Under the Radar

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xxi

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2. Introduction: The Life of Ruby Violet Payne-Scott – 28 May 1912 (Grafton NSW, Australia) to 25 May 1981 (Sydney, Australia)

   Pages 1-10

3. Ruby Payne-Scott: the Early Years: 1912–1938, Ancestors, Childhood, Secondary School and Sydney University

   Pages 11-26

4. Woodlands School, AWA, New Career Opportunities for Women in World War II

   Pages 27-35

5. Personnel File from CSIR/CSIRO

   Pages 37-49

6. War Time Research by Payne-Scott at RPL

   Pages 51-64

7. Payne-Scott – The First Woman Radio Astronomer and the Transition to Peacetime – 1944–1945

   Pages 65-80

8. Payne-Scott at Dover Heights 1945–1947: Discovery of Type I, II and III Solar Bursts and the Introduction of Fourier Synthesis in Astronomy

   Pages 81-127

9. Hornsby 1948: Type III Bursts Revealed; Conflicts with Bolton

   Pages 129-152

10. Payne-Scott at Potts Hill, 1949–1951: Movies of the Outward Motions of Solar Outbursts with the Swept-Lobe Interferometer

    Pages 153-183

11. Payne-Scott and URSI, 1952: Her Last Experience as a Radio Astronomer

    Pages 185-198

12. Reminiscences and Anecdotes of Ruby Payne-Scott as Told by Friends and Colleagues

    Pages 199-216

13. A Remarkable Family: Bill and Ruby Hall

    Pages 217-236

14. Payne-Scott, Communist Party of Australia, Commonwealth Investigation Service and Australian Security Intelligence Organisation

    Pages 237-245

15. Danebank School 1963–1974; the Ruby Payne-Scott Lectures

    Pages 247-250

16. The End of Payne-Scott’s Life: A Retrospective

    Pages 251-259

17. Epilogue: Why Did We Write This Book?

    Pages 261-263

18. Back Matter

    Pages 265-344

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It is rare for a complete biography of an Australian scientist, particularly of an Australian woman scientist, to be published. It is rarer for such a book to be co-authored by an American. Although scientists have written discourses on the history of their discipline, it is most unusual for a scientist to write a full length biography of a colleague in his ?eld. It is also uncommon for a man to write about an Australian woman scientist; most of the work on Australian women scientists has been done by other women. However, these authors, both distinguished researchers in the ?eld of radio astr- omy, became so interested in the history of their discipline and in the career of the pioneer radio astronomer Ruby Payne-Scott that they spent some years bringing this book to fruition. Until relatively recently, Ruby Payne-Scott had been the only woman scientist mentioned brie?y in histories of Australian science or of Australian radio astronomy. This book will be an invaluable resource for anyone interested in these disciplines. Being scientists themselves, the authors explain Payne-Scott’s scienti?c work in detail; therefore, the value and importance of her contributions can, for the ?rst time, be recognised, not only by historians but also by scientists.

• Peter G. Hall
• Radio Astronomy, historical
• Solar Radio Physics, historical
• Women in Astronomy
• astronomy
• radar
• radio

From the reviews:

“This is a beautifully-researched, copiously-illustrated and well-written book that tells us much more than the life of one amazing female radio astronomer. It also provides a profile on radar developments during WWII and on Australia’s pre-eminent place in solar radio astronomy in the years following WWII. Under the Radar is compelling reading, and if you have taken the time to read right through this review then it certainly belongs on your bookshelf!” (Wayne Orchiston, Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, March, 2010) “Under the Radar is a technically thorough biography of Ruby Payne-Scott, who had a remarkable career as a radio astronomer in Australia. … Goss (National Radio Astronomy Observatory, New Mexico) and McGee (CSIRO, Australia) are also radio astronomers. … Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, researchers, faculty, and professionals.” (M. Dickinson, Choice, Vol. 47 (9), May, 2010)

“This detailed biography of Ruby Payne-Scott … one of the early pioneers in Sydney, is a welcome and scholarly addition to this growing body of work. … written in a style that would probably appeal more to radio astronomers with an interest in history … . The book concludes with a lengthy Appendix divided into fourteen sections covering a diverse range of subjects … .” (Peter Robertson, Historical Records of Australian Science, Vol. 22 (2), 2011)

“Under the Radar, a biography of the first woman in radio astronomy … . The book Under the Radar is a much deserved look at her life and times, and is an extremely through look at her background, her family, and the astronomy and physics involved in her research, definitely one worth searching out!” (Astroguyz, April, 2012)

• National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro, USA

  W. M. Goss

• Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation(CSIRO) Radiophysics Laboratory, Epping, Australia

  Richard X. McGee

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