November Revolution in Physics

The world of physics was dazzled in November 1974 when two separate experiments at SLAC and at Brookhaven independently discovered the first of a new set of particle states, the J/Psi particle.

The SLAC experiment was SLAC-SP-017 at SPEAR, which generated 84 publications. Burton Richter, of the SLAC-LBL collaboration, and Sam Ting, of the Brookhaven group, received the 1976 Nobel Prize in Physics "for their pioneering work in the discovery of a heavy elementary particle of a new kind."

SPEAR on April 26, 1972 — Photo of the newly completed SPEAR taken on April 26, 1972. *(SLAC - Zawojski)*

Mark I detector at SPEAR — Two members of the SLAC/LBL research team check the counters and electronics used
in the solenoidal magnetic detector [Mark I] *(LBNL)*

Four men looking down at a fifth who is seated at a table, writing — Members of the experimental team taking the first look at graphs of the cross section showing the presence of the psi particle. Left to right are: Martin Breidenbach (seated),
Gerson Golhaber, Ewan Paterson, Herman Winnick (from the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Project group), and Francois Vannucci. November 10, 1974 at the Stanford Linear Accelerator SPEAR facility. *(SLAC - V. Lüth)*

Three men looking at a monitor in a control room — Gerson Goldhaber, Martin Perl, and Burton Richter view an event display in the SPEAR (Mark I) counting room, 1974 *(SLAC - Zawojski)*

Man seated at table in control room — Burton Richter finds a (relatively) quiet corner of the counting house to do some data analysis. November 10, 1974 at the Stanford Linear Accelerator SPEAR facility. *(SLAC - V. Lüth)*

Computer display of a detected physics event — Computer reconstruction of a psi-prime decay i the Mark I detector, making a near-perfect image of the Greek letter psi. *(SLAC)*

Three men holding beverages and smiling — Burton Richter (center) celebrates the discovery of the psi with a champagne toast. With Richter are group members Carl Friedburg (left) and Ewan Paterson (right ), November 10 1974 at the Stanford Linear Accelerator SPEAR facility *(SLAC - V. Lüth)*

Sources

Symposium of the 50th Anniversary of the November Revolution, November 8, 2024

Archival material

SP-0-17 proposal summary
SP-0-17 proposal "An Experimental Survey of Positron-Electron Annihilation into Multiparticle Final States in the s Range 27 to 74 GeV²"

Personal narratives

Burton Richter. "Discovery of the Psi Particles: A Personal Perspective," SLAC Beam Line. Vol. 7, No. 11. 11/1976
Burton Richter. "Inaugural Talk, November 14, 1984: Where Are We Going At SLAC?" SLAC Beam Line. Vol.15, No.11 & 12. 11-12/1984.
Burton Richter on occasion of 25th Anniversary of Colliding Beams at SPEAR and photos
Fred Gilman. "The November Revolution," SLAC Beam Line. Vol. 16, No. 1. 1/1985.
James D. Bjorken. "The November Revolution -- A Theorist Reminisces," SLAC Beam Line. Special Issue No. 8. 7/1985.

Scientific publications produced by the SP-017 collaboration.

General audience publications

SLAC virtual visitors center explanation of discovery
Theory of Charm: The 4th Quark, SLAC virtual visitors center explanation
Page from the logbook in "logbook: J/Ψ particle," symmetry, Vol.2, No.7, September 2005

SLAC-SP-017 logbook pages from 10 November 1974 *(SLAC)*