Physics – Atomic Physics
Scientific paper
Sep 1995
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1995metic..30r.561p&link_type=abstract
Meteoritics, vol. 30, no. 5, page 561
Physics
Atomic Physics
Meteorites, Collection, History, Study
Scientific paper
Ed Henderson's long career as Curator of Meteorites at the U.S. National Museum (1929-1965) had a tremendous impact on the development of meteoritics. As a result of his tenure, the Museum's collection of meteorites grew to become arguably the largest and finest in the world, and the Smithsonian became one of the world's leading centers for their study. During Henderson's administration, his ability to acquire meteorites was due partially to the availability of the Roebling Fund, but more importantly it was due to his extraordinary resourcefulness, his single-mindedness of purpose, his intuitive grasp of new directions in meteoritics, and his ability to make many influential friends who became staunch supporters of the Museum. His early efforts, however, were largely shaped by his relationship with two remarkable men: Harvey Nininger, the world's first full-time self-employed meteoriticist, and Stuart Perry, a Michigan newspaper publisher and vice president of the Associated Press who developed a strong interest in collecting and studying meteorites. Henderson's love for meteorites and for the Smithsonian collection took him to Europe, the Philippines, the former Soviet Union, and Australia, where he aggressively hunted for meteorites and tektites, or arranged for purchases or exchanges. As well, he routinely contacted the owners of newly fallen meteorites to see if he could obtain material from them. Frequently he travelled to some remote spot to negotiate with the owner for a purchase. Sometimes this involved days of haggling, but Henderson was very good at this; he was a born trader. Post-WWII advances in atomic physics and related fields completely transformed meteoritics. A new breed of scientist arose, who viewed meteorites as keys which could be used to unlock the mysteries of the origin and evolution of the Solar System. Henderson generously provided these scientists with specimens from the Smithsonian's collection for their research. Although his training did not equip him to understand much of the basic science involved in this new research, he intuitively understood the importance of these advances, and wanted the Museum to participate in this exciting new development. With strong backing from some far-sighted Smithsonian administrators and the vigorous support of some of the leading scientists of the day, he succeeded in obtaining a $300,000 NASA grant for sorely-needed new equipment (especially an electron microprobe), for several new positions, and for the purchase and study of meteorites and tektites. This set the stage for the establishment of a Division of Meteorites within the Department of Mineral Sciences in 1963. Henderson's passion for meteorites, his great achievement in building up the national collection, the many friends his wise and generous management of the collection won for the Museum, and his intuitive understanding of the new direction meteoritics was moving towards, helped lay the necessary foundation for the growth of the embryonic field of materials-based planetary science, and helped the Smithsonian assume a leading position in its development.
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