Product Description
There are more than ten thousand particle accelerators in the world from the linear accelerators used for cancer therapy in modern hospitals to the giant ‘atom-smashers’ at international particle physics laboratories used to unlock the secrets of creation. Many scientists and engineers spend their lives designing, constructing, and operating these machines – yet few universities include the subject of particle accelerators in their curricula. The few courses that do… More >>
An Introduction to Particle Accelerators
Tags: atom smashers, cancer therapy, curricula, hospitals, linear accelerators, particle accelerators, particle physics laboratories, scientists, ten thousand, universities
#1 by W Boudville on June 29, 2010 - 6:15 am
Very specialised book. Written mostly for engineers involved in designing accelerators, and graduate students in physics who might have experiments at an accelerator.
No abstruse theory here. A book for experimentalists. Wilson describes clearly the differences between cyclotrons and linear accelerators and synchrotrons. The advantages and disadvantages of each. With real life examples, like those at CERN (of course), and at SLAC and Fermilab.
It does seem that the baton is passing from the US in this field. The European scientists have somehow managed to keep their funding together, which Wilson praises. He undoubtedly help bring this about. Certainly, an impression from this book is that if you are starting out in experimental particle physics, you might do best to direct your efforts at CERN.
Rating: 4 / 5