Nitrogen ions were accelerated in the Princeton Particle Accelerator to energies of 3.9 and 7.2 GeV and neon ions were accelerated to 5.7 GeV. Apparatus was constructed for the determination of particle flux, dose rate, beam uniformity, particle energy, particle range, and nuclear interactions. Scintillation counter telescopes were used for the determination of particle flux, range, and energy. The design and construction of ionization chambers for these beams is discussed in detail. The ionization chambers were calibrated using X rays and carbon-11 activation. The value of W, the average energy required to produce one primary ionization, was found to be 26.2 ± 1.8 eV for high-energy nitrogen ions in argon. Radiation chemical yields for the nitrogen beam were obtained using a Fricke dosimeter. $G({\rm Fe}^{3+})$ was found equal to 11.3 ± 0.9/100 eV in the plateau and 5.3 ± 0.5/100 eV near the peak for a 10 -2 M FeSO 4 solution. Velocity spectra of nitrogen ions near the end of their range were obtained using time-of-flight techniques. These spectra were used to derive LET distributions.

Cultured human kidney (T-1) and liver (Chang) cells and Chinese hamster bone marrow (M3-1) cells were irradiated with heavy ions from the Berkeley heavy-ion linear accelerator, and their subsequent ability to grow into visible colonies was assessed. Heavy-ion inactivation cross sections were compared to microscopically measured nuclear cross section distributions found in cultures under the conditions of irradiation. Chinese hamster cells were found more resistant to all radiations studied within the linear energy-transfer range of <tex-math>$45-20,000\ {\rm MeV}\text{-}{\rm cm}^{2}/{\rm g}$</tex-math> and this higher resistance relative to the human cells appeared to correlate with the smaller nuclear cross-sectional area of the Chinese hamster cells.

Experimental techniques are described whereby cultured mammalian cells have been irradiated with stripped ion beams of <tex-math>${}^{2}{\rm H},\ {}^{4}{\rm He},\ {}^{6}{\rm Li},\ {}^{7}{\rm Li},\ {}^{11}{\rm B},\ {}^{12}{\rm C},\ {}^{14}{\rm N},\ {}^{16}{\rm O},\ {}^{20}{\rm Ne}$</tex-math>, and <tex-math>${}^{40}{\rm Ar}$</tex-math>. The heavy ion linear accelerators at Berkeley and Yale have both been adapted to such studies, and the methods used in each of these laboratories are presented in this paper. In both cases scattering foils have been used to spread the beam to a useful size, and thin-walled ionization chambers have been used for the dosimetry. Precautions and corrections required for beam uniformity and accurate dose measurement have been established. One method allows the cells to be irradiated in a liquid environment, and the other in a gaseous environment. The ion velocity at the cells has in one case been identical for several different ions, and in other cases it has been different for each ion. The range of linear energy transfer represented by these ions extends from 65 to <tex-math>$19,500\ {\rm MeV}\text{-}{\rm cm}^{2}/{\rm gm}$</tex-math>. Some physical properties of accelerated <tex-math>${}^{40}{\rm Ar}$</tex-math> ions are described.