an end we had agreed that the compilation of a more extensive collection of personal reminiscences would be an interesting and worthwhile undertaking. Accordingly, the next day we held an editorial meeting to draw up a list of potential authors and two of us, the present editors, started work on the project. In putting the book together our intention has been to try to capture and record through these personal accounts something of the atmosphere, the excitement and the frustrations of research in cosmic rays as experienced at first hand by some of the practi­ tioners in the field. It has never been our intention that it should comprise a systematic history of the subject. Neither, unfortunately, can it be a fully representative collection since practical limits to the size of the volume alone would preclude that.

1 The Beginnings.- Native Place of Cosmic Rays (Pictorial Prologue).- Hess’ Old Predecessors.- Erinnerungen an V.F. Hess, den Entdecker der Kosmischen Strahlung, und an die ersten Jahre des Betriebes des Hafelekar-Labors.- Early Propagation of Cosmic Ray Studies (Old Photographs).- Early Evolution of Coincidence Counting, A Fundamental Method in Cosmic Ray Physics.- 2 Memory of Remote Days.- The Early Stage of Cosmic Ray Particle Research.- Arcetri 1928–1932.- On Erich Regener’s Cosmic Ray Work in Stuttgart and Related Subjects.- Some of the Problems and Difficulties Encountered in the Early Years of Cosmic-Ray Research.- Edinburgh, Cambridge and Baffin Bay.- 3 Positron and Mesotron Early Discoveries of New Particles.- Unraveling the Particle Content of the Cosmic Rays.- Cosmic Rays and the Beginning of the Meson Theory.- Cosmic Ray Study in Nishina Laboratory.- The “Magnet House” and the Muon.- When Muons and Pions Were Born.- 4 Sea, Mountain and Underground Ultra Penetrating and Extra-Terrestrial Aspects.- Some Recollections of Experiences Associated with Cosmic-Ray Investigations.- High Altitude Observatories for Cosmic Rays and Other Purposes.- How it started in Budapest.- Intensity and Anisotropy of Cosmic Rays.- 5 Showers: Local and Extensive Terrestrial Generation of Penetrating Radiations.- Personal Recollections of Early Theoretical Cosmic Ray Work.- Experimental Work on Cosmic Rays. Proof of the Very High Energies Carried by Some of the Primary Particles.- Cosmic Ray School of Osaka University/Osaka City University —for the Memory of Late Professor Yuzuru Watase.- Beginning of High-Energy Physics in Cosmic Rays.- Air Shower Experiments at MIT.- 6 Primaries and Secondary Products Composition of Each Generation.- Activités Scientifique de LouisLeprince-Ringuet et de son Groupe de Travail sur les Rayons Cosmiques de 1933 á 1953.- Cosmic Ray Neutrons, 1934–1959.- Reminiscences on Cosmic Ray Research at the University of Minnesota.- Reminiscences of Some Early Cosmic Ray Work in India.- 7 Further in Particle Physics.- Theoretical Study of Cosmic Rays in Japan.- The First International Cosmic Ray Conference.- The Early History of the Strange Particles.- Discovery of Hypernuclei: The Beginnings.- Particle Theory —Cosmic Rays— Accelerators, Conflicts and Reconciliations.- 8 Further in Space Physics.- From Balloons to Space Stations.- Cosmic Ray Intensity Variations and the Manchester School of Cosmic Ray Physics.- Cosmic Ray Astrophysics at Chicago (1947–1960).- On the Birth and Development of Cosmic Ray Astrophysics.- Recollection of Early Cosmic Ray Research.- Name Index.