The first volume is presented in two parts, covering radiation physics and natural radiation exposure.
It first explores the discovery and physics of the phenomenon of radioactivity, covering the discovery of radioactive decay and the historical development of the physics and applications of radioactivity through to 1940. Chapters then present descriptive summaries of the physics of the atom and the atomic nucleus, mass and energy conditions, the nature of isotopes, and the different decay patterns. Chapter three discusses decay laws and introduces natural origins of radioactivity as well as methods for producing radioactive isotopes through nuclear reaction processes in reactor and accelerator. The book then provides an introduction on dosimetry, radiation chemistry and impact of radiation on biological systems.
The second half of the book details natural radioactivity and the role of radioactivity in the formation of the planetary system and our Earth. The author describes how the inner radioactivity of our planet determines its dynamics and how it could have contributed to the origins of life. The volume concludes with an exploration of the external and internal radioactivity to which humans are exposed and their possible side effects.
The second volume is presented in two parts, covering its development and modern applications.
It first explores the development and applications of technically enhanced natural radioactivity (TENR) and addresses nuclear energy sources, the fission and fusion processes, and the issues of radioactive fallout from nuclear weapon use and test programs. Later chapters explore the cutting-edge medical applications of radioactive materials in diagnostics and therapy, exploring nuclear medicine technologies such as x-ray tomography, brachytherapy, and positron emission tomography (PET). They also detail the broad range of applications of radioactive materials in industrial production processes, in the sterilization of tools and materials in the medical and the food industries, and in the analysis of art and archaeological material to analyse paintings and painting techniques to identify fakes and forgeries. The book concludes with a discussion of the societal impact and understanding of radioactivity, alongside detailing the underlying reasons for its negative preconceptions and the possible mitigation of these through better education and information practices.
These books will be of interest to non-science undergraduates and nuclear astrophysics physics graduate students looking for an introduction to radioactivity, in addition to interested laypeople.
Key Features:
- Written in an accessible style, to be understood by readers without a formal scientific education
- Highly illustrated throughout
- Authored by an expert in the field, drawing from decades of experience in experimental nuclear physics
Michael Wiescher is Freimann Professor for Physics and Director of the Institute for Structure and Nuclear Astrophysics at the University of Notre Dame, Adjunct Professor at Michigan State University, Visiting Professor at the University of Edinburgh, UK.
