A. W. Pryor

Arthur William Pryor (31 August 1928 – 6 September 2014) was an Australian physicist known for his contributions to neutron diffraction^[1] and infrared laser isotope separation.^[2][3] Pryor authored and co-authored a number of papers in the field of crystallography^[4] and he also co-authored, with B. T. M. Willis, the book Thermal Vibrations in Crystallography.^[5]

A. W. Pryor
Born	31 August 1928
Died	6 September 2014 (2014-09-07) (aged 86) Sydney
Nationality	Australian
Alma mater	University of Queensland Durham University
Known for	Crystalography Neutron diffraction Molecular laser isotope separation
Awards	David Syme Research Prize
Scientific career
Fields	Crystallography Physics
Institutions	Australian Atomic Energy Commission Macquarie University

Laser isotope separation

Pryor conducted research on laser isotope separation using infrared lasers.^[2][3] Earlier work in this area had brought him in contact with J. C. Ward who advocated a new approach to isotope separation based on the phase transition transformation of UF₆ known as the "Ward process".^[3] Pryor provides a unique historical account of laser isotope separation efforts in Australia during the early 1980s that included both visible and infrared laser sources (relevant to AVLIS and MLIS, respectively).^[3] In this regard, he refers to the reluctance of the Australian authorities to adopt laser isotope separation with the sentence... "but the cautious hand refrained".^[3] Pryor's account was independently corroborated, albeit with a time lag, by other researchers in the field.^[6]

Philosophy

Later in his career, Pryor was interested on historical and philosophical aspects of science and physics. He wrote various recordings on this subject, which were broadcast on 2SER FM radio in the 1980-1983 period.^[7]

Career

Pryor was educated at the University of Queensland and completed his doctoral studies at Durham University. He spent most of his career at Lucas Heights, as a scientist in the former Australian Atomic Energy Commission, and was a faculty visiting fellow at Macquarie University where he lectured on atomic physics.

Pryor was a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Physics and received the 1964 David Syme Research Prize from the University of Melbourne.

He died at the age of 86, on 6 September 2014.^[8]

References

1. Seymour, R. S.; Pryor, A. W. (1 October 1970). "Neutron diffraction study of NH₄Br and NH₄I". Acta Crystallographica Section B: Structural Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry. 26 (10). International Union of Crystallography (IUCr): 1487–1491. Bibcode:1970AcCrB..26.1487S. doi:10.1107/s0567740870004375. ISSN 0567-7408.
   - Paul, G. L.; Pryor, A. W. (15 September 1972). "The study of sodium nitrate by neutron diffraction". Acta Crystallographica Section B: Structural Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry. 28 (9). International Union of Crystallography (IUCr): 2700–2702. Bibcode:1972AcCrB..28.2700P. doi:10.1107/s0567740872006806. ISSN 0567-7408. S2CID 97693200.
2. Eberhardt, J.E.; Johnson, D.A.; Knott, R.B.; Pryor, A.W.; Waugh, A.B. (1982). "Multiphoton dissociation of two vanadyl compounds". Chemical Physics Letters. 93 (5). Elsevier BV: 448–452. Bibcode:1982CPL....93..448E. doi:10.1016/0009-2614(82)83219-3. ISSN 0009-2614.
   - Eberhardt, J.E.; Hoare, I.E.; Johnson, D.A.; Knott, R.B.; Pryor, A.W.; Waugh, A.B. (1982). "Multiphoton dissociation of some volatile uranyl complexes. I. The phenomena of reversible and permanent dissociation". Chemical Physics. 72 (1–2). Elsevier BV: 41–49. Bibcode:1982CP.....72...41E. doi:10.1016/0301-0104(82)87064-x. ISSN 0301-0104.
3. A. W. Pryor, Personal memories of two advanced uranium enrichment projects at Lucas Heights in the years 1972-1980, The Australian & New Zealand Physicist 33 (3-4), 53-58 (1997).
4. Pryor, A. W. (1 January 1966). "Debye–Waller factors in crystals of the sodium chloride structure". Acta Crystallographica. 20 (1). International Union of Crystallography (IUCr): 138–140. Bibcode:1966AcCry..20..138P. doi:10.1107/s0365110x66000252. ISSN 0365-110X.
   - Elcombe, M M; Pryor, A W (1 March 1970). "The lattice dynamics of calcium fluoride". Journal of Physics C: Solid State Physics. 3 (3). IOP Publishing: 492–499. Bibcode:1970JPhC....3..492E. doi:10.1088/0022-3719/3/3/002. ISSN 0022-3719.
   - Pryor, A. W.; Sanger, P. L. (1 September 1970). "Collection and interpretation of neutron diffraction measurements on urea". Acta Crystallographica Section A. 26 (5). International Union of Crystallography (IUCr): 543–558. Bibcode:1970AcCrA..26..543P. doi:10.1107/s0567739470001390. ISSN 0567-7394.
   - Rouse, K. D.; Willis, B. T. M.; Pryor, A. W. (23 January 1968). "Anharmonic contributions to the Debye–Waller factors of UO₂". Acta Crystallographica Section B: Structural Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry. 24 (1). International Union of Crystallography (IUCr): 117–122. Bibcode:1968AcCrB..24..117R. doi:10.1107/s0567740868001779. ISSN 0567-7408.
5. Willis, B. T. M.; Pryor, A. W. (1975). Thermal Vibrations in Crystallography. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521204477.
6. Duarte, F. J. (2010). "Tunable lasers for atomic vapor laser isotope separation: the Australian contribution" (PDF). Australian Physics. Vol. 47, no. 2. pp. 38–40.
7. A. W. Pryor, "The Oppenheimer case", 2SER-FM, August 1980.
   - A. W. Pryor, "Lysenko-science and politics", 2SER-FM, March 1981.
   - A. W. Pryor, "Physics and faith", 2SER-FM, July–September 1982.
   - A. W. Pryor, "Record century: one hundred years of recorded sound", 2SER-FM, March 1983.
8. "Arthur PRYOR". Retrieved 11 September 2014. PRYOR, Arthur William.Family and friends of Arthur (Tom), are warmly invited to attend his Funeral Service to be held at Northern Suburbs Crematorium, 199 Delhi Road, North Ryde on Wednesday, September 10, 2014 at 10-30 a.m. in the East Chapel.
   - The Sydney Morning Herald, 6 September 2014.