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Mechanics, third edition, course of theoretical physics
208
Book reviews
results can then be used to assess the limiting capacity of an ocean to accept radioactive waste. [Note: NRPB recently published a report, Assessment of the radiological protection aspects of disposal of high-level waste on the ocean floor (NRPB-R48), which dealt with the feasibility of disposing of glassified high-level waste on the ocean floor; this present report, NRPB-R58, does not discuss this problem but has been prepared in relation to the disposal of low-level waste.] Work on Plutonium, Radon, New Dosemeters and Microwaves Described in NRPB Report In 1975 the NRPB occupied its purpose-built laboratories at Harwell and research and development previously carried out at several locations was brought together for the first time. The NRPB has now published its first annual research and development report,* describing work carried out in 1976, the first full year of occupation of the laboratories, but with reference to some of the earlier work. The report describes 66 separate projects, most of them directly related to the practical problems experienced in protecting people from radiation. Many of these problems are associated with the use of plutonium and the higher actinides and a number of projects are concerned with understanding in detail the movement of actinides within the human body, the resultant radiation doses received by tissues and the development of techniques for removing actinides from the body. Other research in biology is concerned with studying the deposition, clearance and retention of inhaled radioactive particles and the metabolism, excretion and radiation dose after an intake of carbon-14 labelled compounds. One project describes the measurement of the naturally occurring radioactive gas, radon, in dwellings. The NRPB issues over 500,000 film badges for personal dose measurement each year and decided sometime ago to replace the film badge with a dosemeter based on thermoluminescent material. The report describes research and development at several levels, e.g., the fundamental physics of thermoluminescent materials, the design and specification of automatic read-out equipment, the design and manufacture of equipment for detecting radioactive contamination on dosemeters, the specification and writing of programs for computer control of dosemeter reading, calibration and issue, and for keeping records of radiation doses. Studies of the biological effects of microwaves have begun. A number of these research projects are supported financially by the Commission of the European Communities. Further information is available from the Information Officer, National Radiological Protection Board, Harwell, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RQ; telephone: Rowstock (023 583) 600. Mechanics, Third Edition, Course of Theoretical Physics, Vol. I by L. D. LANDAU and E. M. LIFSHITZ, Pergamon 1976, pp. 169. £6.25 (Hard cover). This delightful book is a revised edition of the original, first published in 1960. Very little is changed in this new edition except for the final sections on adiabatic invariants which have been revised by L. P. Pitasvskii and E. M. Lifshitz. However, Dr. Lifshitz has included a very moving *Annual Research and Development Report 1976, NRPB/R & D1 (HMSO £1.75). No. 12/77, 23 May 1977.
and revealing obituary of L. D. Landau first written in 1969, one year after Landau's tragic death, for Uspekhi fizicheskikh nauk. An explanation of the saying 'L. Landau, beware, he bites' introduces one to the man and his works. M. M. R. WILLIAMS
Professor of Nuclear Engineering, Queen Mary College, University of London.
Scientific Analysis on the Pocket Calculator by JON M. SMITH, John Wiley, 1975, £8.30. pp. 380. The advent of the pocket calculator has truly revolutionized the attitude of most scientific workers to numerical work. In the past, numerical problems fell into two distinct categories: those which could be done quickly with either slide rule or log book and whose accuracy was generally limited to three significant figures, and those which had to be taken to the digital computer. We all know the frustration that results when a relatively simple quadrature or straightforward evaluation of a function requires us to write a program, punch the cards, run, debug and finally, when the program is ready, find that the machine has broken down. The pocket calculator, and in particular the latest programmable types, has removed many of these problems by introducing an intermediate mode of calculation. Now, results accurate to ten significant figures for quite complex problems can be obtained either at one's desk, on the train or quietly by the fireside at home. Jon M. Smith has done an excellent job in showing the reader the full power of his pocket calculator. He discusses the complete range of products from four function up to the latest programmable. Moreover, he has generously discussed many tricks of the trade which enable the user to extract the last ounce of calculating power from this calculator. For not only are the calculators themselves discussed (in a non-commercial manner) but also the various numerical techniques that can be used. For example, the use of Chebyshev polynomials to obtain rational approximations, the pitfalls of various root-finding techniques used for transcendental equations and various aspects of statistics and probability. Indeed, one is buying not just a book on pocket calculators but a book on the associated numerical analysis as well. The chapter headings will give an idea of the extent of coverage of the book: (1) The pocket calculator; (2) Difference tables, data analysis and function evaluation; (3) Elementary analysis with the pocket calculator; (4) Numerical evaluation of advanced functions; (5) Fourier analysis; (6) Numerical integration; (7) Linear systems simulation; (8) Chebyshev and rational polynomial approximations for analytic substitution; (9) Determining the roots of a function; (10) Statistics and probability; (11 ) The programmable pocket calculator; (12) Optimization. There are also four very useful appendices. The author shows such insight into the many 'little' problems that are met in practical calculations that he anticipated most of my questions. The book is also pleasant to read having an easy style of prose and a pragmatic outlook. This reviewer highly recommends the book for anyone who uses a pocket calculator as a serious calculating tool. Indeed, reading the book may well convert those who are uncertain of the advantages of the programmable calculator and cause them to go out and buy one. In this respect, the makers of pocket calculators also owe Jon Smith a debt of gratitude. M. M. R. WILLIAMS
Book reviews
results can then be used to assess the limiting capacity of an ocean to accept radioactive waste. [Note: NRPB recently published a report, Assessment of the radiological protection aspects of disposal of high-level waste on the ocean floor (NRPB-R48), which dealt with the feasibility of disposing of glassified high-level waste on the ocean floor; this present report, NRPB-R58, does not discuss this problem but has been prepared in relation to the disposal of low-level waste.] Work on Plutonium, Radon, New Dosemeters and Microwaves Described in NRPB Report In 1975 the NRPB occupied its purpose-built laboratories at Harwell and research and development previously carried out at several locations was brought together for the first time. The NRPB has now published its first annual research and development report,* describing work carried out in 1976, the first full year of occupation of the laboratories, but with reference to some of the earlier work. The report describes 66 separate projects, most of them directly related to the practical problems experienced in protecting people from radiation. Many of these problems are associated with the use of plutonium and the higher actinides and a number of projects are concerned with understanding in detail the movement of actinides within the human body, the resultant radiation doses received by tissues and the development of techniques for removing actinides from the body. Other research in biology is concerned with studying the deposition, clearance and retention of inhaled radioactive particles and the metabolism, excretion and radiation dose after an intake of carbon-14 labelled compounds. One project describes the measurement of the naturally occurring radioactive gas, radon, in dwellings. The NRPB issues over 500,000 film badges for personal dose measurement each year and decided sometime ago to replace the film badge with a dosemeter based on thermoluminescent material. The report describes research and development at several levels, e.g., the fundamental physics of thermoluminescent materials, the design and specification of automatic read-out equipment, the design and manufacture of equipment for detecting radioactive contamination on dosemeters, the specification and writing of programs for computer control of dosemeter reading, calibration and issue, and for keeping records of radiation doses. Studies of the biological effects of microwaves have begun. A number of these research projects are supported financially by the Commission of the European Communities. Further information is available from the Information Officer, National Radiological Protection Board, Harwell, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0RQ; telephone: Rowstock (023 583) 600. Mechanics, Third Edition, Course of Theoretical Physics, Vol. I by L. D. LANDAU and E. M. LIFSHITZ, Pergamon 1976, pp. 169. £6.25 (Hard cover). This delightful book is a revised edition of the original, first published in 1960. Very little is changed in this new edition except for the final sections on adiabatic invariants which have been revised by L. P. Pitasvskii and E. M. Lifshitz. However, Dr. Lifshitz has included a very moving *Annual Research and Development Report 1976, NRPB/R & D1 (HMSO £1.75). No. 12/77, 23 May 1977.
and revealing obituary of L. D. Landau first written in 1969, one year after Landau's tragic death, for Uspekhi fizicheskikh nauk. An explanation of the saying 'L. Landau, beware, he bites' introduces one to the man and his works. M. M. R. WILLIAMS
Professor of Nuclear Engineering, Queen Mary College, University of London.
Scientific Analysis on the Pocket Calculator by JON M. SMITH, John Wiley, 1975, £8.30. pp. 380. The advent of the pocket calculator has truly revolutionized the attitude of most scientific workers to numerical work. In the past, numerical problems fell into two distinct categories: those which could be done quickly with either slide rule or log book and whose accuracy was generally limited to three significant figures, and those which had to be taken to the digital computer. We all know the frustration that results when a relatively simple quadrature or straightforward evaluation of a function requires us to write a program, punch the cards, run, debug and finally, when the program is ready, find that the machine has broken down. The pocket calculator, and in particular the latest programmable types, has removed many of these problems by introducing an intermediate mode of calculation. Now, results accurate to ten significant figures for quite complex problems can be obtained either at one's desk, on the train or quietly by the fireside at home. Jon M. Smith has done an excellent job in showing the reader the full power of his pocket calculator. He discusses the complete range of products from four function up to the latest programmable. Moreover, he has generously discussed many tricks of the trade which enable the user to extract the last ounce of calculating power from this calculator. For not only are the calculators themselves discussed (in a non-commercial manner) but also the various numerical techniques that can be used. For example, the use of Chebyshev polynomials to obtain rational approximations, the pitfalls of various root-finding techniques used for transcendental equations and various aspects of statistics and probability. Indeed, one is buying not just a book on pocket calculators but a book on the associated numerical analysis as well. The chapter headings will give an idea of the extent of coverage of the book: (1) The pocket calculator; (2) Difference tables, data analysis and function evaluation; (3) Elementary analysis with the pocket calculator; (4) Numerical evaluation of advanced functions; (5) Fourier analysis; (6) Numerical integration; (7) Linear systems simulation; (8) Chebyshev and rational polynomial approximations for analytic substitution; (9) Determining the roots of a function; (10) Statistics and probability; (11 ) The programmable pocket calculator; (12) Optimization. There are also four very useful appendices. The author shows such insight into the many 'little' problems that are met in practical calculations that he anticipated most of my questions. The book is also pleasant to read having an easy style of prose and a pragmatic outlook. This reviewer highly recommends the book for anyone who uses a pocket calculator as a serious calculating tool. Indeed, reading the book may well convert those who are uncertain of the advantages of the programmable calculator and cause them to go out and buy one. In this respect, the makers of pocket calculators also owe Jon Smith a debt of gratitude. M. M. R. WILLIAMS