Dr. Cassius W. Curtis Papers (1942-1980)
Held by Special Collections, Linderman Library
Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015
Call No.: SC MS 0136
2 boxes, 1 linear foot
Abstract:
Documents and photographs relating to Lehigh University Physics faculty member, Dr. Cassius W. Curtis. This collection includes his research in the field of atomic spectroscopy; his contribution to war research for fundamental studies for the U.S. Army on the dynamic behavior of metals relating to ballistics; correspondence relating to his research.
Contact Information:
Special Collections
Linderman Library
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, USA
Phone: 610-758-4506
Fax: 610-758-6091
URL: http://www.lehigh.edu/library/speccoll/specialcoll.html
Processed by:
Kelly Bouchard
Date Completed:
December 2009
Repository:
Lehigh University, Linderman Library, Special Collections
Creator:
Dr. Cassius Wild Curtis (1906-2004)
Title:
Dr. Cassius W. Curtis Papers (1942-1980)
Provenance:
Donated by Cassius W. Curtis’ daughter-in-law, Lyndell Curtis of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to the Lehigh University Physics Department and transferred to Special Collections in October of 2008.
Restrictions to Access:
This collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation:
[Identification of item], Cassius Wild Curtis Papers, SC MS 0136, Special Collections, Linderman Library, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
Copyright Notice:
Please inquire about copyright information.
Biographical Note:
Dr. Cassius W. Curtis was born in Noblesville, Indiana in 1906. He graduated from Williams College in 1928 where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. For the next two years Curtis taught at Hamilton College until he left to study at Princeton University where he received his Ph.D. in 1936 for his research in the field of atomic spectroscopy. In this same year Curtis became an assistant professor at Western Reserve University where he remained until his teaching career was interrupted in 1942. He was asked to return to Princeton to join the National Defense Reserves Committee to contribute to war research for fundamental studies for the U.S. Army on the dynamic behavior of metals in order to improve the ability of armor plate to stop the new high-speed shells that penetrated existing armor. In 1946 he left Princeton to become a professor at Lehigh University. Curtis directed sixteen Ph.D. dissertations and many master’ theses during his tenure there. In 1960-61 he served on the sub-committee for Lehigh’s Committee on Educational Policy. Curtis received the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished teaching in 1963 and continued to contribute to Lehigh academic program until he retired in 1971. At the time of his retirement, Curtis was a member of the American Association of Physics Teachers; Delta Upsilon fraternity; Phi Beta Kappa, national scholastic honorary; and Sigma Xi, national research honorary; and honorary member of Tau Beta Pi. Curtis resided in Bethlehem, PA with his wife Ruth until his death in 2004.
Scope and Content Note:
The collection consists of two archival boxes containing a total of 31 folders of Curtis’ research material in the form of notes diagrams and illustrations as well as letters of correspondence. This collection also includes 11 glass slides and 7 negatives which are housed separately in the Lehigh Photo Collection. Research topics consist of spectroscopy, ballistics and the behavior of metals.
Online Catalog Terms:
Curtis, Cassius Wild, 1906-
Lehigh University- Faculty.
Lehigh University- Dept. of Physics.
Princeton University.
Case Western Reserve.
United States. Dept. of the Army.
National Defense Research Committee.
War Manpower Commission.
Spectroscopy.
Ballistics.
Related Material:
McLennan, James A. History of the Physics Department. 2002. Lehigh University call number: L 378 E M225h.
Curtis, Cassius. Lehigh Collection Vertical File: SC LVF C979.
Forensic analysis :Weighing Bullet Lead Evidence. National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Scientific Assessment of Bullet Lead Elemental Composition Comparison. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press, 2004. Lehigh University call number: 363.259 N277f
Range and Ballistic Tables, 1935; Printed for the Use of the Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy in Connection with the Textbook Exterior Ballistics. [Annapolis, Md.: U. S. Naval Institute, 1935] Lehigh University call number: 623.5 U58r
Exterior ballistic tables based on numerical integration. Prepared by the Ordnance Department, U.S. Army. Washington, Govt. Print. Off., 1924- Lehigh University call number: 623.54 U584e v.1
Description of Collection:
Series I. Princeton University
Box 1
A. Preliminary Research
136.01.01 Stability of Caliber .60 type BC-2 Bullets: 1st rough draft. Jan. 27, 1943
136.01.02 Experimental hypervelocity 20-mm capped projectile
136.01.03 Deformation of projectiles as a result of velocity
136.01.04 Perforation of homogeneous armor- NDRC. Oct. 1943-45
136.01.05 Energy absorbed as a function of striking energy
B. Findings
136.01.06 Table of Contents: Ballistics 1943-45
136.01.07 Exterior Ballistics
136.01.08 Interior Ballistics
136.01.09 Terminal Ballistics
136.01.10 Correlating Graphs of Tables and Calculations
136.01.11 Projectile Descriptions
136.01.12 Miscellaneous
Series II. Lehigh University
Box 2
A. Research
136.02.01 Analysis MuII: Colloquium
136.02.02 Analysis MuII
136.02.03 Identification of spectral lines from corona of the sun
136.02.04 Methods of applied spectroscopy
136.02.05 Recent advances in applied spectroscopy
136.02.06 Raman spectra
136.02.07 Shock waves
136.02.08 Shock wave research at Lehigh
136.02.09 Developments in terminal ballistics
136.02.10 Dynamic behavior of metals
136.02.11 Propagation of elastic strain pulses along cylindrical metal bars Nov. 1955
B. Lectures and Conferences
136.02.12 Experimental seminar Oct. 20, 1956
136.02.13 Second OOR conference Feb. 7-8, 1957
136.02.14 Dynamic behavior of metals: AIP lecture Apr. 1958
136.02.15 Dynamic behavior of metals: Bryn Mawr 1960- Conference
C. Publications
136.02.16 Original Publications: C.W. Curtis
136.02.17 Transient electron-inertia field produced by strain pulse: J.D. Kennedy & C.W. Curtis
D. Correspondence
136.02.18 Correspondence letters
Series III. Visual Material
Box 3
A. Notes on slide presentation
136.02.19 Propagation of strain in bounded solids: Ingersol-Rand, Sept. 1958
B. Glass Slides of the propagation of strain in bounded solids (presentation).
GS0520-GS0531.
(All the glass slides are housed in the Lehigh Photo Collection)
Some of these slides may correlate with 136.03.01 “Notes on slide presentation.” GS0520-GS0530 are in black and white and measure 8x10 cm. Slide GS0531 is in color and measures 8x10 cm.
GS0520. “Measurement of Strain Produced in Cylindrical Bar by Force Applied to End” with corresponding diagram.
GS0521. “Strain from Colliding Bars” with corresponding diagram.
GS0522. “Geometry and Boundary Conditions” & “Various Types of End Conditions” with corresponding diagrams.
GS0523. Graph of Relative Strain vs. Reduced Time with corresponding formulas.
GS0524. “Strain with No Dispersion” & “Actual Strain Record” with corresponding graphs.
GS0525. “Time-Dependent End Loading of Semi-Infinite Cylinder Initially at Rest and Unstrained” with corresponding diagram.
GS0526. “Dominant Frequencies-Long. and Trans. Modes” with corresponding diagram.
GS0527. “Eq. Transformed to Exclude Z and θ” and “End Cond. Expanded as Series in θ” equations.
GS0528. “Roots of Pochhammer-Chree Frequency Eq. Sinusoidal Waves in Cyl. Bar (Zero Stress at Lateral Surface)” with corresponding diagram.
GS0529. “Energy – Units 10^4 Wave-Numbers” with corresponding diagram.
GS0530. “Energy Levels of MnII” and corresponding diagram.
GS0531. “Fig. 621 Illustrations of continuous and line spectra.”
C. Negatives – 7 negatives: 10.5 x 8 cm
*All seven negatives are housed in the Lehigh Photo Collection.
NG3658. “The Emission Lines in the Solar Corona”
NG3659. Picture of the Solar Corona
NG3660. “Telescope”
NG3661. “Wave-numbers of coronal lines”
NG3662. “Reports from February Eclipse Observers”
NG3663. “Wave-numbers of coronal lines” and corresponding diagrams
NG3664. “The spectrum of the inner corona line along the solar equator”