| Description | The second-largest section of the Hanbury Brown papers, contains research materials which Hanbury Brown accumulated over many decades. These files testify to three foci of enduring interest on his part, (a) the story of radar, (b) radio astronomy, and (c) reflections about science. The history of radar is documented by original documents and pamphlets, correspondence with both fellow radar pioneers and younger radar buffs, memoirs, and drafts of equipment biographies. The subsection on radio astronomy includes literature on various types of interferometers and on quantum theory, correspondence and draft publications on the behaviour of photons (these from the time of the controversy over the Hanbury Brown-Twiss effect), and a special section on his 'dear friend Sirius'. A subsection is dedicated to historical topics in radio astronomy. Material on reflections about science consists of Hanbury Brown's notes on science-historical literature; correspondence, notes and literature on science's relations with religion; and general articles. |