Tag Archives: revelation

“Flash” Personal Revelation

Science and Spirituality, Spirituality, ,

Maser Man Charles Townes Dead At 99 - IEEE Spectrum

Charles H. Townes and his MASER

FLASH Personal Revelations

It is my observation that often the most famous and largest contributors to meaningful scientific truths are religious scientists: Newton, Galileo, Christiaan Huygens, and the list goes on. In our day,  and not well known, is Charles H. Townes tells how FLASH personal revelations came to him with some of his inventions. One of his inventions is a laser, which came after the maser. Can you imagine how many laser scanners there are just in grocery stores across the globe—many billions? Townes claimed that many of his important scientific discoveries, like his inventions of the maser and laser, occurred as a “flash” much more akin to religious revelation. This has happened to me on many occasions, and I know the Lord is there and hears every sincere pray (Matt. 7:7-8).

The synchronism that occurs in masers and lasers reminds one of the ONEness that will occur in the ideal Zion society that is coming in preparation for the Lord’s Coming. They will be of one mind and one heart, with no poor amongst them, and be pure in heart. That society will resonate with love and kindness as they serve one another, bringing forth the Lord’s designed purposes for that society. It is the society that we should all seek. It is the society that brings a fullness of joy and in due process brings us into celestial realms of glory. “Flashes” of personal revelation–filling their souls with joy–will come to those there as they use their time and talents to help achieve an Oneness with the whole of that ideal society. And the Lord in His glory will be in their midst.

 Townes Quote

Quoting from the Wikipedia article about Charles H. Townes:
1. Faith: Townes argued that the scientist has faith much like a religious person does, allowing him/her to work for years for an uncertain result.
2.  Revelation: Townes claimed that many important scientific discoveries, like his invention of the maser/laser, occurred as a “flash” much more akin to religious revelation than interpreting data.
3. Proof: During this century, the mathematician Kurt Gödel discovered that there can be no absolute proof in a scientific sense. Every proof requires a set of assumptions, and there is no way to check whether those assumptions are self-consistent because other assumptions would be required. [Gödel shows that a scientist has to have faith. Nothing can be proven for sure. We don’t know enough. Only God knows enough to know if a theory or hypothesis is TRUE! If God says it, then we know it. That is why personal revelation is so important.]

Synchronism in masers, lasers, and metronomes

Huygens invented the first pendulum clock, which improved the world of timing greatly until improvements came with the advent of quartz-crystal oscillators centuries later. All the way back in 1665, Huygens was the first to notice that two pendula would synchronize with each other if placed in proximity. He didn’t know it, but he had discovered the principle of synchronism in how masers and lasers work. There is a fun (less than two minute video) video with Daniel showing this synchronization phenomenon with metronomes. You will enjoy watching it. The common sounding board brings these metronomes into synchronism. This is how a maser and a laser work. The sounding board for the metronomes is like the resonant cavity in the case of a maser or laser.

Townes was involved with the invention of both the maser (Microwave amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) and the laser (Light amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation). The first atomic clock was an ammonia maser (Lyons, et. al.) in 1948-49 based on Townes’ invention. An ammonia maser was the first atomic clock I worked on when Jim Barnes hired me with the National Bureau of Standards in 1960. Laser frequencies are about 100,000 times higher than microwave frequencies.

The principle is the same for the metronome, or the maser, or the laser. The sounding board coupled to the metronomes causes all of them to be synchronized. The resonant cavity for both the maser and laser stimulates the atom or molecule, which is in an excited quantum state, to give off its photon in synchronism with all the other photons in the cavity. Physicists don’t talk about microwave photons, but again, the concept is the same. The ammonia molecules or hydrogen atoms in their excited quantum state are stimulated to give off their microwave energy resonant with the frequency energy in the cavity and also in phase (same mean time; they are all synchronized like the metronomes).

Charles FLASH idea for the maser came in 1951, and the first working maser was built and demonstrated in 1953–1954 at Columbia University. In 1958 Townes and Arthur Schawlow published the theoretical paper describing the optical maser (the laser) and filed their laser patent. Based on their work, Theodore Maiman built the first working laser at Hughes Research Laboratories in 1960–the year I hired on at NBS.

My Flash

My “FLASH” of personal revelation regarding how to measure this level of synchronization in masers came in 1981. Jim Barnes and I wrote a paper sharing, “A modified ‘Allan variance’ with increased oscillator characterization ability.”  I remember well the joy that filled my soul when that FLASH came. The Modified “Allan Variance” is denoted as MVAR in the literature. And MDEV is the square root of MVAR.

As in this diagram, the slope on a log-log plot reveals the kind and or color of the time variations in the clock. The plot not only reveals the kind or color and also the level of the time variations. MVAR caught on big time in the navigation community. The international navigation community invited me to write a paper, give a talk and chair a panel around MVAR—giving me a free first-class trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2015.

The above is an MDEV plot of a hydrogen maser’s frequency stability as a function of the averaging time, τ. One can see the short-term stability is due to all the microwave photons in the cavity being synchronized together. It is called white-noise phase modulation (PM). The first two data points on the left are a measure of the level of this synchronization in this maser–like the synchronization of metronomes with a coupled sounding board.

At the request of the telecom community, Dr. Marc Weiss and I developed the “Time Variance” TVAR. TVAR is derived from the Modified Allan variance: TVAR = τ^2 MVAR/3. TDEV is the square root of TVAR. MVAR and TVAR are able to  characterize six different kinds or colors of time variations.

NASA/JPS uses active hydrogen masers in their Deep Space Tracking Network (DSN) because of their outstanding short-term timing stability as displayed above in the diagram. Their main tracking stations are in Goldstone, CA, Madrid, Spain, and Canberra, Australia.

The above diagram shows the white-phase noise for this hydrogen maser to be only 3.3 picoseconds at 100 seconds, and improving at τ^-1/2 for TDEV. A picosecond is one quadrillionth of a second (10^-12 s). This is one thousandth of the timing error needed for GPS-synchronized constellation clocks, which are synchronized to about a nanosecond (a billionth of a second). It is this kind of time stability that is needed for the DSN to track and communicate with deep-spacecraft like Voyager 1 and 2. Voyager 2 is now out in interstellar space—141 times further from us than is the sun. It now takes about 40 hours—round-trip time—for Canberra, Australia, to communicate with Voyager 2. It is gathering unprecedented data.

I find it fascinating that the current H-masers made by Microchip are more than 600 times better. Timing accuracy has improved a billion fold in my life time. The most accurate clock today is an Al+ ion Mg+ optical atomic clock at 5.6 x 10^-19.

Another Flash

I had another “FLASH” personal revelation on how to build a special GPS receiver that would allow the comparison of atomic clocks around the world with near-nanosecond accuracy. Marc was working for me, and he and I wrote a paper documenting this idea. I shared the idea with the folks at JPL, and they gave us (NBS, Boulder) a quarter of a million dollars to develop the GPS Common-view high-accuracy timing receiver. We then provided receivers at the three main DSN stations in Goldstone, CA, Madrid, Spain, and Canberra. It was a major breakthrough for them. It also became the main means of communicating atomic clock data to the BIPM for the generation of TAI and UTC (official time for the world). 28.pdf and 689.pdf.

The synchronization of the metronomes and atoms and molecules in masers reminds me of the Lord’s request for us to be one (a grand harmony for the ideal celestial society. I have a blog article on how to be one with God. The Lord gave me an equation that I shared with my Russian colleagues in 2015 on how to be ONE with God. The equation is in this blog article.

The Lord has given us a parable: “Behold, this I have given unto you as a parable, and it is even as I am. I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.” (D&C 38:27) May we synchronize our souls with Elohim, I pray.

David W. Allan

PS Regarding uncertainty, Townes believed that we should be open-minded to a better understanding of science and religion in the future. This will require us to modify our theories, but not abandon them. For example, at the start of the 20th century, physics was largely deterministic. But when scientists began studying quantum mechanics, they realized that indeterminism and chance play a role in our universe. Both classical physics and quantum mechanics are correct and work well within their own bailiwick, and continue to be taught to students. Similarly, Townes believes that the growth of religious understanding will modify, but not make us abandon, our classic religious beliefs.

Charles H. Townes died in 2015, 99 years old, and his wife Frances died in 2018 at the age of 101. They had four lovely daughters. Charles was very devout.

PPS My first book harmonizes science and religion, It’s About Time. I believe true religion and true science have to harmonize. There, we become ONE with Elohim and a fullness of JOY in the offering.

PPPS In the above diagram, the line going down as τ^-1/2 shows the maser hunting for the ammonia frequency resonance and is called white-noise frequency modulation (FM).

 

Revelation Needed to Thrive

Spirituality,

We are living in a time when personal revelation is more important than ever.  The way you hear His voice may be different than your neighbor’s.  Are you familiar enough with His voice to trust His message for you, even if His counsel or direction may be different than your family or neighbors?

President Russell M. Nelson’s critical counsel is, that you must know how to identify the Lord’s course of action for you.  (Excerpts from talks he has given)

“In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”

“It has never been more imperative to know how the Spirit speaks to you than right now. Do whatever it takes to increase your spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation.”

“Refining our ability to recognize the whisperings of the Holy Ghost and increasing our capacity to receive revelation requires worthiness. Worthiness does not require perfection, but it requires that we strive for increased purity.”

“Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principle of revelation.”

“The Lord expects daily effort, daily improvement, daily repentance. Worthiness brings purity, and purity qualifies us for the Holy Ghost. As we take ‘the Holy Spirit for [our] guide’ (Doctrine and Covenants 45:57), we qualify for personal revelation.”

“We also hear Him more clearly as we refine our ability to recognize the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. It has never been more imperative to know how the Spirit speaks to you than right now. In the Godhead, the Holy Ghost is the messenger. He will bring thoughts to your mind which the Father and Son want you to receive. He is the Comforter. He will bring a feeling of peace to your heart. He testifies of truth and will confirm what is true as you hear and read the word of the Lord.”

“I renew my plea for you to do whatever it takes to increase your spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation.”

“If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation.”

He told of experiences that helped him learn how to receive revelation. Whether it was when he, as a young boy, was drawn to the gospel while living in a home led by parents who were not active in the Church, as a young man in medical school marrying Dantzel White, as a father to their 10 children, or, after his wife passed away, marrying Wendy Watson, he said that “each of these blessings has come as a result of seeking and heeding the promptings of the Holy Ghost.”

“Brothers and sisters, how can we become the men and women—the Christlike servants—the Lord needs us to be?” he asked. “How can we find answers to questions that perplex us? If Joseph Smith’s transcendent experience in the Sacred Grove teaches us anything, it is that the heavens are open and that God speaks to His children.”

“All have the ability to receive personal revelation.”

“Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph,” he said. “Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort.”

President Nelson invited members of the conference congregation to pray about concerns, fears, weaknesses, and “the very longings of your heart.”

To those wondering if God wants to speak to them, President Nelson said, “Yes!”

“You don’t have to wonder about what is true,” he said. “You do not have to wonder whom you can safely trust. Through personal revelation, you can receive your own witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that this is the Lord’s Church. Regardless of what others may say or do, no one can ever take away a witness borne to your heart and mind about what is true.”

President Nelson invited listeners to stretch beyond their current spiritual abilities to receive personal revelation.

REVELATION NEEDED TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE

The Lord is bringing forth Zion, and we can be part of it: a people who are pure in heart and of one mind and one heart. Doing so will help us to thrive in a world going awry.

Develop our revelatory abilities to come to know our infinitely loving Heavenly Father and Mother and our Beloved Savior. Coming to know them is Eternal Life (John 17:3) and the path to a fullness of joy. (Read Christ’s great High Priest’s prayer just before He brought about the infinite atonement in John Chapter 17.)

I share what is hidden to most, a very important parable: “Behold, this I give unto you as a parable, and it is even as I am. I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine (D&C 38:27).” The Savior’s great High Priest’s prayer was answered with the Nephites, as recorded in 3 Nephi 19, and they became one with Him. Thus, the Bride will be ready to meet the Bridegroom and greatly rejoice. Thus, we can THRIVE, as we become one with Elohim.

I pray that we may be one with Heavenly Father and Mother and their Beloved Son. And may we be numbered amongst those who are pure in heart—of one mind and heart. In ZION, the Savior will be dwelling in our midst as with the Nephites of old, as beautifully described in Third Nephi Chapter 19: “…and his countenance did smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them, and behold they were as white as the countenance and also the garments of Jesus (verse 25).” Indeed, they were thriving in His light, as they were purified by Him. May we be full recipients of His FULL INFINITE ATONEMENT.

David W. Allan (30 July 2024)