Pre-1962

This extract from 50 Years of X-ray Diffraction, edited by P. P. Ewald and published in 1962, recounts the early development of crystallography in this region.

Chile

The application of X-ray diffraction dates entirely from after the Second World War. In the initial period, 1951-53, such work was begun in the physics departments of the universities in Concepción with English, and in Santiago with German (Siemens) equipment. Further X-ray facilities are to be found at the Technical University at Valparaiso and the State Geological Institute in Santiago. At the university in Santiago N. Joel applies X-ray diffraction to the physical problems of thermal vibrations as well as to structure analysis, and E. Grünbaum is paralleling this with electron diffraction. At all three universities the work is being done in the physics departments. The number of scientists trained in these methods is still small - about 12 in 1960 - but as the methods now penetrate into the teaching curricula, a rapid advance seems likely.

First published for the International Union of Crystallography 1962 by N.V.A. Oosthoek's Uitgeversmaatschappij, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Digitised 1999 for the IUCr XVIII Congress, Glasgow, Scotland
© 1962, 1999 International Union of Crystallography