Accession No. 2001-18  
PROCESSING RECORD  
SCRIPPS INSTITUTION OF OCEANOGRAPHY ARCHIVES  
Chow, Tsaihwa James 1924-2006  
Tsaihwa James Chow Papers 1944-2001  
Physical Description: 7 record center cartons  
Description: The collection comprises the personal papers of chemical  
oceanographer Tsai-Hwa Chow and includes correspondence, notes, student  
notes, laboratory notebooks, photographs and slides, manuscripts of  
scientific papers, and a few proposals. The collection includes material  
documenting Chow’s education at Chiao-tung University in Shanghai,  
Washington State University and the University of Washington. The  
collection consists largely of Chow’s correspondence both in English and  
Chinese dated 1947-2001. This correspondence documents his relations  
with family, friends and colleagues and his work to bridge relations between  
the scientists in the United States and the People’s Republic of China  
especially after 1972.  
Biography: Chow was an American chemical oceanographer born Tsai-Hwa  
Chow in Shanghai October 13, 1924. He changed his name to Tsaihwa  
James Chow upon emigration to the United States in 1948. Chow received a  
B.S. degree in 1946 from the National Chiaotung University in Shanghai, an  
M.S. degree from Washington State University in 1949, and a Ph.D. degree  
from the University of Washington in 1953. After leaving the University of  
Washington, he worked with geochemist Clair Patterson at Caltech from  
1955-1959. Chow joined the faculty of the Scripps Institution of  
Oceanography in 1959 and remained until he became an emeritus researcher  
in 1988. He was known for his studies of lead and lead isotopes in nature.  
He died in La Jolla, California June 21, 2006.  
MC 65  
Chemical oceanography history; Geochemistry history; Oceanography China; Oceanography history; Science China  
TSAIHWA JAMES CHOW  
Papers, 1944-2001  
Accession Number 2001-18  
Box  
Folder Title  
CORRESPONDENCE SERIES  
1
[Correspondence, n.d.]  
[Correspondence, n.d.]  
[Correspondence, n.d.]  
[Correspondence, n.d.]  
[Correspondence, n.d.]  
[Correspondence, 1947]  
[Correspondence, 1948]  
[Correspondence, 1948]  
[Correspondence, 1948]  
[Correspondence, 1948]  
[Correspondence, 1949]  
[Correspondence, 1949]  
[Correspondence, 1949]  
[Correspondence, 1949]  
[Correspondence, 1949]  
[Correspondence, 1950]  
[Correspondence, 1950]  
[Correspondence, 1951]  
2001-18-2  
Box  
Folder Title  
CORRESPONDENCE SERIES (cont.)  
1
Correspondence, 1951  
Correspondence, 1951  
[Correspondence, 1952]  
[Correspondence, 1952]  
Correspondence, 1952  
Correspondence, 1953  
[Correspondence, 1953]  
Correspondence, 1953-1954  
[Correspondence, 1954]  
[Correspondence, 1954]  
[Correspondence, 1954]  
[Correspondence, 1954]  
[Correspondence, 1954]  
[Correspondence, 1954]  
[Correspondence, 1955]  
Correspondence, 1955  
Correspondence, 1955  
[Correspondence, 1955]  
Correspondence, 1955  
Correspondence, 1956  
[Correspondence, 1956]  
2001-18-3  
Box  
Folder Title  
CORRESPONDENCE TITLE (cont.)  
1
[Correspondence, 1956]  
[Correspondence, 1957]  
Correspondence, 1957  
[Correspondence, 1957]  
Correspondence, 1958  
[Correspondence, 1958]  
[Christmas Cards Received, 1958]  
[Christmas Cards Received, 1958]  
Correspondence, 1959  
Correspondence, 1959  
Correspondence, 1959  
Correspondence, 1959  
Correspondence, 1960  
[Correspondence, 1960]  
Correspondence, 1961  
Correspondence, 1961  
Correspondence, 1961  
Correspondence, 1961  
Correspondence, 1961  
Correspondence, 1962  
Correspondence, 1962  
2
2001-18-4  
Box  
Folder Title  
CORRESPONDENCE SERIES (cont.)  
2
Correspondence, 1962  
Correspondence, 1962  
[Correspondence, 1962]  
Correspondence, 1962  
Correspondence, 1963  
Correspondence, 1963  
Correspondence, 1964  
Correspondence, 1965  
Correspondence, 1966  
Correspondence, 1967  
[Christmas, 1967]  
[Christmas, 1967]  
Correspondence, 1968  
Correspondence, 1969  
[Correspondence, 1969]  
[Correspondence, 1970]  
[Correspondence, 1971]  
Correspondence, 1972  
[Correspondence, 1973]  
[Correspondence, 1975]  
[Correspondence, 1976-77]  
2001-18-5  
Box  
Folder Title  
CORRESPONDENCE SERIES (cont.)  
2
[Correspondence, 1978]  
[Correspondence, 1979]  
[Correspondence, 1979]  
[Correspondence, 1980]  
Correspondence, 1981  
[Correspondence, 1982]  
[Correspondence, 1983]  
[Correspondence, 1984]  
[Correspondence, 1985]  
[Correspondence, 1985]  
[Correspondence, 1985]  
[Correspondence, 1985]  
[Correspondence, 1985]  
[Correspondence, 1985]  
[Correspondence, 1986]  
[Correspondence, 1986]  
[Correspondence, 1986]  
Correspondence, 1986  
[Correspondence, 1986]  
[Correspondence, 1986]  
[Correspondence, 1986]  
3
2001-18-6  
Box  
Folder Title  
CORRESPONDENCE SERIES (cont.)  
3
[Correspondence, 1986]  
[Correspondence, 1987]  
[Correspondence, 1987]  
[Correspondence, 1987]  
[Correspondence, 1987]  
[Correspondence, 1987]  
[Correspondence, 1987]  
[Correspondence, 1987]  
[Correspondence, 1987]  
[Correspondence, 1987]  
[Correspondence, 1987]  
[Correspondence, 1988]  
[Correspondence, 1990]  
[Correspondence, 1990]  
[Correspondence, 1990]  
[Correspondence, 1990]  
[Correspondence, 1990]  
[Correspondence, 1990]  
Correspondence, 1991  
[Correspondence, 1991]  
Correspondence, 1992  
4
2001-18-7  
Box  
Folder Title  
CORRESPONDENCE SERIES (cont.)  
4
[Correspondence, 1992]  
[Correspondence, 1992]  
[Correspondence, 1992]  
[Correspondence, 1992]  
[Correspondence, 1992]  
[Correspondence, 1993]  
[Correspondence, 1994]  
[Correspondence, 1994]  
Correspondence, 1995  
[Correspondence, 1996]  
[Christmas Cards, 1996]  
[Correspondence, 1996]  
Correspondence, 1997  
[Correspondence, 1997]  
[Correspondence, 1998]  
[Correspondence, 1998]  
[Correspondence, 1999]  
[Correspondence, 2000]  
SUBJECT SERIES  
[Address List, 1958]  
[Address Book, n.d.]  
2001-18-8  
Box  
Folder Title  
SUBJECT SERIES (cont.)  
4
[Address Book, 1958]  
[Address List, c. 1979]  
American Geophysical Union, Washington DC, April 1964  
[Arrhenius, Gustaf, “Tracing of Meridional Deep Water Motion Across  
the Equator,” n.d.]  
[Autograph Book, 1932]  
BLM Barium-Isotope Dilution Data Sheets, 1 to 270  
BLM-SAI Proposal [“Trace Metal Baseline Studies of Southern  
California Outer Continental Shelf: Intertidal Sediments,” 1976-1978]  
BLM-SAI Proposal [“Trace Metal Baseline Studies of Southern  
California Outer Continental Shelf: Intertidal Sediments,” 1976-1978]  
BLM-SAI Proposal [“Trace Metal Baseline Studies of Southern  
California Outer Continental Shelf: Intertidal Sediments,” 1976-1978]  
BLM-SAI Proposal [“Trace Metal Baseline Studies of Southern  
California Outer Continental Shelf: Intertidal Sediments,” 1976-1978]  
[Bookplates]  
Bowen, [Vaughan T.], 1961  
[Brochures]  
5
[Business Cards]  
[Calendar, 1957]  
[Campbell Club Roster, 1955]  
[Certificates and Memberships, 1949-1953]  
[Chiao-tung University, Shanghai, Class Notes, n.d.]  
2001-18-9  
Box  
Folder Title  
SUBJECT SERIES (cont.)  
5
[Chiao-tung University, Shanghai, Class Notes, n.d.]  
[Chiao-tung University, Shanghai, Student Notes, 1944]  
[Chiao-tung University, Student Notes, 1945]  
[Chiao-tung University, Shanghai, Student Notes, 1945]  
[Chiao-tung University, Shanghai, Transcript, Tsaihwa Chow, January  
18, 1947]  
[Tsaihwa James Chow, Identity Card, China]  
[Tsaihwa James Chow, Inoculation Record, China, December 5, 1947]  
[Chinese Flag]  
[Drawings, n.d.]  
[Drawings, Portraits of Tsaihwa James Chow, n.d.]  
[Financial Records]  
Goldberg’s Manganese Nodule Data, n.d.  
[History of the Oceans Conference, Program, August 31, 1959]  
Hood, [Donald W.], 1961  
Indian Ocean, Special Committee of Oceanic Research [SCOR], 1960  
[Insignia]  
[Institute of Acoustics, Academica Senica]  
IDOE Biological Effects Meeting (Laboratory), August 12-13, 1974,  
Folder 1  
Folder 2  
Folder 3  
2001-18-10  
Box  
Folder Title  
SUBJECT SERIES (cont.)  
IDOE Biological Effects Meeting (cont.)  
Folder 4  
5
Folder 5  
International Geophysical Year [IGY]  
International Oceanographic Congress, 1959  
International Symposium on Oceanography Japan, November 1961  
International Symposium on Oceanography, Japan, 1961, Pocket  
Notebook  
International Symposium on Oceanography, Japan, November 1961,  
Travel Brochures  
International Symposium on Oceanography, Japan, November 1961,  
Travel Brochures  
International Symposium on Oceanography, Japan, November 1961,  
Travel Brochures  
[Laboratory Notebook]  
[Lee, Stephen Hsin Te]  
[Maps]  
[Membership Cards]  
Messages Left by Jane, 1973  
Milestones for Trace Metal Analysis of Intertidal Sediments Year II, 1977-1978  
[Mohole, 1961]  
[Newsletters in Chinese]  
Newspaper Clippings  
[Newspaper Clippings]  
2001-18-11  
Box  
Folder Title  
SUBJECT SERIES (cont.)  
[Newspaper Clippings]  
[Newspaper Clippings, 1954]  
[Notebooks]  
[Notebook, 1950]  
Notebook, 1960  
[Notebook, 1962]  
[Pocket Notebook, 1981]  
[Notes]  
5
6
[Notes]  
[Notes, n.d.]  
[Notes]  
[Notes, n.d.]  
[Notes]  
[Notes]  
[Notes]  
[Notes]  
[Notes]  
[Notes]  
[Notes]  
[Notes]  
[Notes, 1962]  
[Notes, 2000]  
[Objects, n.d.]  
2001-18-12  
Box  
Folder Title  
SUBJECT SERIES (cont.)  
[Objects]  
6
Oregon [State University Job Offer], 1960-1961  
[10th Pacific Science Congress Hawaii, 1960]  
[Photographs]  
[Photographs]  
[Photographs]  
[Photographs]  
[Photographs]  
Photographs, Portraits of Tsaihwa James Chow, n.d.  
[Photograph Album, n.d]  
Photographic, International Oceanographic Congress, Moscow, 1966  
Photographs and Negatives, Visit of Hubert Humphrey to Scripps Institution of  
Oceanography 1967  
[Photographic Negatives]  
[Photographic Negatives]  
Slides  
Slides  
Slides, Shanghai, Pollution History as Recorded in Sediments and Organisms, c.  
1984  
Slides, Lead Isotopes  
[Press Release and Newspaper Clippings Lead, December 22, 1963  
Record II, June 1953 [i.e. Diary]  
Russia [Correspondence, 1961]  
San Diego Urban League Community Service Award, n.d.  
2001-18-13  
Box  
Folder Title  
SUBJECT SERIES (cont.)  
[Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 1958]  
[Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 1960]  
[Lantern Slides]  
6
Slides, Transuranium Elements, Claus, May 1985  
Slides, 1950-1970  
[Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 1961]  
[Scripps Institution of Oceanography 1962]  
[SIO] Seminar, Geochemistry of Lead Isotopes, May 26, 1962  
[SIO] Tritium, November 2, 1959 [Laboratory Notebook]  
[SIO] [Tsaihwa James Chow, UC Bio-Bibliography 1962]  
[SIO] [Tsaihwa James Chow, Security Clearance, 1962]  
Seawater, n.d.  
7
Hawaii Meeting, 1961 [SCOR Chemical Intercalibration Conference], Notes,  
n.d.  
Hawaii Meeting, 1961 [SCOR Chemical Intercalibration Conference], July  
1960-February 1961  
Hawaii Meeting, 1961 [SCOR Chemical Intercalibration Conference] March-  
April 1961  
Hawaii Meeting, 1961 [SCOR Chemical Intercalibration Conference] May-  
August 1961  
[Laboratory Notebook, 1957]  
Resolution Board of Port Commissioners, San Diego in honor of T.J. Chow,  
January 18, 1972  
L
[Scripps Institution of Oceanography Geology 150, Teaching Notes, 1955  
[STEP-1 Expedition, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 1960]  
2001-18-14  
Box  
Folder Title  
SUBJECT SERIES (cont.)  
SIO Expedition STEP-1, 1960  
7
[State University of Washington]  
State College of Washington, Diploma  
State College of Washington, Diploma  
State College of Washington Commencement, 1949  
[State College of Washington, Examination Papers, 1949]  
[State College of Washington, Transcript, Tsaihwa Chow, 1948]  
[Station Position, April 1959]  
L
L
University of Washington, 1960-1961  
University of Washington, Diploma  
Chow, Tsaihwa James, “The Determination and Distribution of Copper in Sea  
Water” Dissertation, University of Washington, 1953  
University of Washington, Thesis Presentation, April 14, 1953  
[University of Washington, Newspaper Clippings, 1952-1953]  
University of Washington [Transcript, Tsaihwa James Chow, 1958]  
[University of Washington, Advanced Quantitative Analysis, Student Notes,  
Fall 1950]  
[University of Washington, Chemistry 27-127b Examinations, 1958]  
[University of Washington, Chemistry 155, Student Notes, 1950]  
[University of Washington, Chemistry 221/222 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry,  
Student Notes 1950]  
[University of Washington, Chemistry 223, Student Notes, 1950]  
[Chemistry 225, University of Washington, Student Notes, 1951]  
[University of Washington, Chemistry 435 Student Notes, 1952]  
2001-18-15  
Box  
Folder Title  
SUBJECT SERIES (cont.)  
[University of Washington, Marine Hydrodynamics Student Notes, 1951]  
7
[University of Washington, Microquantitative Analysis, Student Notes, Fall  
1950]  
[University of Washington, Oceanography 520, Student Notes, 1954]  
University of Washington, Organic Analysis, Student Notes, Fall 1950  
University of Washington, Physical Oceanography, Student Notes, 1951  
[University of Washington, Student Notes, 1952]  
[Van Landingham, John W. “Nutrients in the Sea” December 26, 1961]  
SCIENTIFIC PAPERS AND REPRINTS SERIES  
[Scientific Papers and Reprints]  
Chapter 11, Original Text, 1995  
Roe, Peter G. “A Cache of Chavin Pots from Tembladera,” January 1978  
Roe, Peter G. “Cupisnique Pottery: A Cache from Tembladera,” June 13, 1981  
Suess, Haus “Investigation of Mixing Processes in the Atmosphere and Sea by  
Means of Radioactive and Stable Isotopes,” AEC Interim Report October 12,  
1958  
Karl K. Turekian, Geochemistry of the Deep Sea Sediments of the Atlantic  
Ocean and adjacent regions, NSF Proposal July 1, 1959  
Scientific Papers by T.J. Chow Sub-Series  
Patterson and Chow, “Marine Geochemistry of Lead Isotopes in  
Sedimentation,” Manuscript, n.d.  
Trace Elements in Sea Water  
Slides, Trace Elements in Sea Water  
Chow, Tsaihwa James and C.C. Patterson, “The Occurrence and  
Significance of Lead Isotopes in Pelagic Sediments,” Manuscript  
Chow, T.J. and Thomas G. Thompson, “The Determination and  
Distribution of Copper in Sea Water,” Marine Journal, 1952  
2001-18-16  
Box  
Folder Title  
SCIENTIFIC PAPERS AND REPRINTS SERIES (cont.)  
Scientific Papers by T.J. Chow Sub-Series  
Chow, Tsaihwa J. and Thomas G. Thompson, “Flame Photometric  
Determination of Strontium in Sea Water,” Analytical Chemistry,  
January 27, 1955  
7
Chow, Tsaihwa J. Lead Isotopes and Trace Elements in two Pelagic  
Sediment Cores. Festschrift in honor of Thomas G. Thompson, Journal  
of Marine Research. November 7, 1956  
Chow and Patterson, Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Lead In  
Manganese Nodules, 1956-1958  
[Chow, Tsaihwa J. “Flame Photometric Determination of Potassium in  
Natural Waters and Biological Materials,” Analytical Chemistry, 1957  
Chow, T.J. and Claire C. Patterson, “Lead Isotopes in Manganese  
Nodules,” Manuscript January 4, 1959  
Goldberg, Edward D. and Tsaihwa J. Chow, “On the Marine  
Geochemistry of Barium,” 1960 [Geochimica et Geochemica ActA 10:  
192-198]  
Chow, Tsaihwa J. and John L. Earl, “Trend of Increasing Lead Aerosols  
in the Atmosphere,” February 18, 1970  
Chow, Tsaihwa J. “Chemical Composition of Sea Water, The Ocean  
Handbook” October 21, 1974  
[No Title Recorded]  
O