| RefNo | TG/2 |
| Level | Series |
| Title | Thomas Gold correspondence |
| Date | 1986-2003 |
| Description | This series comprises faxes, e-mails and copies of letters from Thomas Gold to various individuals and organisations. It also comprises faxes, e-mails and letters to Gold from numerous individuals and organisations. The series covers his research into a variety of subjects, such as solar sails and the relationship between gas and earthquakes, and his views on various matters, such as CFCs, manned flights in space and life on Mars, during his retirement, when he was Professor Emeritus of Astronomy at Cornell University. It is particularly strong on the publication of his book, 'The deep hot biosphere' and on his advocacy of the theory that oil and gas deposits are non-biological (abiogenic) in origin and on the subsequent drilling for oil and gas that took place at his urging in Sweden. It contains very few faxes, e-mails and letters, 2001-2003.
The first six files in this series (TG/2/1-6) have been indexed or partially indexed by Gold or a secretary under the names of the individuals or organisations who sent letters and faxes to Gold or who received them from him. The rest of the files in the series have not been indexed. Almost all of the faxes, e-mails and letters in the series have been given a number by Gold or a secretary e.g. the letters and faxes in TG/2/1 have been numbered from 1 to 181. The only faxes and letters that have not been numbered are those in TG/2/11-15, some of the faxes and letters in TG/2/10 and the faxes, e-mails and letters in TG/2/51. |
| Language | English, German, Swedish, French, Russian, Chinese and Japanese |
| Extent | 123 files |
| Format | Carbon copies, photocopies, manuscript, typescript and printed documents |
| PhysicalDescription | The faxes, letters and e-mails were originally stored in lever arch files or hanging files. They are now in acid-free folders. |
| Arrangement | The files are arranged in a rough chronological order. The arrangement of the material within each file varies. From TG/2/1 until TG/2/27, faxes and copies of letters from Thomas Gold are normally arranged in reverse chronological order. It is not not usually clear how letters and faxes to Thomas Gold in these files are arranged. From TG/2/28 onwards, the faxes, e-mails and letters are either all in reverse chronological order or it is not clear how they have been arranged. The only exceptions to this are the faxes, e-mails and letters in TG/2/34 and 41, which follow the same arrangement as those in TG/2/1-TG/2/27. |
| AccessStatus | Open |
| AccessConditions | All the faxes, e-mails and letters in this series are open apart from a fax in TG/2/12 and a memorandum, letters and papers in TG/2/27/344, which have been closed until 1 January 2030. |
| RelatedMaterial | Copies of letters from Thomas Gold to numerous individuals and organisations, Jun 1963-Aug 1986 can be found in TG/1. Miscellaneous Thomas Gold letters, Dec 1963-Oct 2001 can be found in TG/3. |
| RelatedRecord | TG/1 |
| TG/3 |