John Dainton David Saxon Fest Glasgow May 29 2008 In the beginning … …there is/was Daresbury From: Roger Clifft [[email protected]] Sent: 22 May 2008

John DaintonDavid Saxon Fest

GlasgowMay 29 2008

In the beginning …In the beginning …

…there is/was DaresburyFrom: Roger Clifft [[email protected]]Sent: 22 May 2008 13:42To: Dainton, JB (John)Subject: Re: David Saxon?

Hello John, I do not remember much about this time either.I just remember a fresh faced enthusiastic young lad appeared at the lunch table announced as the nephew(?) of Godfrey Saxon who was in charge of the rf of the Daresbury synchrotron.

Best wishes Roger it all started because of accelerator physics

Ernie Alton: radiative corrections? - “we were busy trying to get first beam” (EG)


GlasgowMay 29 2008

… and on to dreaming spires

… and on to dreaming spires

…the hidden undergraduate yearsnever inquire – I didn’t dare !

but he sure did well because they took him on in 13 Banbury Road

the Nuclear Physics Laboratorythe challenges of πp → ππN the isobar model

… and even the Veneziano amplitude !

“Who else could have put both together?”

“Didn’t someone ever tell him about ππ phase shifts?”Private communication DHP → JBD OUNPL coffee lounge, 1969

?


GlasgowMay 29 2008

dreaming spiresdreaming spires

Scene13 Banbury Road, basementOctober 1st 1969Curtain rises on three spanking new DPhil

studentsNorman McCubbin Ron Horgan JBD(and look where they are now)sitting at their new desks surrounded by almostnew, completely unused, bubble chamber kit …the “British National” no less!

…which brings us to the age of NAM/RRH/JBD as primary source historians… so nothing can possibly now be disputed !


GlasgowMay 29 2008

Sudden thundering of footsteps on outsidestaircase, then dramatic entrance door right afresh faced, (little less) young, and enthusiastic lad,beaming … and almost with a brand new DPhil.DHS: “Hi ! You must be the new boys.

I’ve just handed in my thesis. I must tell you the facts of life here when I’ve got a moment.”

Exit (with similar drama) through door, with more thundering footsteps, and upstairs.Trio at desks haven’t (dared) move since entrance.They remain motionless (stunned), overwhelmed,shock and awe?



GlasgowMay 29 2008

Silence (eventually … ?) broken by oneoccupant (later identified as the theorist ofthe trio, and one not known for his dulcet tone) exclaiming that “it’s flat if it’s integrable”. The principle of Monte Carlo generation had beenrediscovered yet again, no doubt stimulated by events, by immediate surroundings, and by DHP intent on

verifying dE/dx.

Sudden thundering again of footsteps onoutside staircase, then again dramatic entrance door right of fresh faced … .DHS: “I’ve got time right now.”



GlasgowMay 29 2008

At this moment the combined memories of what was to become two experimentalists andone theorist must have collectively failed tofunction (shock and awe?) for there seems to be

nofurther recollection of what happened, which is probably just as well, other than it took 2 hours, and all agree that, on balance, they were probably the better for it …!



GlasgowMay 29 2008

… and on to the NAL… and on to the NAL

…where physics was beginning again… and where charm always was!

“Our main focus was the single-arm spectrometer measurement of high transverse momentum leptons, starting with electrons. There, we did see a signal – a signal at the surprisingly constant level of 10-4 of the rate of charged hadrons produced. This level remained unexplained until the discovery of charm particles, …”

Jeff Appel email May 2008… and the boots on the OUNPL lecture theatre bench… when the prodigal returned to give a seminar

JBD ageing memory probably ~1971 OUNPL


GlasgowMay 29 2008

… soon to become FNAL… soon to become FNAL

“I sincerely believe, David, that you should be proud of your achievements in the foundation of this experimental program at Fermilab, which is, according to many people, one of the most important ones in high-energy physics.”

Maurice Bourquin email May 2008

“Leon was very supportive of his team, writing toR. R. Wilson about his sharing of ‘the angst of ourgood young people, their exuberance stilled, theirlively pace slowed to a shamble, their hungry, pleading eyes averted, aging, proton-less’. Wilson’s answer … ‘I am touched by the plight of your piteous young people. Believe me, their angst is my angst… It shall not be. One tries the more. Fly the banner. Sound the charge! Youth shall be served. Protons shall be theirs – and soon!’ ”

Oh STFC, how and why did you go so wrong?

It’s the young people, stupid.

Oh STFC, how and why did you go so wrong?

It’s the young people, stupid.


GlasgowMay 29 2008

… and back to RAL… and back to RALthe challenges of πp physics

πp → KΛ more phase shifts and …

definitive analysis of a great tradition @ RAL, πp partial wave analysis elastic and inelastic

measurements which will never be repeated,measurements which are at the basis of thedefinition of quark degrees of freedom,an unchallengable legacy

… while also defining TASSO for PETRA (DHS)… and while North Britain engaged in PLUTO/CELLO


GlasgowMay 29 2008

PS A later interludePS A later interlude

“Years ago, in a bygone era when USparticle physics was beginning to anticipate the construction of a 20 TeV collider at the Ronald Reagan Laboratory “deep in the heart of Texas”, a young and dynamic, may be even soon to be, Kelvin Professor and I found ourselves on the way together to a workshop in Vancouver. It was (evidently) a memorable trip for a number of reasons.”Memories of a grumpy old Liverpool Prof 2008 (JBD)


GlasgowMay 29 2008

- distance 3,900 miles

- range 3,600 nautical miles

… in the New World… in the New World

● travelling with a (soon to be) Kelvin Prof

- Oxford to Vancouver via “Gatport”

- on two Wardair Airbus engines ?

- distance 3,900 miles

- range 3,600 miles

- intellectual challenge on return What happens to the Sun in June viewed at 550 mph over Baffin Island ?

… full, in-flight, Kelvin entertainment (I was asleep)

Wardair no longer trading


GlasgowMay 29 2008

… which is history… which is history

……………

……………

● you can’t win ‘em all

Quite some team of drift chamber experts!

Quite some team of drift chamber experts!


GlasgowMay 29 2008

… and the cultural legacy !

… and the cultural legacy !

● the Kelvin Prof brings North British culture to North Germany

- international office DESY- charm offensive (a new angle)

- the Saxon clan … ?

- the importance of the knee to Scots culture

- the McSaxon tartan … ?

● conclusive evidence now unearthed exclusiv

e

exclusive


GlasgowMay 29 2008

SummarySummary

● this Kelvin Prof is special - distinguished scientist and aerodynamic engineer (including relativistic planetary dynamics at

midnight over the Arctic) - inspiring teacher in difficult environments (basements) - entertaining traveller, raconteur and wit who manifestly spans the great divide (the Tweed) and is understood on both sides of the border - sartorially innovative and adaptable (with good knees) - survived lesser collaborators on failed projects

● this lesser collaborator always found it a privilege and a pleasure ! Thank you David

Documents

John Dainton David Saxon Fest Glasgow May 29 2008 In the beginning … …there is/was Daresbury From: Roger Clifft [[email protected]] Sent: 22 May 2008