BOOK REVIEWS

Physics and Mathematics. Volume I of Series I of Progress in Nuclear Energy. Edited by R. A. CHARPIE, J. HOROWITZ, D. J. HUGHES, and D. 5. LITTLER. Pergamon Press, London, 1956. 408 pp., 84s.

UNDER the general title Progress in Nuclear Energy, Pergamon Press intends to publish an annual volume in eight series, each dealing with nuclear energy in one of its many aspects. Series 1 will deal with the relevant experimental and theoretical physics, of which the first volume contains a selection of the information released last year at Geneva during the United Nations Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy. There are eleven articles contributed by well-known scientists from Great Britain, the United States, and Russia. The first seven articles deal with neutron physics and generally survey data on fission and experimental techniques, while the remainder are concerned with special forms of reactors. Some of the articles are virtually reprints of papers presented at Geneva but others are either completely new or are a careful extension of the original papers to include new data.

The first two articles present a survey of measurements made on the interactions of slow neutrons with UZ33, U235 and PLF~~. Analyses are made of data presented at Geneva by several countries and the summaries here emphasize the great measure of agreement of results from different sources. Although essentially a summary of data, these artic1:s are most readable. There is also a useful and detailed review of the many techniques available for measuring neutron cross-sections. There are other articles about such interesting topics as delayed neutrons; neutron capture of the fission product XelB5; the theoretical analysis of neutron resonances in fissile materials; and resonance capture integrals.

The last four articles, which should be useful for reactor technologists, give experimental results together with theoretical attempts to evaluate these results for various critical assemblies.

In a volume such as this, errors seem bound to occur; yet on the whole, they are not too numerous, are of a minor nature, and readily discernible. While individual articles give adequate references to authors and published work, the subject index of the volume is rather inadequate both in content and in cross-referencing for a work of this magnitude. It is hoped that the editors will remedy this defect in later volumes.

This useful selection of the scientific knowledge gained in nuclear energy in the last ten to fifteen years is both important to the specialist and of interest to those outside this particular field.

J. M. C.

Technology and Engineering. Volume I of Series IV of Progress in Nuclear Energy. Edited by R. HURST and S. MCLAIN. Pergamon Press, London, 1956. 420 pp., 84s.

THE recent and forthcoming spate of books on nuclear energy must surely present publishers and editors with two major problems; how to select the right type of articles and how to classify them. Your reviewer feels that in both respects the present volume could be improved. This volume, the first of a series which are promised at yearly intervals, contains a number of papers which were presented at the 195.5 Geneva Conference. It is a pity that these papers, excellent though most of them are, should appear in an almost unaltered form, and without the benefit of the relevant discussion which took place at the conference.

A curious arrangement is revealed in the titles of the chapters-Heavy Water, Graphite, Beryllia, Liquid Metals, Engineering, Reactor Chemistry, and Corrosion. The chapter on liquid metals

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