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Nuclear instruments and their uses, Vol. I
Apr., I963.]
BOOK NOTES
graphs of celestial objects. The chapter on telescopes and binoculars not only covers in detail instruments on the market, b u t explains the principles involved so clearly t h a t it could well serve as an introduction to all optical instruments. For the do-it-yourself fan, there is a chapter on making a telescope. In the section on visual observations, the author gives directions for when and where to place the telescope, and for using the eyes and the i n s t r u m e n t to best advantage. He also has a well-illustrated chapter on w h a t to look for, once the telescope has been set up, with suggestions on how to get the best results. For the astrophotographer, two chapters deal lucidly with the equipment (lenses and cameras) and the techniques most likely to succeed. Each chapter has references; seven appendices provide useful data on such subjects as clusters, double stars, bright stars, meteor showers and sources of supplies. This is an excellent addition to the Chilton shelf of photographic handbooks. ToPics IN PHYSICS, b y Joseph Louis Finck. 264 pages, diagrams, 6 X 9 in. New York, Bookman Associates, Inc., 1963. Price, $7.50. This book represents an extension of the volume published by the author in 1955 entitled "Thermodynamics from thee Classic and Generalized Standpoints." The text is divided into four parts. P a r t A covers classic thermodynamics. Differing from the usual treatment of the subject, the difficulties and limitations of the classic approach have been brought into prominence. P a r t B re-examines the foundations of classic thermodynamics, pointing out its limitations and establishing a generalization of the law of conservation of energy as based on a "complete" system. This gives the Kelvin-Planck and Clausius principles a deeper meaning, throwing light on properties such as viscosity, resistance, the unusual phenomena a t very low temperatures, catalysis, and the phenomenon of "reversibility" in general. P a r t C critically examines Newton's laws of motion and the mass concept and indicates how these relate to generalized thermodynamics. The limitations of Newton's laws of motion, the law of gravitation and Coulomb's law of electrostatics are
353
considered. Part D is a critique of the basic theorems used in statistical mechanics. In general, uncertainties and precision in measurements are considered as well as in quantunl theory. NUCLEAR INSTRUMENTS AND THEIR USES, VOL. I, edited b y A r t h u r H. Snell. 494 pages, diagrams, 6 X 9 in. New York, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1962. Price, $7.50. This text provides a condensation of much information relative to the tolerance limits of radioactivity of various kinds, in the body, the laboratory, and the community. In fact, it will be of particular interest to anyone concerned with the problem of radioactive contamination. Nuclear detectors most commonly used in counting experiments, radiochemical work, and health physics are thoroughly described. Detectors, such as ionization chambers and counters, Cerenkov counters, and scintillation counters, are covered in a way which specifies the exact manner of construction and design in order to obtain the full realization of their capabilities. Design considerations for the electronic amplifying circuit necessary to every detector are developed in a practical way, especially with respect to speed of response and maximization of the desired signal relative to the unwanted circuit noise. Volume II, "Statistical T r e a t m e n t of Nuclear Science Data," b y A. H. Jaffey, is to follow providing detailed information which the experimentalist can use to realize the significance of his results. NONLINEAR PROBLEMS, edited by Rudolph E. Langer. 321 pages, 6 X 9¼ in. Madison, The University of Wisconsin Press, 1963. Price, $7.50. These are the Proceedings of a Symposium conducted b y the Mathematics Research Center, United States A~my, at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis., held April 30, M a y 1 and 2, 1962. The volume consists of fifteen invited lectures and the abstracts of contributed papers given during this sixth symposium on nonlinear problems. Among the authors are many foreign authorities and research technicians as well as experts from our own country. Nonlinear theory up until now has been largely fragmentary and ot~r
BOOK NOTES
graphs of celestial objects. The chapter on telescopes and binoculars not only covers in detail instruments on the market, b u t explains the principles involved so clearly t h a t it could well serve as an introduction to all optical instruments. For the do-it-yourself fan, there is a chapter on making a telescope. In the section on visual observations, the author gives directions for when and where to place the telescope, and for using the eyes and the i n s t r u m e n t to best advantage. He also has a well-illustrated chapter on w h a t to look for, once the telescope has been set up, with suggestions on how to get the best results. For the astrophotographer, two chapters deal lucidly with the equipment (lenses and cameras) and the techniques most likely to succeed. Each chapter has references; seven appendices provide useful data on such subjects as clusters, double stars, bright stars, meteor showers and sources of supplies. This is an excellent addition to the Chilton shelf of photographic handbooks. ToPics IN PHYSICS, b y Joseph Louis Finck. 264 pages, diagrams, 6 X 9 in. New York, Bookman Associates, Inc., 1963. Price, $7.50. This book represents an extension of the volume published by the author in 1955 entitled "Thermodynamics from thee Classic and Generalized Standpoints." The text is divided into four parts. P a r t A covers classic thermodynamics. Differing from the usual treatment of the subject, the difficulties and limitations of the classic approach have been brought into prominence. P a r t B re-examines the foundations of classic thermodynamics, pointing out its limitations and establishing a generalization of the law of conservation of energy as based on a "complete" system. This gives the Kelvin-Planck and Clausius principles a deeper meaning, throwing light on properties such as viscosity, resistance, the unusual phenomena a t very low temperatures, catalysis, and the phenomenon of "reversibility" in general. P a r t C critically examines Newton's laws of motion and the mass concept and indicates how these relate to generalized thermodynamics. The limitations of Newton's laws of motion, the law of gravitation and Coulomb's law of electrostatics are
353
considered. Part D is a critique of the basic theorems used in statistical mechanics. In general, uncertainties and precision in measurements are considered as well as in quantunl theory. NUCLEAR INSTRUMENTS AND THEIR USES, VOL. I, edited b y A r t h u r H. Snell. 494 pages, diagrams, 6 X 9 in. New York, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1962. Price, $7.50. This text provides a condensation of much information relative to the tolerance limits of radioactivity of various kinds, in the body, the laboratory, and the community. In fact, it will be of particular interest to anyone concerned with the problem of radioactive contamination. Nuclear detectors most commonly used in counting experiments, radiochemical work, and health physics are thoroughly described. Detectors, such as ionization chambers and counters, Cerenkov counters, and scintillation counters, are covered in a way which specifies the exact manner of construction and design in order to obtain the full realization of their capabilities. Design considerations for the electronic amplifying circuit necessary to every detector are developed in a practical way, especially with respect to speed of response and maximization of the desired signal relative to the unwanted circuit noise. Volume II, "Statistical T r e a t m e n t of Nuclear Science Data," b y A. H. Jaffey, is to follow providing detailed information which the experimentalist can use to realize the significance of his results. NONLINEAR PROBLEMS, edited by Rudolph E. Langer. 321 pages, 6 X 9¼ in. Madison, The University of Wisconsin Press, 1963. Price, $7.50. These are the Proceedings of a Symposium conducted b y the Mathematics Research Center, United States A~my, at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis., held April 30, M a y 1 and 2, 1962. The volume consists of fifteen invited lectures and the abstracts of contributed papers given during this sixth symposium on nonlinear problems. Among the authors are many foreign authorities and research technicians as well as experts from our own country. Nonlinear theory up until now has been largely fragmentary and ot~r