Follow-up Q10: obtaining Ives's papers legally (2026-10-07)
Question (Q10, owner): Obtain Ives's papers legally, first those Moray's books cite (Sea of Energy 5th ed., Ruderfer appendix, notes 5-8), then those relevant to Moray's interests (aether, radiant energy, standing waves, photoelectric conversion, mass-energy). For each: is it public domain, where is a legally free copy, and what remains unobtainable and what is the cheapest legal route.
Web time: 14 minutes (timer 1791405234 to 1791406066 = 832 s), under the 20-minute cap; stopped because every paper named in the question was found or its status settled. Chrome was used for the Online Books Page and HathiTrust. The Online Books Page list was too large for Chrome's find tool, so it was fetched with curl and searched locally. The HathiTrust and Internet Archive JSON APIs were queried with curl, and Internet Archive PDFs and ADS scans were downloaded with curl. HathiTrust refuses scripted downloads ("Blocked from HathiTrust"). No logins, no forms, no CAPTCHAs. A HathiTrust cookie banner was left untouched.
1. How copyright was decided
- US rule used. A US work published 1929-1963 entered the US public domain if its copyright was not renewed in the 28th year. Works published before 1931 are public domain in the US outright (95-year term, as of 1 Jan 2026). [memory: high]
- Renewal records. The Online Books Page "First Periodical Renewals" list (https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/cce/firstperiod.html) summarises the Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) and the Copyright Office's online records (CPRS) for each serial [web]:
- Journal of the Optical Society of America: "issues actively renewed from December 1951 (v. 41 no. 12) ... no contribution renewals found in CCE or CPRS". So JOSA issues up to November 1951 are public domain in the US. JOSA 42 (1952) and 43 (1953) are renewed and stay in copyright until 2047-2048 (95 years from publication).
- Physical Review: "issues renewed from July 1, 1956 (v. 103 no. 1) ... no contribution renewals found". So Phys. Rev. 72 (1947) and all the photoelectric papers of 1923-1932 are public domain in the US.
- Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society: "no issue renewals found in CCE or CPRS; no contribution renewals found". So the 1951 paper is public domain in the US.
- Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences: "no issue renewals found ...; no contribution renewals found". So the 1951 Rumford lecture is public domain in the US.
- The Philosophical Magazine: "no issue renewals found in CCE or CPRS; no contribution renewals found".
- Nature (UK): no renewals found. Bell System Technical Journal and Bell Laboratories Record: no renewals found. Astrophysical Journal: "issues renewed from July 1953".
- Phil. Mag. (British). In the UK, copyright in a literary work lasts for the author's life plus 70 years. Ives died in November 1953 (sources give 3, 13 or 15 Nov), so his own text has been public domain in the UK since 1 Jan 2024. The publisher's 25-year right in the typographical arrangement expired long ago. [memory: high for the rules; Ives's death year read in the 1956 NAS memoir and the LoC finding aid] In the US, the 1945 paper was by a US author, so US law treats it as an unrenewed work (no renewal found) and it is not a URAA-restored foreign work. [memory: medium; a lawyer's question at the margin, but the Internet Archive serves the volume openly]
- Cross-check from the libraries' own rights decisions. The Internet Archive serves the 1937-1951 JOSA issues, Phys. Rev. 1947, Proc. APS 1951, Proc. AAAS 1951 and Phil. Mag. 1945 as open downloads, but marks the August 1952 JOSA issue (42:8, which carries the mass-energy paper)
access-restricted-item: true(lending only). HathiTrust marks Proc. APS v.95 (1951) "Public Domain in the United States" (rights code pdus, item uc1.c2887751). Both decisions match the renewal records. [web: archive.org metadata API; catalog.hathitrust.org API] - HathiTrust full-view status (volumes). JOSA, Phys. Rev. and Bell System Technical Journal are full view through 1930 and "Limited (search-only)" from 1931 onward. Nothing from 1931 on has been reviewed and opened yet, even where no renewal exists. Phil. Mag. ser. 7 v.35, Nature v.141 and Proc. AAAS v.81 are limited. Proc. APS v.95 is full view. [web: https://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/brief/recordnumber/000521149.json, /issn/0031-899X.json, /issn/0003-049X.json, /issn/0199-9818.json, /issn/1941-5982.json, /issn/0028-0836.json, /issn/0005-8580.json]
2. Papers obtained this run (all saved in research/files/)
Each copy was cut from the full-issue PDF at the source URL with pdfseparate and pdfunite. The page ranges were found from the printed page numbers in the text layer.
| Paper | Status | Saved file | Source URL (issue PDF, PDF pages kept) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Derivation of the Lorentz Transformations, Phil. Mag. (7) 36:392-402 (1945), received 16 Oct 1944 | PD UK (author d. 1953); no US renewal | Ives-1945-Derivation-of-the-Lorentz-transformations-PhilMag36-392.pdf | https://archive.org/details/philosophical-magazine-and-letters_1945_36_series-7 (pp.412-423 of 912) |
| Physical Significance of Birkhoff's Gravitational Equations, Phys. Rev. 72:229-232 (1 Aug 1947) | PD US (not renewed) | Ives-1947-Physical-significance-of-Birkhoffs-gravitational-equations-PhysRev72-229.pdf | https://archive.org/details/sim_physical-review_1947-08-01_72_3 (pp.41-44) |
| Behavior of an Interferometer in a Gravitational Field, JOSA 29:183-187 (May 1939) | PD US | Ives-1939-Behavior-of-an-interferometer-in-a-gravitational-field-JOSA29-183.pdf | https://archive.org/details/sim_optical-society-of-america-journal_1939-05_29_5 (pp.1-5) |
| ... II. Application to a Planetary Orbit, JOSA 38:413-416 (Apr 1948) | PD US | Ives-1948-Interferometer-in-a-gravitational-field-II-planetary-orbit-JOSA38-413.pdf | https://archive.org/details/sim_optical-society-of-america-journal_1948-04_38_4 (pp.121-124) |
| Ives and Stilwell, Rate of a Moving Atomic Clock II, JOSA 31:369-374 (May 1941) | PD US | Ives-Stilwell-1941-Rate-of-a-moving-atomic-clock-II-JOSA31-369.pdf | https://archive.org/details/sim_optical-society-of-america-journal_1941-05_31_5 (pp.27-32) |
| Revisions of the Lorentz Transformations, Proc. Am. Philos. Soc. 95:125-131 (1951), read 27 Oct 1950 | PD US | Ives-1951-Revisions-of-the-Lorentz-transformations-ProcAmPhilosSoc95-125.pdf | https://archive.org/details/sim_proceedings-of-the-american-philosophical-society_1951-04-30_95_2 (pp.37-44); also HathiTrust full view https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.c2887751&seq=137 |
| Adventures with Standing Light Waves (Rumford Medal Lecture), Proc. Am. Acad. Arts Sci. 81:1-32 (Nov 1951) | PD US | Ives-1951-Adventures-with-standing-light-waves-ProcAmAcadArtsSci81-1.pdf (whole issue, 37 pp.) | https://archive.org/details/sim_daedalus_1951-11_81_1 |
| Ives and Fry, Standing Light Waves; Repetition of an Experiment by Wiener, Using a Photoelectric Probe Surface, JOSA 23:73-83 (Mar 1933) | PD US | Ives-Fry-1933-Standing-light-waves-Wiener-photoelectric-probe-JOSA23-73.pdf | https://archive.org/details/sim_optical-society-of-america-journal_1933-03_23_3 (pp.3-13) |
| Derivation and Significance of the So-Called "Chronotopic Interval", JOSA 29:294-301 (Jul 1939) | PD US | Ives-1939-Derivation-and-significance-of-chronotopic-interval-JOSA29-294.pdf | https://archive.org/details/sim_optical-society-of-america-journal_1939-07_29_7 (pp.28-35) |
| Theory of the Double Fizeau Toothed Wheel, JOSA 29:472-478 (Nov 1939) | PD US | Ives-1939-Theory-of-the-double-Fizeau-toothed-wheel-JOSA29-472.pdf | https://archive.org/details/sim_optical-society-of-america-journal_1939-11_29_11 (pp.16-22) |
| Ives and Stilwell, Interference Phenomena with a Moving Medium, JOSA 31:14-24 (Jan 1941) | PD US | Ives-Stilwell-1941-Interference-phenomena-with-a-moving-medium-JOSA31-14.pdf | https://archive.org/details/sim_optical-society-of-america-journal_1941-01_31_1 (pp.14-24) |
| Ives and Stilwell, Interference Phenomena with a Moving Medium II, JOSA 32:25-31 (Jan 1942) | PD US | Ives-Stilwell-1942-Interference-phenomena-with-a-moving-medium-II-JOSA32-25.pdf | https://archive.org/details/sim_optical-society-of-america-journal_1942-01_32_1 (pp.25-31) |
| Pressure of Radiation in Moving System, JOSA 32:32-33 (Jan 1942) | PD US | Ives-1942-Pressure-of-radiation-in-moving-system-JOSA32-32.pdf | same issue (pp.32-33) |
| Impact of a Wave-Packet and a Reflecting Particle, JOSA 33:163-166 (Mar 1943) | PD US | Ives-1943-Impact-of-a-wave-packet-and-a-reflecting-particle-JOSA33-163.pdf | https://archive.org/details/sim_optical-society-of-america-journal_1943-03_33_3 (pp.43-46) |
| Impact of a Wave-Packet and an Absorbing Particle, JOSA 34:222-228 (Apr 1944) | PD US | Ives-1944-Impact-of-a-wave-packet-and-an-absorbing-particle-JOSA34-222.pdf | https://archive.org/details/sim_optical-society-of-america-journal_1944-04_34_4 (pp.40-46) |
| Measurement of the Velocity of Light by Signals Sent in One Direction, JOSA 38:879-884 (Oct 1948) | PD US | Ives-1948-Velocity-of-light-by-signals-sent-in-one-direction-JOSA38-879.pdf | https://archive.org/details/sim_optical-society-of-america-journal_1948-10_38_10 (pp.63-68) |
| Lorentz-Type Transformations as Derived from Performable Rod and Clock Operations, JOSA 39:757-761 (Sep 1949) | PD US | Ives-1949-Lorentz-type-transformations-from-rod-and-clock-operations-JOSA39-757.pdf | https://archive.org/details/sim_optical-society-of-america-journal_1949-09_39_9 (pp.39-43) |
| Extrapolation from the Michelson-Morley Experiment, JOSA 40:185-191 (Apr 1950) | PD US | Ives-1950-Extrapolation-from-the-Michelson-Morley-experiment-JOSA40-185.pdf | https://archive.org/details/sim_optical-society-of-america-journal_1950-04_40_4 (pp.3-9) |
| The Alkali Metal Photoelectric Cell, Bell Syst. Tech. J. 5:320 (Apr 1926) | PD US (pre-1931) | Ives-1926-The-alkali-metal-photoelectric-cell-BSTJ5-320.pdf | https://archive.org/details/bstj5-2-320 |
| Photoelectric Properties of Thin Films of Alkali Metals, ApJ 60:209 (1924) | PD US (pre-1931) | Ives-1924-Photoelectric-properties-of-thin-films-of-alkali-metals-ApJ60-209.pdf | https://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/pdf/1924ApJ....60..209I |
| Ives and Johnsrud, Normal and Selective Photoelectric Effects in Alkali Metals and Alloys, ApJ 60:231 (1924) | PD US (pre-1931) | Ives-Johnsrud-1924-Normal-and-selective-photoelectric-effects-ApJ60-231.pdf | https://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/pdf/1924ApJ....60..231I |
| Photoelectric Properties of Thin Films of Alkali Metals II, ApJ 64:128 (1926) | PD US (pre-1931) | Ives-1926-Photoelectric-properties-of-thin-films-of-alkali-metals-II-ApJ64-128.pdf | https://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/pdf/1926ApJ....64..128I |
Already in research/files/ from the Investigator run (conspiracyoflight.com copies). These are legally free because they are public domain, whoever hosts them: the five 1937 JOSA papers, Ives-Stilwell 1938 (JOSA 28:215), Light Signals Sent Around a Closed Path (JOSA 28:296, 1938), Doppler Effect from Moving Mirrors (JOSA 30:255, 1940) and the Historical Note (JOSA 37:810, 1947).
Not legally free (still in copyright): Derivation of the Mass-Energy Relation, JOSA 42:540 (Aug 1952), and the two 1953 JOSA papers (Genesis of the query "Is There an Ether?", JOSA 43, March 1953, page not checked, and Note on "Mass-Energy Relationship", JOSA 43:619). JOSA issues are renewed from December 1951. These three are cited here by reference only.
Sample of the content, for the Moray link [read: Phil. Mag. 36:392, text layer]: Ives says the Lorentz transformations "can be derived by imposing the laws of conservation of energy and of momentum on radiation processes as developed by Maxwell's methods". Starting from a wave train striking a reflecting particle, he finds that mass must vary with velocity, then that lengths and time intervals must vary too, and he ends: "The space and time concepts of Newton and Maxwell are retained without alteration." This is the paper Ruderfer cites in Moray's book.
3. Still to obtain, and the cheapest legal route
| Paper | Copyright | Cheapest legal route |
|---|---|---|
| Derivation of the Mass-Energy Relation, JOSA 42:540 (1952) | In copyright (JOSA renewed from Dec 1951) | Free: Internet Archive lending copy of the issue (https://archive.org/details/sim_optical-society-of-america-journal_1952-08_42_8, borrow with a free archive.org account); or interlibrary loan through a public library (usually free); or Optica pay-per-view (price not checked). |
| Genesis of "Is There an Ether?" and Note on "Mass-Energy Relationship", JOSA 43 (1953) | In copyright | Same routes (archive.org lending of the 1953 issues, ILL, Optica). |
| Photoelectric papers in Phys. Rev. 1923-1932 (21:389, 21:713, 29:252, 32:44, 32:57, 33:1081, 34:117, 35:669, 38:1209, 38:1477, 40:802) and JOSA 1924-1938 (8:551, 11:565, 15:374, 24:198, 26:238, 26:247, 28:330) | All public domain in the US (no renewals) | Free and open: Internet Archive "sim_physical-review_" and "sim_optical-society-of-america-journal_" issue PDFs (the same series as above); HathiTrust full view for the volumes up to 1930. Not fetched this run (time). |
| Ives and Fry, Voltage-Current Relation in Central Anode Photoelectric Cells, ApJ 56 (1922); Ives and Johnsrud, ApJ 62:309 (1925) | PD US (pre-1931) | Free: ADS article service (articles.adsabs.harvard.edu). 62:309 returned "504 Gateway Time-out" twice; retry later. |
| Rate of an Atomic Clock in Motion, Nature 141:551 (1938) | No renewals in the US; UK life+70 expired | Not searched this run; Nature's own archive is paywalled. Try the Internet Archive or a library. |
| Proc. Roy. Dublin Soc. 26:9 (1952), cited in Ives 1953 | Irish publication; author d. 1953, so life+70 expired in the EU | Not searched; a library or ILL. |
4. Reasoning and competing readings
- The Internet Archive's "sim_microfilm" serials are scans of commercial microfilm. The Archive makes an issue an open download only when its own rights review finds it public domain, and lends it otherwise. It restricts the renewed 1952 JOSA issue and opens the unrenewed 1937-1951 issues, which is consistent with the CCE record. So these copies are the legally free copies the question asks for, not grey-market ones. [inference]
- One caveat: the CCE list records renewals of whole issues and of individually renewed contributions. "No contribution renewals found" means no Ives article was renewed separately, so the issue status decides. [web: same list]
- Google-digitised HathiTrust volumes come with Google's request that the images "not be re-hosted, redistributed or used commercially". [web: HathiTrust plaintext header for uc1.c2887751] The Proc. APS copy saved here comes from the Internet Archive, not HathiTrust, so that request does not apply to it. Keep these copies for private study in any case. Publishing them on the altsci site is not done by STEP R anyway.
Corrections to earlier documents
- sites.md and research/2026-10-07-conspiracyoflight.md list the 1952 JOSA 42:540, 1953 "Genesis" and 1953 "Note" papers without a copyright remark. Those three JOSA issues are under renewed copyright: JOSA issues are "actively renewed from December 1951" (Online Books Page, CCE/CPRS), and the Internet Archive restricts the August 1952 issue. They are cited by reference only. They stay in the record as texts read. The 1937-1947 papers listed there are public domain and unaffected.
- research/2026-10-07-optica.md: "full texts 'Not Accessible' without login; not obtained". The 1939 and 1948 gravitation papers, the 1941 Part II, 1948 one-way light, 1949 rod-and-clock and 1950 Extrapolation papers are now in research/files/ as public-domain Internet Archive copies. The claims.md source gap for claim 4 (gravitation) can now be closed from the primary texts.