BOOK REVIIIWS [J. F. I.

the information at their disposal to present a represent more than a dozen industrial,
story of how we will get to the moon and what government and university laboratories of
we do after we get there. In a short review this country, and two German sources. The
of this type it is impossible to delineate the important work of some laboratories in this
various facets of this story. However, to this field, however, is notable by its absence.
reviewer the most significant part of the book Although most of the papers present experi-
is the exposition concerning the ability of man mental results which are correlated with
to support himself on the moon. theory, some are primarily theoretical.
The reviewer has spent considerable time Several are limited to descriptions of appa-
in a study on a closed ecological cycle on the ratus. A few are almost void of useful infor-
moon. The material presented here has the mation (in one case only the abstract is given).
reviewer’s complete confidence. Nothing is The writing is generally satisfactory, but the
contained herein to which he would object. quality varies considerably, as is to be ex-
The authors have performed a masterful job pected in such a volume. One paper seems
of writing in this presentation. to be no more than a transcription of a tape
The authors conclude their book with a recording ; and one very thorough paper seems
superb description of the launching of the to suffer somewhat from editorial deletions.
Air Force’s first Thor-Able moon probe. Into The quality of the printing and the repro-
this chapter is presented the finest description duction of figures and photographs are excel-
of a rocket take-off this reviewer has ever lent. There are some minor typographical
read. To read this chapter, and this reviewer errors, whose correction is usually obvious.
read it twice, is to live through the critical The papers are distributed among four
moments of the launching. It brings home headings. The first, “The Production of Ex-
with startling reality the incredibly complex tremely High Temperatures,” includes papers
sequences which must be mastered and fitted on experimental techniques involving magnetic
into their proper chronological order before a acceleration, the upper temperature limits in
device of this type can rise into the sky. the high-pressure discharge, the effects of
Even if you could go to Cape Canaveral you electrically exploded wires and the ensuing
still will not see or participate in the experi- discharge, an analysis of the direct current
ence described. This is magniiicent arc, and inductive storage of energy in the
exposition. multi-million joule range as a tool for high
Rocket to the Moon is highly recommended. temperature research. Under the second
I. M. LEVITT heading, “Methods of Temperature Measure-
Fels Planetarium, The Franklin Institute ment-optical Radiation,” there is a paper
which describes the spectroscopic determina-
tion of plasma temperature using the Holts-
CONFERENCE ON EXTREMELY HIGH TEMPERA-
mark theory of spectral line broadening, and
TURES, edited by Heinz Fischer and
another which presents objections to use of
Lawrence C. Mansur. 258 pages, illustra-
the Holtsmark theory. Other papers in this
tions, 84 X 11 in. New York, John Wiley
group discuss a thermometer for millions of
& Sons, Inc., 1958. Price, $9.75.
degrees, the effects of radiation on the
This is a compilation of papers presented Rankins-Hugoniot shock conditions, and
at the Conference on Extremely High Tem- some calculations of the radial distribution of
peratures held at Boston on March 18-19, photon emitters in symmetric sources.
1958, under the sponsorship of the Air Force Papers under the third heading, “Plasma
Cambridge Research Center, Electronics Analysis,” include a mathematical analysis of
Research Directorate. The papers represent thermal diffusion in ionized gases and a de-
some of the latest developments in plasma tailed treatment of the stochastic foundation
analysis and in the production and measure- of the generalized macroscopic equations of
ment of temperatures up to millions of change in a reacting plasma. Experimental
degrees, with emphasis on the relation of these papers in this group describe several types of
developments to the propulsion field. The plasma motors; the design of a megatron, a
editors have both been on the staff of AFCRC plasma wind motor in which a gas is acceler-
for about ten years. The contributors ated by ions in crossed electric and magnetic
Feb., IgjCJ] BOOK KEVIEM~S 177

tields. Of the final group on “Applications,” finally a discussion of the heating and me-
one paper discusses the feasibility of using chanical limitations to the production of high
fusion reaction in thermonuclear propulsion magnetic fields and the interesting possibility
for practical space travel. Other papers of overcoming these in force-free coil designs.
discuss the acceleration of plasma produced
The book will be useful to those groups
by the wire explosion technique along copper
which are engaged in research on the above
rod and aluminum plate guides, a gas sta-
subjects.
bilized arc for generating clean plasma, the
behavior of materials subjected to the high S. P. C~RFAGN~
temperatures of a water stabilized arc, and The Franklin Institute Laboratories

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED
SEWERAGE AND SEWAGE TREATMENT, by Harold E. Babbitt and E. Robert Baumann. Eighth
edition, 790 pages, illustrations, 6 X 9 in. New York, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1958.
Price, $10.75.

ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS, by Wilfred Kaplan. 534 pages, 6 X 9 in. Reading

(Mass.), Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., Inc., 1958. Price, $8.50. (Available in IJSA
and Canada only.)

CREATIVE THINKING, by Charles S. Whiting. 168 pages, 5 X 7$ in. New York, Reinhold
Publishing Corp., 1958. Price, $3.95.

THE HEALTH os A NATION, by Oscar E. Anderson, Jr. 333 pages, 6 X 9 in. Chicago, The
University of Chicago Press, 1958. Price, $6.00.

TRANSISTORS. THEORY AND PRACTICE, by Rufus P. Turner. Second edition, revised, 5f X 84

in. New York, Gernsback Publications, Inc., 1958. Price, $2.95 (paper).

QUANTUM ELECTRODYNAMICS,edited by Julian Schwinger. 34 selected papers published for

the first time in collected form (English, French and German), 424 pages, 6 X 9 in. New
York, Dover Publications, Inc., 1958. Price, $2.45 (paper).

AEDIO MEASUREMENTS, by Norman H. Crowhurst. 223 pages, illustrations, 51 X 83 in. New

York, Gernsback Library, Inc., 1958. Price: $2.90 (paper); $5.00 (hard cover).

SERVICINGTRANSISTORRADIOS, by Leonard D’Airo. 224 pages, illustrations, 53 X 8) in.

New York, Gernsback Library, Inc., 1958. Price: $2.90 (paper); $4.60 (hard cover).