F. Maxfield and R. Benedict, Theory of Gaseous Conduction and Electronics, 1941. MacGraw Hill Co., N. Y., p. 483.

F. Maxfield and R. Benedict, Theory of Gas Conductivity and Electronics, 1941, p. 483.

As is clear from the preface, the present book is an adaptation of a one-semester course of lectures delivered to students of the electrical-engineering faculty of the University of Wisconsin (USA). The purpose of this course is to acquaint students with the fundamental principles of gas discharge physics and electronics as an introduction to the study of specialized courses on electrovacuum devices, which is very important for the conscious and successful use of the latter in various fields of electrical engineering: “in radio and communications, in industry, in high-voltage engineering, in power transmission technology, and at central stations.”

The book consists of the following 11 chapters: I—Introduction (1–16); II—Electrostatic field (17–44); III—Motion of charged particles in high vacuum (45–60); IV—Molecular theory of gases (61–124); V—Conduction processes (125–134); VI—Electron emission: theory and typical applications (135–224); VII—Ionization processes (225–258); VIII—Formation of ions in a gas (259–286); IX—Breakdown potential, spark and corona discharge (287–310); X—Glow discharge (311–356); XI—Arc discharge (357–460). Appendices. Index. At the end of each chapter a certain number of problems and a brief bibliography are given.

The authors faced the very difficult task of introducing, evidently, an unprepared reader to this new, important, and not very simple problem for engineers. Simplicity, clarity, and sufficient timeliness of exposition, indications of the principal applications, 142 problems, a list of the basic literature, etc., will undoubtedly attract to this book a certain circle of readers who do not set themselves the goal of making this field their specialty, but merely wish to become acquainted with it in general outline. Without touching here on certain minor shortcomings of the exposition, one should, however, note one fundamental, very substantial defect of this book as a whole, namely the very superficial treatment of a number of very important questions. For example, it can hardly be thought that the treatment given in the present book of, say, atomistics, electron optics, plasma theory, effective emitters, gas-filled lamps, unstable gas-discharge processes, etc., can give its reader anything really substantial. There is, of course, no need to point out how difficult it is to give a sufficiently coherent and not superficial account of such a

large area of modern physics in a short one-semester course for electrical-engineering students; however, our experience in teaching an approximately similar course in conception for radio-engineering students shows that a satisfactory solution to this problem does, of course, exist.

Considering the very great importance of this field of physics for electronics and radio engineering, one should, in conclusion, wish for the creation of a similar course in physical electronics and gas discharge, one equal to the tasks that are now set before it.

Kyiv

N. D. Morgulis