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MSS 0073
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Title: Laurence Peterson Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1954-1995
Collection number: MSS 0073
Creator:
Peterson, Laurence
Extent:
38.00 linear feet
(81 archives boxes and 10 records
cartons.)
Repository:
Mandeville Special Collections Library, UCSD
La Jolla, CA 92093-0175
Abstract: Papers of Laurence E. Peterson, professor of physics, leader of the High Energy Astronomy
Group, and director (1988-1997) of the UCSD Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences
(CASS). Peterson was involved in the planning and design of experiments and instruments
onboard such NASA spacecraft as the Orbiting Solar Observatories, the High Energy
Astronomical Observatory, Apollo 15 and 16, the Space Shuttle and the Hubble Space
Telescope. He was a pioneer in the exploration of hard x-ray energy radiation, and he led
the CASS High Energy Astronomy Group in its development of large area phoswich
scintillation x-ray and high resolution gamma-ray detectors. The papers span the dates
1954-1994 and include pre-doctoral work, teaching materials, consulting work, editorial
papers, presentations, and publications. Absent from the collection are research project
files, research proposals and materials documenting Peterson's directorship of CASS. The papers are arranged in seven series:
1) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3)
WRITINGS, 4) EDITING, REVIEWING AND CONSULTING, 5) UCSD MATERIALS, 6) MEETINGS,
CONFERENCES AND COMMITTEES and 7) ORIGINALS OF PRESERVATION PHOTOCOPIES. The accession processed in 2000 contains notebooks
(1963-1995) and teaching materials
(1989-1993).
Physical location: For current information on the location of these
materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Language:
English.
Collection is open for research
Laurence Peterson Papers, MSS 0073. Mandeville Special Collections Library, UCSD.
Laurence Peterson was born in Grantsburg, Wisconsin, on July 26, 1931. He received his
bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota in 1954 and
completed his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in physics at the University of Minnesota in 1956
and 1960, respectively. His dissertation was based on determining the energy spectrum of
cosmic-ray protons and helium nuclei over Guam, a scientific ballooning experiment. He
remained at the University of Minnesota as a research assistant until 1962, when he came
to UCSD as an assistant professor of physics, working in the area of high energy
astrophysics.
Once at UCSD, Peterson continued work started at the University of Minnesota on Orbiting
Solar Observatory 1 mission, also known as the S-16. In the development of OSO, balloon
flights gathered data on high energy emissions from the sun and gamma-ray processes in
the atmosphere. Many other balloon experiments were launched under Peterson's authority.
Peterson led the UCSD High Energy Astronomy Group, a multidisciplinary collaboration that
did pioneering research and development of low background collimated detectors operating
in the 10 KeV to 10 MeV range and high resolution cosmic gamma-ray detectors. Peterson
directed the UCSD Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences (CASS) between 1989 and
1997.
Peterson has a long history of consultation to NASA and has served on many advisory and
program committees. He was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship in the 1973-1974 academic year
and spent the year at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in India, where he
utilized their high energy cosmic-ray laboratory and balloon facility. In 1978, Peterson
was honored with the NASA Exceptional Achievement Award. He was affiliated with the
American Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union. He was the US
Vice President of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) during the period 1980-1986.
As Visiting Senior Scientist at the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (1986-1988), Peterson served as Astrophysics Deputy Division Chief, where he
supervised administrative staff, fostered joint space projects with the international
community, especially the USSR, and negotiated new opportunities in space science in the
aftermath of the Challenger disaster.
Peterson provided reviews for the ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, SOLAR PHYSICS and JOURNAL OF
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, among others.
Laurence Peterson became Professor Emeritus in 1995.
The Laurence Peterson Papers document the professional activities of a UCSD professor of
physics, administrator and specialist in the research and exploration of high energy
x-ray and gamma-ray radiation. Materials include chronological correspondence files
(1965-1992), scientific correspondence, presentations, journal articles, notebooks,
reviewing and editing materials, extensive teaching materials for UCSD physics classes,
and documentation of Peterson's conference and committee activities.
Proposals, notebooks and files documenting Peterson's participation in High Energy
Astronomy Group projects are located in the High Energy Astronomy Group Papers (MSS 467).
Materials related to Peterson's directorship of the Center for Astrophysics and Space
Sciences are located in the CASS Records (RSS 2104).
The papers are arranged in seven series: 1) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3)
WRITINGS, 4) EDITING, REVIEWING AND CONSULTING, 5) UCSD MATERIALS, 6) MEETINGS,
CONFERENCES AND COMMITTEES, and 7) ORIGINALS OF PRESERVATION PHOTOCOPIES.
SERIES 1: BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS
The BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS series (1963-1987), arranged alphabetically, includes
bio-bibliographic update forms, biographical sketches and physics department descriptions
of Peterson's research activities, and materials pertaining to Peterson's sabbatical year
as a Guggenheim fellow at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in India.
SERIES 2: CORRESPONDENCE
The CORRESPONDENCE series (1965-1992) is arranged in two subseries: A) Chronological
Files and B) Name Correspondence.
A) The Chronological Files reflect Peterson's activity in the UCSD physics department and
contain outgoing letters that discuss department business as well as scientific projects.
Projects mentioned include the Orbiting Solar Observatories, the Octahedral Research
Satellite, the High Energy Astrophysical Observatory, Apollo 15/16, and various
scientific ballooning activities.
B) The Name Correspondence subseries is arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent
or corresponding institution. Among the scientific institutions that are represented are
the Douglas Aircraft Corporation, the Analog Technology Corporation, the National Academy
of Sciences, the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, the National Science Foundation, and
the TATA Institute of Fundamental Research.
SERIES 3: WRITINGS
The WRITINGS series (1954-1995) includes preprints and reprints, as well as notes,
notebooks, drafts, and some research materials. There are three subseries: A)
Presentations, B) Articles, and C) Notebooks. The presentations and articles are arranged
alphabetically by title, or by topic when no title appears.
A) The Presentations subseries includes notes and drafts as well as charts. B) The
Articles subseries contains an assortment of Peterson's published works and consists of
both drafts and reprints of these writings. Some articles are co-authored with members of
HEAG and CASS. A list of journal articles appears at the beginning of the Articles
subseries.
C) The Notebooks subseries is ordered chronologically. Some of Peterson's pre-doctoral
work (notes, exams, charts, and instrument drawings) is included here. Two projects well
represented in this subseries are the Guam experiment (data for Peterson's doctoral
dissertation) and OSO-1 (S-16). These projects (1954-1964) were part of Peterson's work
at the University of Minnesota and his early years at UCSD. Many of Peterson's
undertakings at the Tata Institute (1973-1974) are also found in the notebooks. The
notebooks are primarily in diary form and contain project notes, calculations, and lists
of things-to-do. Later notebooks (1981-1983) are comprised of seminar notes.
SERIES 4: EDITING, REVIEWING AND CONSULTING
The EDITING, REVIEWING AND CONSULTING series (1964-1989) contains materials documenting
Peterson's involvement with various professional journals and his evaluative role at NASA
and other space science research institutions. This series is arranged in three
subseries: A) Editing, B) Reviewing, and C) Consulting. Each subseries is arranged
alphabetically by either the name of the journal, mission or institution, respectively.
SERIES 5: UCSD MATERIALS
The UCSD MATERIALS series (1962-1993) is arranged in three subseries: A) Physics
Department, B) Student Protest Materials, C) Miscellaneous, and D) Teaching Materials.
Physics Department records are ordered alphabetically and include minutes and memoranda.
The student protest materials are ordered chronologically and document student activities
and reaction to the Vietnamese Conflict. The Miscellaneous subseries contains grant
summaries. The Teaching Materials (1963-1989) subseries includes lecture notes, quizzes,
handouts, and homework assignments for physics classes taught by Peterson. The course
materials are arranged alphabetically by course title.
SERIES 6: MEETINGS, CONFERENCES AND COMMITTEES
The MEETINGS, CONFERENCES AND COMMITTEES series (1964-1994) documents Peterson's
professional activities at various conferences. Peterson's service on the NAS Space
Science Board is also represented here. Folders are arranged alphabetically by the name
of the sponsoring organization. Organizations of note include NASA, the Committee on
Space Research (COSPAR), the National Science Foundation, the American Physical Society,
the American Astronomical Society, and the National Academy of Sciences. Also included
are materials from the 19th International Cosmic Ray Conference held in San Diego in
1985, where Peterson was chair of the local organizing committee.
SERIES 7: ORIGINALS OF PRESERVATION PHOTOCOPIES
The ORIGINALS OF PRESERVATION PHOTOCOPIES series contains the originals of brittle or
high acid content documents that have been photocopied.
The accession processed in 2000 contains computation notebooks (1963-1995) for various
physics projects; notebooks (1981-1989) for meetings of COSPAR, the Space Science Board
and the European Science Foundation; notebooks (1982-1985) related to arrangements for
the 19th International Cosmic Ray Conference held at UCSD; NASA notebooks (1986-1988);
miscellaneous seminar notebooks (1984-1992); and, UCSD teaching materials for physics
courses taught by Peterson between 1989 and 1993. The materials are arranged in two
series: 1) NOTEBOOKS and 2) UCSD TEACHING MATERIALS.
RELATED COLLECTIONS
RSS 2104 -Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences (CASS)
MSS 467 -CASS High Energy Astronomy Group (HEAG) Papers. Research proposals and project
notebooks kept by Peterson are located here.