F. Rasetti, Fundamentals of Nuclear Physics, translated by K. I. Alekseeva and N. A. Dobrotin, 240 pp., State Publishing House of Technical-Theoretical Literature, Moscow–Leningrad, 1940, price 8 rubles 25 kopecks, print run 5,000.

Russian monographic literature on the physics of the atomic nucleus is exceptionally scanty. Meanwhile, apart from the interest that nuclear physics arouses among broad circles of specialists and non-specialists, in recent times chairs of atomic-nucleus physics have begun to appear at universities, and along with this there has arisen a need for textbook literature. F. Rasetti’s book is apparently the only textbook in world literature on this new, extensive, and fascinatingly interesting branch of physics. In view of this, the publication of its translation should have been warmly welcomed, if this translation had not appeared so very late. In fact, the English—or rather American—authorized edition of Rasetti’s book appeared in 1937, while the Russian translation appeared only in 1940. Such a delay in the publication of a book devoted to the atomic nucleus could not but have a burdensome effect on the freshness of the material presented in it. Indeed, in the book under review there is not even a hint of many current problems of nuclear physics. The problem of uranium fission is, of course, completely absent; nuclear isomerism is absent; and in the chapter on cosmic rays (which is altogether incredibly outdated) the mesotron is absent.

Despite this major shortcoming, Rasetti’s book is nevertheless useful. The basic, “settled” sections of nuclear physics are set out in it systematically and distinctly, as befits a textbook. These include, for example, the chapters devoted to the theory of natural radioactive decay. The chapter on nuclear reactions (Chapter VI) is, of course, outdated, since much is missing from it, but what is in it is presented well. The book is written at a fairly high level, but at the same time very clearly. Complicated mathematical calculations are presented schematically, yet in such a way that the reader can understand the essence of the results obtained.

The translation is well done. The appearance of the edition is neat, despite the poor paper. The photographs appended at the end of the book are printed on improved paper quite satisfactorily, if one does not count Figs. 58 and 59, in which not only are the lines indicated in the caption invisible, but it is altogether impossible to make anything out.

E. V. Shpolsky, Moscow