This series consists of four subseries: 1) Records of Luis Alvarez, 1940-1988; FOIA withdrawals, 1940-1988; slides, audio tapes and files, 1968-1982; and Luis W. Alvarez Scientist Files, 1979-1988.
The records relate to scientific meetings, manuscript preparation, exchange of information on current and proposed experiments and instruments, inquiries regarding positions and research, proposals for research and use of equipment such as the Bevatron accelerator, and plans of the Bevatron Scheduling Committee. Also included are project status reports for the Radiation Laboratory and physics research; Alvarez studies of proton scattering, hydrogen bubble chamber, cyclotron, and linear accelerator projects such as neutron half-life; letters and notices concerning member nominations and meetings of the National Academy of Sciences; minutes of meetings of the Anti-proton Experiment Group; and correspondence concerning Alvarez's patents relating to the scintillation chamber, cosmic ray altimeter, x-ray detection, ground control system for landing aircraft, modification to chromatron television tube, and a golf training device.
In addition to nuclear particle research, there is information about analysis of John F. Kennedy assassination evidence, magnetic monopole investigation of moon surface materials, and cosmic-ray analysis of the Giza pyramid.
The series includes newspaper clippings, correspondence progress reports, technical reports, and travel vouchers. A typed, unsigned three-page letter Alvarez wrote to his son after dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, datelined August 6th, ten minutes off the Japanese coast at 28,000 feet, is available.
The slides, audio tapes and files, are primarily photographic slides illustrating the bubble chamber, buildings on campus, computer use, the Giza pyramid, the Nobel Prize news conference, and other subjects Some of the slides bear brief annotations on the slide frame, and other include text as part of the image. Also included are five audio cassette tapes, and one small film reel labeled "Pane Hoch's film of Melo shots."
The withdrawn documents consists of resumes, security questionnaires, expense reports, and other records relating to monetary matters.
