- Email: [email protected]
Introduction to solid-state theory
of the details of taxis with a comprehensive introduction. J. Pitts The Aerodynamic
Design of Aircraft
This book is based upon a series of lectures, given over a number of years to undergraduate students. Its format is logical and covers the necessary range for such courses.The author has then called upon his lifetime of research and acquisition of knowledge to cover this framework with a wealth of detail and expand its range. The resulting volume contains more details on its subject than any other book which has cometo my attention. Chapter 2, The Treatment of Airflows, Chapter 3, Means of Generating Lift and Propulsion Forces taken together with Chapter 4, Properties of Classical and Swept Aircraft, could I suggest, soon become essential recommended reading for all aeronautical engineering undergraduates. The information in the rest of the book makes it highly desirable for postgraduate courses,research workers in both academic institutes and industry, as well as to practising aerospace engineering designers. As an added bonus the list of referencesis extensive and comprehensive.Not only is the influence of the author’s lifetime in research establishments obvious but in the more philosophical parts of the text the artistic side of his nature, which manifesteditself in his musical ability, combines with the applied scientist to give a complete approach to the subject. J. L. Home Bibliography on the Fatigue of Materials, Components and Structures, Y. 1951-1960,VoL 2 CompiledbyJ. Pergamon
W. J. Plumbridge
by
D. Kiichemann. Pp. ix+564. Pergamon Press, Oxford. 19 78. Hard cover f25.00, Flexicoverf 10.00.
Mann. Pp. 489. 19 78. f35.00.
might be avoided. A similar text for the next decade (1961-70), when the emphasis in fatigue studies changed to crack growth and fracture mechanics,is eagerly awaited.
Introduction
to Solid-State
by 0. DIM59
Although the number of textbooks on solidstate physics suitable for undergraduates is large, there are few that are sufficiently advanced and yet broad enough in coverage to be useful at the graduate level. This book is intended to meet the needsof research students and, in the reviewer’s opinion, succeeds admirably in doing so. Professor Madelung adopts a unifying approach to solid-state theory which involves the concept of elementary excitations. The excitations can be collective (phonons, plasmons, magnons, excitons etc.), localised (small polarons, bound-excitons, point defects, surface states etc.), or interactive (transport and optical properties, superconductivity etc). It is surprising and illuminating to see how much of solid-state physics can be incorporated into such a framework. For example, treatment of non-crystalline materials takes a natural place alongside band theory via a valuable chapter entitled ‘Local description of solid-state properties’, which provides the link between the bond and band description of solids. In spite of the title, this book is not intended to be used exclusively by theorists. Contact with experimental data is made throughout and the level of mathematics should not be beyond any experimentalist. A useful bibliography, containing reference to many key specialised and review articles, and a selection of problems, are included. E. A. Davis
Press, Oxford.
This bibliography covers the period which may be described as the start of an era of rapidly increasing interest in the fatigue problem. The author has previously published an equivalent volume covering the subject up to 1950. In the present text almost six thousand referencesare cited, arising from thirty countries and around one thousand publication sources, which include many ‘internal’ reports. All aspects of the subject are considered, ranging from the physical processes involved through to the endurance of full scale structures, and including such items as testing machines, service case histories, and corrosion effects. Referencesare presented on a yearly basis, in alphabetical order, although no attempt is made to separate the categories mentioned above. Comprehensive author and subject indexesare also included. The reviewer considers that this substantial work should be compulsory reading for all workers, and perhaps more important, potential workers in the fatigue field. They may find it surprising how many of the ‘hot’ topics of today were being considered twenty years ago. Certainly, a good deal of rediscovery 186
Theory
Madelung, translated by B. C. Taylor. Pp. xi+486. Springer, Berlin. 1978. ($29.50).
Semiconductors, Smith. xi+523. London. 1978. Paperbackf8.95.
2nd edition by R. A. Cambridge University Press, Hardback f2 7.50,
Since the first edition of this classic text was first published twenty years ago, striking developmentsin the scienceand technology of semiconductorshave occurred. While the basic physics has remained virtually unchanged, advances on several fronts have been so rapid that an up-dating was becoming vital for the survival of the book as a main textbook for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Readers familiar with the first edition will note the omission in this new volume of a certain amount of theoretical material (which can now be found in the author’s complementary book ‘Wave Mechanics of Crystalline Solids’) and of chapters on . applications and methods of measurement. They are, however, more likely to note and appreciate the inclusion of much new material on recently developed topics such as magnetooptics, transferred-electron effects, optical phenomena (especially those involving light
emission and lasers), and amorphous semiconductors. The references are conveniently placed at the foot of relevant pages and a bibliography, along with a comprehensiveauthor and subject index, round off the book. Its rebirth will bring authoritative information to the ‘new’ generation and satisfaction to others who can now say again ‘You can find it in Smith’ without appearing old-fashioned! E. A. Davis Summary of International Energy Research and Development Activities 1974-l 976 prepared by the Smithsonian Science Information Exchange Inc. Pergamon Press, Oxford. 1978. f25.00.
A knowledge of energy research and development activities is of value to any worker in the field, and this book assistsconsiderably in expanding our knowledge. The layout is easy to follow, and it is comparatively easy to trace areasof particular interest. The preface identifies the main sources of data, and by reading the list of sponsoring agencies one is able to assess,at first sight, organisations most active in finding project work. I have a number of reservations concerning the contents. Firstly, as practised by the EEC in its listing of Research and Development projects, an indication of project budget and duration would be valuable. If this is unobtainable, perhaps the number of manyears could be given. Secondly, reference to comparable publications distributed by other organisations, such as the UK Government, the IEA, and the EEC would help-such listings should not be treated in isolation. The contribution from the United Kingdom is particularly disappointing, suggestingthat little or no work is being done. Having said this, I learned much by reading the book, and found it useful in my own fields of heat pipes, heat pumps, and waste heat recovery. I am sure others will find it, for the price, a worthwhile investment. D.A.Reay Hydrides for Energy Storage EditedbyA. F. Andresen andA. J. Maeland. Pp. 599. Pergamon Press, Oxford. 1978. f30.00.
The potential of hydrogen as an energy carrier in future energy systems has been given increasing attention in the last few years, due to its interesting characteristics for an extended use of alternative primary energies.One of the important and significant properties of hydrogen is its storability. The role of metal hydrides could be important in the future due to their possible use as energy storage media: some alloy systems absorb and release hydrogen, at various temperatures and pressures, offering a reversible means for the storage and supply of hydrogen. Studiesin this research area are relatively recent and often information is dispersed. The merit of the volume is in its collection of up-to-date information covering almost all the various aspects relating to metal hydride research, resulting from a symposium that
Design of Aircraft
This book is based upon a series of lectures, given over a number of years to undergraduate students. Its format is logical and covers the necessary range for such courses.The author has then called upon his lifetime of research and acquisition of knowledge to cover this framework with a wealth of detail and expand its range. The resulting volume contains more details on its subject than any other book which has cometo my attention. Chapter 2, The Treatment of Airflows, Chapter 3, Means of Generating Lift and Propulsion Forces taken together with Chapter 4, Properties of Classical and Swept Aircraft, could I suggest, soon become essential recommended reading for all aeronautical engineering undergraduates. The information in the rest of the book makes it highly desirable for postgraduate courses,research workers in both academic institutes and industry, as well as to practising aerospace engineering designers. As an added bonus the list of referencesis extensive and comprehensive.Not only is the influence of the author’s lifetime in research establishments obvious but in the more philosophical parts of the text the artistic side of his nature, which manifesteditself in his musical ability, combines with the applied scientist to give a complete approach to the subject. J. L. Home Bibliography on the Fatigue of Materials, Components and Structures, Y. 1951-1960,VoL 2 CompiledbyJ. Pergamon
W. J. Plumbridge
by
D. Kiichemann. Pp. ix+564. Pergamon Press, Oxford. 19 78. Hard cover f25.00, Flexicoverf 10.00.
Mann. Pp. 489. 19 78. f35.00.
might be avoided. A similar text for the next decade (1961-70), when the emphasis in fatigue studies changed to crack growth and fracture mechanics,is eagerly awaited.
Introduction
to Solid-State
by 0. DIM59
Although the number of textbooks on solidstate physics suitable for undergraduates is large, there are few that are sufficiently advanced and yet broad enough in coverage to be useful at the graduate level. This book is intended to meet the needsof research students and, in the reviewer’s opinion, succeeds admirably in doing so. Professor Madelung adopts a unifying approach to solid-state theory which involves the concept of elementary excitations. The excitations can be collective (phonons, plasmons, magnons, excitons etc.), localised (small polarons, bound-excitons, point defects, surface states etc.), or interactive (transport and optical properties, superconductivity etc). It is surprising and illuminating to see how much of solid-state physics can be incorporated into such a framework. For example, treatment of non-crystalline materials takes a natural place alongside band theory via a valuable chapter entitled ‘Local description of solid-state properties’, which provides the link between the bond and band description of solids. In spite of the title, this book is not intended to be used exclusively by theorists. Contact with experimental data is made throughout and the level of mathematics should not be beyond any experimentalist. A useful bibliography, containing reference to many key specialised and review articles, and a selection of problems, are included. E. A. Davis
Press, Oxford.
This bibliography covers the period which may be described as the start of an era of rapidly increasing interest in the fatigue problem. The author has previously published an equivalent volume covering the subject up to 1950. In the present text almost six thousand referencesare cited, arising from thirty countries and around one thousand publication sources, which include many ‘internal’ reports. All aspects of the subject are considered, ranging from the physical processes involved through to the endurance of full scale structures, and including such items as testing machines, service case histories, and corrosion effects. Referencesare presented on a yearly basis, in alphabetical order, although no attempt is made to separate the categories mentioned above. Comprehensive author and subject indexesare also included. The reviewer considers that this substantial work should be compulsory reading for all workers, and perhaps more important, potential workers in the fatigue field. They may find it surprising how many of the ‘hot’ topics of today were being considered twenty years ago. Certainly, a good deal of rediscovery 186
Theory
Madelung, translated by B. C. Taylor. Pp. xi+486. Springer, Berlin. 1978. ($29.50).
Semiconductors, Smith. xi+523. London. 1978. Paperbackf8.95.
2nd edition by R. A. Cambridge University Press, Hardback f2 7.50,
Since the first edition of this classic text was first published twenty years ago, striking developmentsin the scienceand technology of semiconductorshave occurred. While the basic physics has remained virtually unchanged, advances on several fronts have been so rapid that an up-dating was becoming vital for the survival of the book as a main textbook for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Readers familiar with the first edition will note the omission in this new volume of a certain amount of theoretical material (which can now be found in the author’s complementary book ‘Wave Mechanics of Crystalline Solids’) and of chapters on . applications and methods of measurement. They are, however, more likely to note and appreciate the inclusion of much new material on recently developed topics such as magnetooptics, transferred-electron effects, optical phenomena (especially those involving light
emission and lasers), and amorphous semiconductors. The references are conveniently placed at the foot of relevant pages and a bibliography, along with a comprehensiveauthor and subject index, round off the book. Its rebirth will bring authoritative information to the ‘new’ generation and satisfaction to others who can now say again ‘You can find it in Smith’ without appearing old-fashioned! E. A. Davis Summary of International Energy Research and Development Activities 1974-l 976 prepared by the Smithsonian Science Information Exchange Inc. Pergamon Press, Oxford. 1978. f25.00.
A knowledge of energy research and development activities is of value to any worker in the field, and this book assistsconsiderably in expanding our knowledge. The layout is easy to follow, and it is comparatively easy to trace areasof particular interest. The preface identifies the main sources of data, and by reading the list of sponsoring agencies one is able to assess,at first sight, organisations most active in finding project work. I have a number of reservations concerning the contents. Firstly, as practised by the EEC in its listing of Research and Development projects, an indication of project budget and duration would be valuable. If this is unobtainable, perhaps the number of manyears could be given. Secondly, reference to comparable publications distributed by other organisations, such as the UK Government, the IEA, and the EEC would help-such listings should not be treated in isolation. The contribution from the United Kingdom is particularly disappointing, suggestingthat little or no work is being done. Having said this, I learned much by reading the book, and found it useful in my own fields of heat pipes, heat pumps, and waste heat recovery. I am sure others will find it, for the price, a worthwhile investment. D.A.Reay Hydrides for Energy Storage EditedbyA. F. Andresen andA. J. Maeland. Pp. 599. Pergamon Press, Oxford. 1978. f30.00.
The potential of hydrogen as an energy carrier in future energy systems has been given increasing attention in the last few years, due to its interesting characteristics for an extended use of alternative primary energies.One of the important and significant properties of hydrogen is its storability. The role of metal hydrides could be important in the future due to their possible use as energy storage media: some alloy systems absorb and release hydrogen, at various temperatures and pressures, offering a reversible means for the storage and supply of hydrogen. Studiesin this research area are relatively recent and often information is dispersed. The merit of the volume is in its collection of up-to-date information covering almost all the various aspects relating to metal hydride research, resulting from a symposium that