Roberts, Walter Orr
Oral history interview with Walter Orr Roberts, 1983, July 26.
This interview reviews in detail Roberts' childhood experiences before addressing his work on the solar corona; solar spicules and prominences; the orgins of geomagnetic disturbances; and the influence of variable solar activity on the earth's ionosphere and weather. Roberts also discusses his graduate education under Donald Menzel at Harvard, his varied career as a researcher and administrator, and his participation in the establishment of the Climax, Colorado solar coronagraph station of Harvard College. Other topics and affliliations discussed include: his work as Director of the High Altitude Observatory (1946-1961); his tenure as Director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (1960-1968); communist investigations among scientists; the observatory at Sacramento Peak; rocketry research; and his relationship with Harlow Shapley.
Walter Orr Roberts (b.1915-d.1990), physicist. Education: Amherst College, A.B., 1938; Harvard, A.M., 1940, Ph.D. (astrophysics), 1943. Professional experience: Researcher, Eastman Kodak (1938-39); Harvard University, observer, 1942-146); High Altitude Observatory, University of Colorado, Director (1946-61); NCAR, Directory (1961-68). Research interests: Solar astronomy, geophysics, solar weather research, coronographs, photography in science.
Menzel, Donald H. (Donald Howard), 1901-1976
Roberts, Walter Orr
Shapley, Harlow, 1885-1972.
Amherst College.
Harvard University.
University of Colorado. High Altitude Observatory.
National Center for Atmospheric Research (U.S.) -- Administration.
Sacramento Peak Observatory.
University of Colorado, Boulder
Astrophysics -- History.
Atmosphere -- Research.
Communism and science.
Coronagraphs
Rocketry -- Research.
Spectrum analysis.
Solar activity.
Oral histories. aat
Interviews. aat
Transcripts. aat
DeVorkin, David H., 1944- interviewer.
AIP-ICOS
American Institute of Physics. Niels Bohr Library & Archives. One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA