The American Institute of Physics Handbook has won wide acceptance among scientists and engineers. It is just such a degree of acceptance that has stimulated the issuance of this revised and updated third edition. This edition, like the previous two, continues the philosophy of supplying authoritative reference material-including tables of data, graphs, and bibliographies-selected and described with a minimum of narration by leaders in physical methods for research.
Among the entirely new sections in this edition are those on nonlinear optics, calibration energies for alpha particles and gamma rays, nonlinear acoustics, atomic mass formulas, particle accelerator principles, atomic transition probabilities, electric and magnetic fields in the earth's environment, and far infrared. Examples of topics in which especially extensive revisions have been made are: optical masers, various optical constants, virial coefficients, heats of combustion and formation, and superconductors. A number of sections were completely rewritten; these include radioastronomy, radiometry, various crystal properties, molecular constants and phase transitions. The mathematics section now consists of a special treatment of 81 units and a bibliography that has been revised to include references to new methods, algorithms, and computer programs.
Publication of this Handbook was a mammoth undertaking that required the contributions and cooperation of many individuals and two organizations. Leading the individuals is Dr. Dwight E. Gray, who served as coordinating editor for this 1972 edition, as he also did for the 1957 and 1963 editions. Dr. Gray, who is a master of the pen and is well grounded in physics, was able to coordinate successfully the efforts of the eight section editors and the some 125 contributors. He did this work while also serving as the Washington Representative of the American Institute of Physics. Through his Washington office he was able to maintain contact with and coordinate the efforts of the many individuals concerned in the effort, as well as to handle the involvements of
the sponsor-the American Institute of Physics-and the publisherthe McGraw-Hill Book Company. Key McGraw-Hill individuals for this project included Mrs. Winifred C. Eisler, who copy-edited the manuscript, and Mr. Don A. Douglas, the Editing Manager. To these individuals, editors and physicists alike, the scientific community is deeply indebted for their painstaking and conscientious contributions and acknowledges their efforts with thanks.
As with any user-oriented publication, comments, suggestions, and criticisms are solicited on this edition of the Handbook. Only with such continuing contributions and cooperation can future Handbooks meet their responsibilities.