Ernest Titterton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir
Ernest Titterton
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| Born |
Ernest William Titterton
4 March 1916 Tamworth, Staffordshire, England
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| Died | 8 February 1990 (aged 73) Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of Birmingham |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Nuclear physics |
| Institutions | University of Birmingham Manhattan Project Atomic Energy Research Establishment Australian National University |
| Doctoral advisor | Mark Oliphant |
Sir Ernest William Titterton (4 March 1916 – 8 February 1990) was a British nuclear physicist. He was known for his important work on the first atomic bombs during World War II. Later, he moved to Australia and became a leading scientist there.
Ernest Titterton studied at the University of Birmingham. He worked with Mark Oliphant on radar systems for the British Navy. In 1943, he joined the top-secret Manhattan Project in the United States. This project developed the first atomic bombs. He even helped with the countdown for early nuclear tests. After the war, he returned to England to continue his nuclear research.
In 1950, Titterton moved to Australia. He became a professor at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra. He helped build up the physics department there. He also advised the Australian government on nuclear matters. He strongly believed that nuclear power was a safe and clean way to produce energy.
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Early Life and Education
Ernest William Titterton was born in Tamworth, England, on 4 March 1916. His family lived in a small town. He showed a talent for music and sang in the church choir.
Ernest started school at age four. He later attended a boys-only school where he first became interested in science. At ten, he won a scholarship to a grammar school. He did very well in his studies and sports. He played cricket and hockey for his school teams. He also learned to play the piano and organ.
After school, Ernest wanted to go to University of Cambridge. However, his father lost his job during the Great Depression. This made it hard for the family to afford university. Instead, in 1934, Ernest got a scholarship to the University of Birmingham. He studied physics and mathematics. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1936.
Ernest continued his studies and research. In 1937, he worked with Mark Oliphant, a physics professor. They studied tiny particles deep inside a coal mine. This work earned Ernest his Master of Science degree in 1938. He also trained to be a teacher for a year.
Wartime Radar and Nuclear Research
When World War II began, Ernest Titterton worked on radar systems. He developed these systems for the British Navy at the University of Birmingham. He earned his PhD in physics in 1941 for this secret work. During this time, he met Peggy Eileen Johnson, a lab assistant. They got married in 1942.
Joining the Manhattan Project
In 1943, Ernest Titterton joined the Manhattan Project in the United States. This was a secret project to build the first atomic bombs. He worked at the Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico. He helped figure out how fast nuclear fission happened. This was important for making a nuclear chain reaction work.
Titterton also worked on the timing systems for the bombs. He helped develop a "pin method" to measure how the bombs exploded. This method was very accurate. In July 1945, he was part of the team that fired the first nuclear weapon. This test was called the Trinity nuclear test. He even performed the countdown for later nuclear tests in 1946. These tests were called Operation Crossroads.
After the war, a new law in the U.S. meant British scientists had to leave the Manhattan Project. Ernest Titterton was the last British scientist to leave in April 1947.
Research in England
Back in England, Titterton joined the Atomic Energy Research Establishment. He led a team that studied nuclear emulsions and cloud chambers. He researched a rare type of nuclear fission called ternary fission. In this process, a nucleus splits into three pieces instead of two. He also studied how gamma rays could break apart light nuclei. He published many scientific papers during this time. He also advised on the design of Britain's first nuclear weapons.
Life and Work in Australia
Building Physics at ANU
In August 1950, Ernest Titterton accepted a job offer from Mark Oliphant. Oliphant was now leading the physics school at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra. Titterton became the first professor of Nuclear Physics there. He arrived in Australia in May 1951. He was recognized for his work and became a member of important scientific groups in both England and Australia.
Over the next 30 years, Titterton held many important roles. He served on various science, defense, and nuclear committees in Australia. He was a strong supporter of nuclear power in Australia. He wrote articles and letters arguing that nuclear power was "the cheapest, cleanest and safest method of power production yet devised by man."
Titterton worked hard to make the ANU physics department world-class. He brought in powerful machines called particle accelerators. These machines help scientists study tiny particles. He got a 1.2 MeV Cockcroft-Walton accelerator for his research. He also arranged for a 33 MeV electron synchrotron to be moved from England to Australia.
He continued to acquire more advanced accelerators. These included a 600 keV Cockcroft-Walton accelerator and a 5 MV tandem accelerator. These machines allowed scientists to study how particles interact. He secured millions of dollars for new equipment. He helped the ANU become a leading center for physics research.
British Nuclear Tests in Australia
In 1950, the British government asked Australia if they could test nuclear weapons there. Australia agreed. Ernest Titterton was asked to help because of his experience with nuclear tests in the U.S. He helped with tests in the Montebello Islands and at Emu Field, South Australia.
In 1955, concerns grew about the safety of these tests. The Australian government created the Atomic Weapons Tests Safety Committee (AWTSC). Titterton was a member of this committee. Its job was to make sure the tests were safe for people and the environment. Titterton witnessed many of the British nuclear tests at Maralinga.
Later, a special investigation called the McClelland Royal Commission looked into these tests. The commission criticized how the AWTSC had worked. It suggested that Titterton had been more loyal to Britain than to Australia. However, some historians have argued that the criticism should be directed at the Australian government at the time, not just Titterton.
Later Life
Ernest Titterton officially retired in 1981. However, he continued to work as a visiting scientist at the ANU. He faced some health challenges in his later years. He died on 8 February 1990. His ashes were scattered in England. He is remembered for his important contributions to nuclear physics and his role in Australian science.
