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Letter from Linus Pauling to David Harker. October 17, 1938.
Pauling informs Harker that he agrees with the existence of peaks between minima and suggests a means of interpreting this phenomena. He notes that he and Coryell do not plan to publish criticism of the Wrinch-Langmuir paper, regardless of the problems which it main contain. Pauling concludes by stating that he has shipped a Laue tube to Harker for his use.

Transcript

October 17, 1938

Dr. David Harker

Remsen Hall

Department of Chemistry

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland

Dear Dave:

We agree with you regarding the existence of peaks between minima. I might point out that these peaks can be interpreted as due to the maxima between the minima, inasmuch as the interaction between the broad flat maxima is at a maximum a distance equal to the distance between the minima.

Corey and I probably shall not publish any criticism of the Wrinch-Langmuir stuff, even though we feel that agreement reached with the aid of so many arbitrary assumptions has little significance.

We are hoping to make a positive contribution in the field some time.

I am having one of the old Laue tubes shipped to you, and I hope you find good use for it.

With best regards, I am

Sincerely yours,

Linus Pauling

LP/bcs

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