THE INTERPLAY OF INSTRUMENTATION, EXPERIMENT, AND THEORY - PATTERNS EMERGING FROM CASE-STUDIES ON SOLAR REDSHIFT, 1890-1960

This paper discusses a series of case studies on observations, experim ents, and the theoretical interpretation between 1890 and 1960 of a sh ift of dark Fraunhofer lines in the solar spectrum. I argue for the us e of flow charts to analyze interconnections and to identify sequences of research strategies. Also I advocate using a newly-developed tool called ''block diagram'' representation of experimental systems as an appropriate method to identify recurrent patterns in the interplay of instrumentation, experiment, and theory in research episodes.