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Proceedings of the second United Nations international conference on the peaceful uses of atomic energy, held in Geneva 1 September–13 September 1958.
176
BOOK R~VlEWS
Proceedings o/ the second United Nations international con]erence on the peace/ul uses o] atomic energy, held in Geneva 1 September--13 September 1958. Vol. 30. Fundamental physics (viii--329 pages). Vol. 31. Theoretical and experimental aspects o] controlled nuclear /usion (viii--390 p a g e s ) . Vol. 32. Controlled ]usion devices (viii--463 pages). ( U n i t e d N a t i o n s , G e n e v a , 1958). T h e s e t h r e e v o l u m e s , o u t of t h e t h i r t y - t h r e e in w h i c h t h e p r o c e e d i n g s of t h e s e c o n d G e n e v a conference a r e r e p o r t e d , a r e t h e m o s t likely to i n t e r e s t p h y s i c i s t s c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h e m o r e f u n d a m e n t a l , n o n - t e c h n o l o g i c a l a s p e c t s of t h e s t u d y of n u c l e a r e n e r g y a n d its applications. T h e t w o v o l u m e s d e v o t e d to n u c l e a r f u s i o n a r e indeed e s s e n t i a l as s o u r c e s of i n f o r m a t i o n o n t h i s n e w b r a n c h of d e v e l o p m e n t . T h e v o l u m e o n f u n d a m e n t a l p h y s i c s c o n t a i n s a large a m o u n t of f i r s t - r a t e work, in p a r t i c u l a r s o m e v a l u a b l e s u r v e y reports, as well as a n u m b e r of c o m m u n i c a t i o n s w h i c h w o u l d n o t easily h a v e f o u n d t h e i r w a y into j o u r n a l s r u n b y c r i t i c a l l y - m i n d e d editors. L. JR. L. D. LANDAU a n d E. M. LIFSHXXZ, The classical theory o] ]ields. (Course o] theoretical physws, Vol. 2). T r a n s l a t e d f r o m t h e ]Russian b y M o r t o n H a m e r m e s h ( P e r g a m o n Press, L o n d o n , 1959. i x - - 3 5 4 pages. 70s. net). T h i s is a re-issue b y P e r g a m o n P r e s s of t h e t r a n s l a t i o n of t h e excellent t e x t b o o k of L a n d a u a n d Lifschitz on classical field t h e o r y first p u b l i s h e d b y A d d i s o n - W e s l e y in 1951 (I m a y be p e r m i t t e d to refer t h e r e a d e r to m y review of t h a t e d i t i o n in Proc. P h y s . Soc. A 65 (1952) 567). O n e would h a v e t h o u g h t t h a t t h e p u b l i s h e r s of t h e p r e s e n t issue (which is m e r e l y a p h o t o s t a t i c r e p r o d u c t i o n of t h e p r e v i o u s one) w o u l d a t l e a s t h a v e t a k e n care to m a k e t h e size of t h e p a g e s u n i f o r m w i t h t h e o t h e r v o l u m e s of t h e a u t h o r ' s f a m o u s course of t h e o r e t i c a l physics, of w h i c h t h e y h a v e u n d e r t a k e n t h e c o m p l e t e t r a n s l a t i o n ; b u t , incredible as it s o u n d s , t h e y h a v e neglected t h i s e l e m e n t a r y s t e p to e n s u r e a n e a t a p p e a r a n c e of t h e whole w o r k on l i b r a r y shelves. L.R.
Sonderausschuss Radioaktivit~it, Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Zweiter Bericht (Mdrz 1959) (Georg T h i e m e Verlag, S t u t t g a r t , 1959. 117 pages. D M 12.60). F o r a r e v i e w of t h e first r e p o r t of t h e G e r m a n c o m m i s s i o n on r a d i o a c t i v i t y , see this j o u r n a l 10 (1959) 92. T h i s second r e p o r t b r i n g s a f u r t h e r collection of v a l u a b l e s t a t i s t i c a l d a t a c o n c e r n i n g t h e v a r i o u s a s p e c t s of r a d i o a c t i v e c o n t a m i n a t i o n . A c c o r d i n g to t h e c a u t i o u s conclusions of t h e c o m m i s s i o n , t h e m a t e r i a l is n o t y e t s u f f i c i e n t to a n s w e r t h e U N O q u e s t i o n n a i r e on t h e subject. A 60 % increase in t h e n u m b e r of n u c l e a r - w e a p o n t e s t s in t h e period u n d e r i n v e s t i g a t i o n h a d no i n f l u e n c e on t h e r a d i o a c t i v i t y of t h e low a t m o s p h e r e . L.]R.
International directory o] radioisotopes, Vol. I: Unprocessed and processed radioisotope preparations and special radiation sources (xiii--264 pages. $ 3.50). Directory o] nuclear reactors, Vol. I: Power reactors (214 pages. $ 3.50) ( I n t e r n a t i o n a l A t o m i c E n e r g y A g e n c y , Vienna, 1959). T w o useful p u b l i c a t i o n s f r o m t h e n e w i n t e r n a t i o n a l o r g a n i s m c o n c e r n e d w i t h a t o m i c energy. T h e selection a n d a r r a n g e m e n t of t h e m a t e r i a l are well conceived a n d t h e p r o d u c t i o n v e r y neat, especially t h a t of t h e r e a c t o r d i r e c t o r y w i t h its n u m e r o u s t e c h n i c a l drawings. All d a t a c o n t a i n e d in t h e l a t t e r d i r e c t o r y h a v e b e e n e i t h e r p r o v i d e d or c h e c k e d b y t h e a u t h o r i t i e s in t h e c o u n t r i e s concerned, a n d can, therefore, b e considered as t h e b e s t a v a i l a b l e a t t h e p r e s e n t t i m e . T h a n k s to t h e co-operation of I A E A ' s M e m b e r States, it h a s also b e e n possible to i n c l u d e in t h i s v o l u m e a n u m b e r of projects a b o u t w h i c h no i n f o r m a t i o n h a d h i t h e r t o b e e n g e n e r a l l y available a n d m a n y details w h i c h h a v e n o t b e e n included in a n y p r e v i o u s publication. I t is p l a n n e d to issue periodical s u p p l e m e n t s to t h i s v o l u m e in order to keep it u p to d a t e a n d as c o m p l e t e as possible. L. R.
BOOK R~VlEWS
Proceedings o/ the second United Nations international con]erence on the peace/ul uses o] atomic energy, held in Geneva 1 September--13 September 1958. Vol. 30. Fundamental physics (viii--329 pages). Vol. 31. Theoretical and experimental aspects o] controlled nuclear /usion (viii--390 p a g e s ) . Vol. 32. Controlled ]usion devices (viii--463 pages). ( U n i t e d N a t i o n s , G e n e v a , 1958). T h e s e t h r e e v o l u m e s , o u t of t h e t h i r t y - t h r e e in w h i c h t h e p r o c e e d i n g s of t h e s e c o n d G e n e v a conference a r e r e p o r t e d , a r e t h e m o s t likely to i n t e r e s t p h y s i c i s t s c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h e m o r e f u n d a m e n t a l , n o n - t e c h n o l o g i c a l a s p e c t s of t h e s t u d y of n u c l e a r e n e r g y a n d its applications. T h e t w o v o l u m e s d e v o t e d to n u c l e a r f u s i o n a r e indeed e s s e n t i a l as s o u r c e s of i n f o r m a t i o n o n t h i s n e w b r a n c h of d e v e l o p m e n t . T h e v o l u m e o n f u n d a m e n t a l p h y s i c s c o n t a i n s a large a m o u n t of f i r s t - r a t e work, in p a r t i c u l a r s o m e v a l u a b l e s u r v e y reports, as well as a n u m b e r of c o m m u n i c a t i o n s w h i c h w o u l d n o t easily h a v e f o u n d t h e i r w a y into j o u r n a l s r u n b y c r i t i c a l l y - m i n d e d editors. L. JR. L. D. LANDAU a n d E. M. LIFSHXXZ, The classical theory o] ]ields. (Course o] theoretical physws, Vol. 2). T r a n s l a t e d f r o m t h e ]Russian b y M o r t o n H a m e r m e s h ( P e r g a m o n Press, L o n d o n , 1959. i x - - 3 5 4 pages. 70s. net). T h i s is a re-issue b y P e r g a m o n P r e s s of t h e t r a n s l a t i o n of t h e excellent t e x t b o o k of L a n d a u a n d Lifschitz on classical field t h e o r y first p u b l i s h e d b y A d d i s o n - W e s l e y in 1951 (I m a y be p e r m i t t e d to refer t h e r e a d e r to m y review of t h a t e d i t i o n in Proc. P h y s . Soc. A 65 (1952) 567). O n e would h a v e t h o u g h t t h a t t h e p u b l i s h e r s of t h e p r e s e n t issue (which is m e r e l y a p h o t o s t a t i c r e p r o d u c t i o n of t h e p r e v i o u s one) w o u l d a t l e a s t h a v e t a k e n care to m a k e t h e size of t h e p a g e s u n i f o r m w i t h t h e o t h e r v o l u m e s of t h e a u t h o r ' s f a m o u s course of t h e o r e t i c a l physics, of w h i c h t h e y h a v e u n d e r t a k e n t h e c o m p l e t e t r a n s l a t i o n ; b u t , incredible as it s o u n d s , t h e y h a v e neglected t h i s e l e m e n t a r y s t e p to e n s u r e a n e a t a p p e a r a n c e of t h e whole w o r k on l i b r a r y shelves. L.R.
Sonderausschuss Radioaktivit~it, Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Zweiter Bericht (Mdrz 1959) (Georg T h i e m e Verlag, S t u t t g a r t , 1959. 117 pages. D M 12.60). F o r a r e v i e w of t h e first r e p o r t of t h e G e r m a n c o m m i s s i o n on r a d i o a c t i v i t y , see this j o u r n a l 10 (1959) 92. T h i s second r e p o r t b r i n g s a f u r t h e r collection of v a l u a b l e s t a t i s t i c a l d a t a c o n c e r n i n g t h e v a r i o u s a s p e c t s of r a d i o a c t i v e c o n t a m i n a t i o n . A c c o r d i n g to t h e c a u t i o u s conclusions of t h e c o m m i s s i o n , t h e m a t e r i a l is n o t y e t s u f f i c i e n t to a n s w e r t h e U N O q u e s t i o n n a i r e on t h e subject. A 60 % increase in t h e n u m b e r of n u c l e a r - w e a p o n t e s t s in t h e period u n d e r i n v e s t i g a t i o n h a d no i n f l u e n c e on t h e r a d i o a c t i v i t y of t h e low a t m o s p h e r e . L.]R.
International directory o] radioisotopes, Vol. I: Unprocessed and processed radioisotope preparations and special radiation sources (xiii--264 pages. $ 3.50). Directory o] nuclear reactors, Vol. I: Power reactors (214 pages. $ 3.50) ( I n t e r n a t i o n a l A t o m i c E n e r g y A g e n c y , Vienna, 1959). T w o useful p u b l i c a t i o n s f r o m t h e n e w i n t e r n a t i o n a l o r g a n i s m c o n c e r n e d w i t h a t o m i c energy. T h e selection a n d a r r a n g e m e n t of t h e m a t e r i a l are well conceived a n d t h e p r o d u c t i o n v e r y neat, especially t h a t of t h e r e a c t o r d i r e c t o r y w i t h its n u m e r o u s t e c h n i c a l drawings. All d a t a c o n t a i n e d in t h e l a t t e r d i r e c t o r y h a v e b e e n e i t h e r p r o v i d e d or c h e c k e d b y t h e a u t h o r i t i e s in t h e c o u n t r i e s concerned, a n d can, therefore, b e considered as t h e b e s t a v a i l a b l e a t t h e p r e s e n t t i m e . T h a n k s to t h e co-operation of I A E A ' s M e m b e r States, it h a s also b e e n possible to i n c l u d e in t h i s v o l u m e a n u m b e r of projects a b o u t w h i c h no i n f o r m a t i o n h a d h i t h e r t o b e e n g e n e r a l l y available a n d m a n y details w h i c h h a v e n o t b e e n included in a n y p r e v i o u s publication. I t is p l a n n e d to issue periodical s u p p l e m e n t s to t h i s v o l u m e in order to keep it u p to d a t e a n d as c o m p l e t e as possible. L. R.