Hugh C. Paxton
Hugh C. Paxton | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 29, 1909 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | December 25, 2003 (aged 94) Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Alma mater | UCLA (AB) UC Berkeley (PhD) |
| Known for | Experimental criticality, Pajarito Site, Nuclear criticality safety, Phosphorus-32 spectrum, Lady Godiva assembly |
| Spouse | Jean Nellis Thomson (m. 1937) |
| Children | 2 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Nuclear physics, Criticality safety, Spectroscopy |
| Workplaces | Los Alamos National Laboratory, Columbia University, Bell Labs |
| Thesis | The beta-ray spectrum of P32 (1937) |
| Ernest Lawrence | |
Hugh Campbell Paxton (April 29, 1909 – December 25, 2003) was an American nuclear physicist and a pioneer in the field of nuclear criticality safety. A doctoral student of Nobel laureate Ernest Lawrence, Paxton's early work on the energy spectra of radioisotopes provided the technical foundation for the early medical applications of the cyclotron. He spent nearly 30 years as the leader of the Critical Assemblies Group at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), where he became a leading authority on fast critical experiments.[1]
Early life and education
Paxton was born in Los Angeles in 1909. He earned an A.B. degree in physics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1930.[1] After working at Bell Telephone Laboratories, he completed his PhD at the University of California, Berkeley in 1937.[2]
His dissertation, The Beta-ray Spectrum of P32, provided the first precise measurements of the energy distribution of electrons emitted by radioactive Phosphorus-32.[3] Shortly after graduation, he married Jean Nellis Thomson.[4]
Career
Manhattan Project
In 1941, Paxton co-authored the textbook Matter, Energy and Radiation with John R. Dunning.[5] During World War II, he conducted cyclotron research at the Collège de France in Paris until the German occupation. He subsequently supported the Manhattan Project at Columbia University, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Philadelphia.[6]
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Paxton joined the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory in late 1948, serving as leader of the Critical Assemblies Group at the Pajarito Site (TA-18) until 1975.[7] His work involved the experimental determination of critical mass for nuclear weapons and reactors. He oversaw the operation of the **Topsy**, **Lady Godiva**, and **Jezebel** assemblies.[8]
Selected publications
- Dunning, J. R.; Paxton, H. C. (1941). Matter, Energy and Radiation. McGraw-Hill.
- Paxton, H. C. (1981). "Fast critical experiments". Progress in Nuclear Energy. 7 (3): 151–174. doi:10.1016/0149-1970(81)90030-5.
- Paxton, H. C. (1989). Glossary of Nuclear Criticality Terms (Report). Los Alamos National Laboratory. LA-11627-MS.
References
- 1 2 Pruvost, Norman L.; Stratton, William R. (December 1, 2004). "Hugh Campbell Paxton". Physics Today. 57 (12): 77. doi:10.1063/1.1878350.
- ↑ Paxton, Hugh C. (1983). "Criticality – A Fine Line of Control". Los Alamos Science (7): 152–153.
- ↑ Paxton, Hugh Campbell (1937). The Beta-ray Spectrum of P32 (PhD thesis). University of California, Berkeley.
- ↑ "Obituary: Hugh C. Paxton". Albuquerque Journal. December 28, 2003.
- ↑ Dunning, John R.; Paxton, Hugh Campbell (1941). Matter, Energy and Radiation. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc.
- ↑ "Hugh C. Paxton Profile". Atomic Heritage Foundation. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
- ↑ "Criticality at Los Alamos" (PDF). Reflections. 2 (5). Los Alamos National Laboratory: 1–2, 6–7. May 1997.
- ↑ Paxton, Hugh C. (1978). Thirty Years at Pajarito Canyon Site (Report). Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. doi:10.2172/5097615. OSTI 5097615. LA-7121-H.
External links
Selected publications
- Paxton, Hugh C. (1975). Los Alamos Critical-Mass Data. Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. LA-3067-MS.
- Pruvost, Norman L.; Paxton, Hugh C. (1996). Nuclear Criticality Safety Guide. Los Alamos National Laboratory. LA-12808.
- Paxton, Hugh C. (1983). "A History of Critical Experiments at Pajarito Site". Los Alamos National Laboratory Report. LA-9685-H.