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Nuclear chemistry
J. inorg,nucl.Chem.,1969,Vol.31, p, 1550. PergamonPress. Printedin Great Britain
BOOK REVIEW
Nuclear Chemistry. Volume 1, Edited by L. Y A F F E . Academic Press, New York, 1968. 465pp., $22.00.
THIs is not a homogeneous book, but rather a collection of reviews on selected topics in nuclear chemistry written by experts in the fields concerned. It is not a complete treatise on the subject in itself, but will be more so when Volume 2 is issued. In general the individual chapters are very well written, printed, and illustrated. However, the latest references in Chapters 1 and 2 are 1964 and in Chapter 6 are 1966, suggesting that these parts are not so up-to-date as the others. The index is brief to the point of indecency and quite inadequate for such a book. Chapter 1: Nuclear models: T. D. Newton The Shell, Unified, and Optical models are described well, but the very important liquid drop model is hardly mentioned. On page 6 the author remarks that quantitative calculations with the pure liquid drop model have only been attempted for the fission process. Does this mean that the model will be discussed in the fission chapter of Volume 2 ? If so, the author should say so. Chapter 2: Low energy nuclear reactions: N. T. Porile This is a very good and full treatment of the theory and results, but with no details of experimental techniques. Unfortunately, the Optical model, having been explained thoroughly in Chapter 1, is now dealt with again, and with different symbols this time! Chapter 3: High-energy nuclear reactions: J. Hudis Again a very good and clear treatment, which does include practical methods. However, the difficulty in splitting nuclear reactions between two authors is illustrated by the fact that Chapter 3, instead of following on gracefully from Chapter 2, shows a sharp discontinuity, and the reader has a feeling of starting again on a new topic. This is intensified by the fact that Chapter 2 ends at 60 MeV while Chapter 3 starts at 100 MeV. Chapter 4: Studies of nuclear reactions by recoil techniques: J. M. Alexander The introduction is followed by a rather abbreviated description of experimental techniques for measurement of range and angular distributions. A first-class account is given of results of fission, fragmentation, and spallation experiments at low and high energies, and of other nuclear reactions at medium energies. Chapter 5: Experimental nuclear spectroscopy: J. M. Hollander This chapter is sensibly confined largely to experimental methods and results, since the models are adequately dealt with in Chapters 1 and 2. T-ray spectroscopy is particularly well treated, although one feels that the author has dealt less generously with particle spectroscopy. Chapter 6: Heavy-ion induced reactions:.4. Zucker and K. S. Toth A good, but rather curt treatment of the subject: heavy ion fission is virtually ignored. Chemistry Division ,4.E.R.E., Harwell Didcot, Berkshire
J.G. CUNINGHAME
1550
BOOK REVIEW
Nuclear Chemistry. Volume 1, Edited by L. Y A F F E . Academic Press, New York, 1968. 465pp., $22.00.
THIs is not a homogeneous book, but rather a collection of reviews on selected topics in nuclear chemistry written by experts in the fields concerned. It is not a complete treatise on the subject in itself, but will be more so when Volume 2 is issued. In general the individual chapters are very well written, printed, and illustrated. However, the latest references in Chapters 1 and 2 are 1964 and in Chapter 6 are 1966, suggesting that these parts are not so up-to-date as the others. The index is brief to the point of indecency and quite inadequate for such a book. Chapter 1: Nuclear models: T. D. Newton The Shell, Unified, and Optical models are described well, but the very important liquid drop model is hardly mentioned. On page 6 the author remarks that quantitative calculations with the pure liquid drop model have only been attempted for the fission process. Does this mean that the model will be discussed in the fission chapter of Volume 2 ? If so, the author should say so. Chapter 2: Low energy nuclear reactions: N. T. Porile This is a very good and full treatment of the theory and results, but with no details of experimental techniques. Unfortunately, the Optical model, having been explained thoroughly in Chapter 1, is now dealt with again, and with different symbols this time! Chapter 3: High-energy nuclear reactions: J. Hudis Again a very good and clear treatment, which does include practical methods. However, the difficulty in splitting nuclear reactions between two authors is illustrated by the fact that Chapter 3, instead of following on gracefully from Chapter 2, shows a sharp discontinuity, and the reader has a feeling of starting again on a new topic. This is intensified by the fact that Chapter 2 ends at 60 MeV while Chapter 3 starts at 100 MeV. Chapter 4: Studies of nuclear reactions by recoil techniques: J. M. Alexander The introduction is followed by a rather abbreviated description of experimental techniques for measurement of range and angular distributions. A first-class account is given of results of fission, fragmentation, and spallation experiments at low and high energies, and of other nuclear reactions at medium energies. Chapter 5: Experimental nuclear spectroscopy: J. M. Hollander This chapter is sensibly confined largely to experimental methods and results, since the models are adequately dealt with in Chapters 1 and 2. T-ray spectroscopy is particularly well treated, although one feels that the author has dealt less generously with particle spectroscopy. Chapter 6: Heavy-ion induced reactions:.4. Zucker and K. S. Toth A good, but rather curt treatment of the subject: heavy ion fission is virtually ignored. Chemistry Division ,4.E.R.E., Harwell Didcot, Berkshire
J.G. CUNINGHAME
1550