Paper, 'The spectroscopic properties of dust' by G D [George Downing] Liveing and J [James] Dewar

Description

The authors write: 'The suggestion that the auroral spectrum, the principal ray in the spectrum of nebulae, and other rays of unknown origin, might be due to meteoric dust induced us to investigate the problem whether solid particles of sufficient minuteness would act like gaseous molecules in an electric discharge and become luminous with their characteristic special radiation. The dust we employed was that thrown off from the surface of various electrodes by a disruptive discharge, and it was carried forward into the tube of observation by a more or less rapid current of air or other gas. The arrangement will be best understood from the annexed diagram, which represents a section of the glass vessel which was the principal part of the apparatus. A represents a bulb in which were the electrodes a, a to give the dust, connected by a widish tube d with the tube for observation B.'

Annotations in pencil and ink. Note on front reads 'Copy 15.10.90'. Includes one diagram of experimental apparatus.

Subject: Astronomy / Spectroscopy

Received 16 August 1890.

A version of this paper was published in volume 48 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'The spectroscopic properties of dust'.

Reference number

PP/16/32

Earliest possible date

1890

Physical description

Ink and graphite pencil on paper

Page extent

5 pages

Format

Manuscript
Diagram