From Wartime Nuclear Physics to Isotope Science: George Page and the Foundations of New Zealand Mass Spectrometry

The establishment of mass spectrometry in New Zealand coincided with the transition of wartime nuclear physics into civilian research applications in geochemistry, hydrology, geothermal studies, mineral resources and environmental science. George Page (1920-1967) played a central but often overlooked role in New Zealand. Drawing on wartime and post-World War II experience in isotope separation and instrumentation, Page was directly responsible for the construction of New Zealand's first operational mass spectrometer at the Dominion Physical Laboratory. Working with Athol Rafter and Gordon Fergusson, he helped establish the technical capability that supported early radiocarbon dating, stable isotope geochemistry and hydrological studies, including the identification of the post-1954 rise in atmospheric ¹⁴C. His work was rarely documented in publications. Instead, his contribution lay in the design and operation of the instruments that made isotope measurements possible with limited resources. This paper examines Page's role through the instruments he developed and shows how they laid the groundwork for isotope science in New Zealand.