FIRST TRIAL SUCCESSFUL

Chronicle (Levin), 6 December 1949, Page 5

FIRST TRIAL SUCCESSFUL

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^ — Britain's Atomic Cyclotron Progresses Rapidiy

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Received Tuesday, 10.20 a.m. LONDON, Dec. 5. Britain's atomic cyclotron — the largest in Europe — has operated suecessfully in its flrst full trial, the Ministry of Supnly announced tonight. _ _ The cyclotron, which can make atomic particles travel at 95,000 miles per second, is at the British Atomic Researeh Station of Harwell, in Berkshire. The Ministry statement said that the result, "which opens up the possibility of valuable developments in nuclear researeh," had been achieved much sooner than was expected. Constructional work on the complex buildings and equipment has taken just under three years, but experimental work and the final tests and adjustments took only a few weeks. The magnet of the cyclotron contains 700 tons of steel. its oil-cooled energising windings contain 80 tons of copper. The whole machine is installed iri an underground room 145 feet wide and 12 feet high, with a six-foot thickness of reinforced concrete overhead. There is a remote control system ineorporating elaborate safety circuits to protect those working on the machine from harmful effects.