Books offered by JF Ptak Science Books

Very, Very Early Paper on Gravitational Lensing: Zwicky, 1937

Zwicky,  Fritz. "On the Probability of Detecting Nebulae Which Act as Gravitational Lenses."  American Physical Society,  1937.  1st edition. Being an article in  The Physical Review, 51 (8), April 15, 1937  Original printed wrappers.  Fine condition. $550

This is perhaps the first major announceement on the use of gravitational lensing following the very (very) brief notice that Einstein sent to Science magazine in 1936 (and which was a follow-up on some earlier thinking (24 years earlier) he had done on the gravitational lens).

"In 1937 Zwicky thought of another way to investigate dark matter. If by chance a massive galaxy lies along our line of sight to a more distant galaxy, it could act as a “gravitational lens,” warping the surrounding space to magnify, distort, and even multiply the image of the background galaxy. This was a direct application of Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity. The bending of starlight by the gravity of the Sun had already been demonstrated in 1919. Zwicky predicted that massive galaxies would similarly distort the light rays from background objects and that the distortion could be used to “weigh” the lensing galaxies. Most astronomers did not take this idea seriously. But in 1979, five years after Zwicky died, the first of many gravitational lenses was discovered, and a cottage industry has since emerged to find and study them. The lensing effect is now used to measure the cosmological parameters of the universe, and to reveal distant objects otherwise too faint to see."  --COSMIC HORIZONS: ASTRONOMY AT THE CUTTING EDGE, edited by Steven Soter and Neil deGrasse Tyson, a publication of the New Press. © 2000 American Museum of Natural History Source

EINSTEIN ONLINE, from the caltech website: "Fritz Zwicky (1898-1974), an astronomer at the California Institute of Technology, discussed the possibility of observing the lensing effect in the case of the recently discovered extragalactic nebula, in other words: other galaxies. The typical masses, sizes and mutual distances of galaxies are such that double images of a distant galaxy should be significantly more frequent than double images of stars: The necessary near-alignment of a closer object, a more distant object and an observer here on Earth is much more probable for galaxies than for stars."

And also: "If ever a competition were held for the most unrecognized genius of twentieth century astronomy, the winner surely would be Fritz Zwicky (1898–1974). A bold and visionary scientist, Zwicky was far ahead of his time in conceiving of supernovas, neutron stars, dark matter, and gravitational lenses. His innovative work in any one of these areas would have brought fame and honors to a scientist with a more conventional personality. But Zwicky was anything but conventional. In addition to his brilliant insights that turned out to be right, he also entertained notions that were merely eccentric. To his senior colleagues he could be arrogant and abrasive. He referred contemptuously to “the useless trash in the bulging astronomical journals.” He once said, “Astronomers are spherical bastards. No matter how you look at them they are just bastards.” His colleagues did not appreciate this aggressive attitude and, mainly for that reason, despite Zwicky’s major contributions to astronomy, he remains virtually unknown to the public."

Louis Turner's Classic History and Bibliography on Nuclear Fission, 1940

JF Ptak Science Books

I've found this article by physicist Louis A. Turner to be very helpful over the years.  He was an I-was-there guy (and actually an I-am-here guy) who wrote a stuccato article on the history of nuclear fission which was top heavy in references, and did so in 1940, just before the clamp came down on publication on the topic.  Certainly there are other more modern efforts in this area that are far more detailed, but few have managed to do so good a job in as limited space as Turner. 

Louis Turner. "Nuclear Fission."  Lancaster:  American Physical Society,  1940. An article in the  Reviews of Modern Physics, vol 12/1, January 1940, pp 1-30  of an issue of 85pp   Original orange wrappers.  Fine condition.  Also contains articles by Seaborg and Zwicky.    $100.00

His references list is quite useful:

1. E. Fermi, Nature 133, 898 1934.
2. E. Amaldi, O. D'Agostino, F. Rassetti and E. Segrè, Proc. Roy. Soc. A146, 483 1934.
3. I. Noddack, Zeits. f. angew. Chimie. 37, 653 1934.
4. O. D'Agostino and E. Segrè, Gaz. Chim. Ital. 65, 1088 1935.
5. I. Curie, H. von Halban and P. Preiswerk, J. de phys. [7] 6, 361 1935; C.R. 200, 1841 1935; 200, 2079 1935.
6. A. von Grosse and M. S. Agruss, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 57, 438 1935.
7. O. Hahn and L. Meitner, Naturwiss. 23, 320 1935 [CAS].
8. O. Hahn and L. Meitner, Naturwiss. 23, 37, and 230 1935.
9. O. Hahn, L. Meitner and F. Strassmann, Naturwiss. 23, 544 1935.
10. E. Segrè, Nuovo Cim. n.s. 12, 232-239 1935.
11. O. Hahn, L. Meitner and F. Strassmann, Chem. Ber. 69, 905 1936.
12. O. Hahn, L. Meitner and F. Strassmann, Chem. Ber. A69, 217 1936.
13. L. Meitner and O. Hahn, Naturwiss. 21, 158 1936.
14. L. Meitner, Zürich Vortragswoche 24-42 1936.
15. E. Rona and E. Neuninger, Naturwiss. 24, 491 1936.
16. A. Braun, P. Preiswerk and P. Scherrer, Nature 140, 682 1937.
17. O. Hahn, L. Meitner and F. Strassmann, Chem. Ber. 70, 1374 1937.
18. L. Meitner, Ann. d. Physik [5] 29, 246 1937 [CAS].
19. L. Meitner, O. Hahn and F. Strassmann, Zeits. f. Physik 106, 249 1937 [CAS].
20. I. Curie and P. Savitch, J. de phys. [7] 8, 385 1937.
21. I. Curie and P. Savitch, C.R. 206, 906 and 1643 1938.
22. I. Curie and P. Savitch, J. de phys. [7] 9, 355 1938.
23. I. Curie, P. Savitch and A. Marquès de Silva, J. de phys. [7] 9, 440 1938.
24. G. Von Droste, Zeits. f. Physik 110, 84 1938.
25. O. Hahn, L. Meitner and F. Strassmann, Naturwiss. 26, 475 1938.
26. O. Hahn and F. Strassmann, Naturwiss. 26, 755 1938.
27. L. Meitner, F. Strassmann and O. Hahn, Zeits. f. Physik 109, 538 1938 [CAS].
28. Y. Nishina, T. Yasaki, K. Kimura and M. Ikawa, Nature 142, 874 1938 [CAS].
29. E. Rona, H. Scheichenberger and R. Stangl, Akad. d. wiss. Wien Sitz. II A, 147, 209 1938.
30. P. Abelson, Phys. Rev. 56, 1 1939; ibid.55, 418 1939 [CAS]; ibid.55, 670 1939 [CAS]; ibid.55, 876 1939 [CAS].
31. F. Adler and H. von Halban, Jr., Nature 143, 793 1939.
32. M. F. Adler, C.R. 209, 301 1939.
33. H. L. Anderson, E. T. Booth, J. R. Dunning, E. Fermi, G. N. Glasoe and F. G. Slack, Phys. Rev. 55, 511 1939.
34. H. L. Anderson, E. Fermi and H. B. Hanstein, Phys. Rev. 55, 797 1939.
35. H. L. Anderson and E. Fermi, Phys. Rev. 55, 1106 1939 [CAS].
36. H. L. Anderson, E. Fermi and L. Szilard, Phys. Rev. 56, 284 1939.
37. A. H. W. Aten, Jr., C. J. Bakker and F. A. Heyn, Nature 143, 679 1939 [CAS].
38. H. H. Barschall, W. T. Harris, M. H. Kanner and L. A. Turner, Phys. Rev. 55, 989 1939 [CAS].
39. G. Beck and P. Havas, C.R. 208, 1084 1939.
40. G. Beck and P. Havas, C.R. 208, 1643 1939.
41. T. Bjerge, K. J. Brostrøm and J. Koch, Nature 143, 794 1939.
42. N. Bohr, Nature 143, 330 1939 [CAS].
43. N. Bohr, Phys. Rev. 55, 418 1939 [CAS].
44. E. T. Booth, J. R. Dunning and G. N. Glasoe, Phys. Rev. 55, 982 1939 [CAS].
45. E. T. Booth, J. R. Dunning and F. G. Slack, Phys. Rev. 55, 981 1939 [CAS].
46. E. T. Booth, J. R. Dunning and F. G. Slack, Phys. Rev. 55, 876 1939 [CAS].
47. N. Bohr and J. A. Wheeler, Phys. Rev. 56, 426 1939 [CAS][SPIRES].
48. N. Bohr and J. A. Wheeler, Phys. Rev. 56, 1065 1939 [CAS].
49. E. Bretscher and L. G. Cook, Nature 143, 559 1939 [CAS].
50. K. Brostrøm, J. Koch, and T. Lauritsen, Nature 144, 830 1939.
51. W. G. Chlopin, M. A. Passwik-Chlopin, and N. F. Wolkov, Nature 144, 595 1939.
52. D. R. Corson and R. L. Thornton, Phys. Rev. 55, 509 1939 [CAS].
53. I. Curie and P. Savitch, C.R. 208, 343 1939.
54. M. Dodé, H. von Halban, Jr., F. Joliot and Lew. Kowarski, C.R. 208, 995 1939.
55. R. W. Dodson and R. D. Fowler, Phys. Rev 55, 880 1939.
56. G. Von Droste, Naturwiss. 27, 198 1939.
57. G. Von Droste and H. Reddemann, Naturwiss. 27, 371 1939.
58. U. Fano, J. de phys. 10, 229 1939.
59. P. Fabre, C. Magnan, and H. Muraour, C. R. 209, 436 1939.
60. N. Feather and E. Bretscher, Nature 143, 516 1939 [CAS].
61. E. Feenberg, Phys. Rev. 55, 504 1939 [CAS].
62. N. Feather, Nature 143, 597 1939 [CAS].
63. E. Feenberg, Phys. Rev. 55, 980 1939 [CAS].
64. N. Feather, Nature 143, 1027 1939.
65. B. Ferretti, Ricerca Scient. 10, 332 1939.
66. S. Flügge and G. Von Droste, Zeits. f. physik. Chemie 13, 42, 274 1939.
67. S. Flügge, Naturwiss. 27, 402 1939.
68. R. D. Fowler, and R. W. Dodson, Phys. Rev. 55, 417 1939.
69. O. R. Frisch, Nature 143, 276 1939 [CAS].
70. J. Frenkel, Phys. Rev. 55, 987 1939.
71. O. R. Frisch, Nature 143, 852 1939 [CAS].
72. D. H. T. Gant, Nature 144, 707 1939 [CAS].
73. D. F. Gibbs and G. P. Thomson, Nature 144, 202 1939 [CAS].
74. G. N. Glasoe and J. Steigman, Phys. Rev. 55, 982 1939 [CAS].
75. H. H. Goldsmith, V. W. Cohen and J. R. Dunning, Phys. Rev. 55, 1124 1939.
76. L. Goldstein, A. Rogozinski and R. J. Walen, Nature 144, 201 1939.
77. G. K. Green and L. W. Alvarez, Phys. Rev. 55, 417 1939.
78. A. von Grosse, E. T. Booth and J. R. Dunning, Phys. Rev. 56, 382 1939.
79. O. Hahn and F. Strassmann, Naturwiss. 27, 11 1939 [CAS].
80. O. Hahn and F. Strassmann, Naturwiss. 27, 89 1939.
81. C. Haenny and A. Rosenberg, C. R. 208, 898 1939.
82. H. von Halban, Jr., F. Joliot and L. Kowarski, Nature 143, 470 1939.
83. O. Hahn and F. Strassmann, Naturwiss. 27, 163 1939 [CAS].
84. H. von Halban, Jr., F. Joliot and L. Kowarski, Nature 143, 680 1939.
85. H. von Halban, Jr., L. Kowarski and P. Savitch, C.R. 208, 1396 1939.
86. H. von Halban, Jr., F. Joliot and L. Kowarski, Nature 143, 939 1939 [CAS].
87. O. Hahn and F. Strassmann, Naturwiss. 27, 451 1939 [CAS].
88. O. Haxel, Zeits. f. Physik 112, 681 1939.
89. O. Hahn and F. Strassmann, Naturwiss. 27, 529 1939 [CAS].
90. O. Hahn, F. Strassmann and S. Flügge, Naturwiss. 27, 544 1939 [CAS].
91. F. A. Heyn, A. H. W. Aten, Jr. and C. J. Bakker, Nature 143, 516 1939 [CAS].
92. M. C. Henderson, Phys. Rev. 56, 703 1939.
93. H. Hulubei and Y. Cauchois, C. R. 209, 476 1939.
94. J. W. Irvine, Jr., Phys. Rev. 55, 1105 1939 [CAS].
95. W. Jentschke and F. Prankl, Naturwiss. 27, 134 1939 [CAS].
96. F. Joliot, C.R. 208, 341 1939.
97. F. Joliot, C.R. 208, 647 1939.
98. F. Joliot, J. de phys. (7) 10, 159 1939.
99. J. W. Kennedy and G. T. Seaborg, Phys. Rev. 55, 877 1939.
100. R. Ladenburg, M. H Kanner, H. Barschall and C. C. Van Voorhis, Phys. Rev. 56, 168 1939 [CAS].
101. A. Langsdorf, Jr., Phys. Rev. 56, 205 1939.
102. C. Lieber, Naturwiss. 27, 421 1939 [CAS].
103. C. Magnan, C.R. 208, 742 1939.
104. C. Magnan, C.R. 208, 1218 1939.
105. E. McMillan, Phys. Rev. 55, 510 1939 [CAS].
106. L. Meitner and O. R. Frisch, Nature 143, 239 1939 [CAS].
107. L. Meitner and O. R. Frisch, Nature 143, 471 1939 [CAS].
108. L. Meitner, Nature143, 637 1939 [CAS].
109. J. L. Michiels, G. Parry and G. P. Thomson, Nature 143, 760 1939 [CAS].
110. J. C. Mouzon, R. D. Park and J. A. Richards, Jr., Phys. Rev. 56, 668 1939.
111. J. C. Mouzon and R. D. Park, Phys. Rev. 56, 238 1939.
112. L. Myssowsky and A. Idanoff, Nature 143, 794 1939.
113. A. O. Nier, Phys. Rev. 55, 150 1939 [CAS].
114. Y. Nishina, T. Yasaki, H. Ezoe, K. Kimura, and M. Ikawa, Nature 144, 547 1939.
115. F. Perrin, C.R. 208, 1394 and 1573 1939.
116. H. Reddemann and H. Bomke, Naturwiss. 27, 518 1939.
117. R. B. Roberts, R. C. Meyer and L. R. Hafstad, Phys. Rev. 55, 416 1939 [CAS].
118. R. B. Roberts, R. C. Meyer and P. Wang, Phys. Rev. 55, 510 1939 [CAS].
119. R. B. Roberts, L. R. Hafstad, R. C. Meyer and P. Wang, Phys. Rev. 55, 664 1939 [CAS].
120. R. B. Roberts and J. B. H. Kuper, J. App. Phys. 10, 612 1939.
121. J. Rotblat, Nature 143, 852 1939 [CAS].
122. P. Savitch, C.R. 208, 646 1939.
123. E. Segrè, Phys. Rev. 55, 1104 1939.
124. J. Solomon, C.R. 208, 570 and 896 1939.
125. L. Szilard and W. H. Zinn, Phys. Rev. 55, 799 1939 [CAS].
126. J. Thibaud and A. Moussa, C.R. 208, 652 1939.
127. J. Thibaud and A. Moussa, C.R. 208, 744 1939.
128. J. Thibaud and A. Moussa, J. de phys. (7), 10, 388 1939.
129. W. Wefelmeier, Naturwiss. 27, 110 1939.
130. C. F. Weizsäcker, Naturwiss. 27, 133 1939.
131. M. D. Whittaker, C. A. Barton, W. C. Bright and E. J. Murphy, Phys. Rev. 55, 793 1939 [CAS].
132. G. Young, Phys. Rev. 55, 1102 1939.
133. W. H. Zinn, and L. Szilard, Phys. Rev. 56, 619 1939.

Obituary for Albert Einstein in "Nature", 1955

Einstein,  Albert. 

"Obituary of Prof Albert Einstein, by W.H. McCrea."  London:  Nature magazine,  1955.  1st edition.  Nature, vol 175, May 28, 1955  Pp 925-927  8vo.  Original printed wrappers.  Fine condition.  We offer the entire issue for May 28, 1955, pp 913-954.  $150

Dantzig and Mathematical Programming, 1954 RAND Report

Notes on Linear Programming : Part I: The Generalized Simplex Method for Minimizing a Linear Form Under Linear Inequality Restraint.

by George B. Dantzig, Alex Orden and Philip Wolfe.

RAND Corporation, RM-1264.  REv. 5 April 1954.

Abstract from the RAND website: "The first of a series of papers on the determination of optimum solutions to systems of linear inequalities. The present paper develops a theory for avoiding assumptions regarding rank of underlying matrices which has import in applications where little or nothing is known about the rank of some linear inequality system requiring solution."

Original offset sheets brass-tack bound with the original outer RAND Research Memorandum wrappers with the cut-out title display.  The outer wrappers are a little worn around the cut-out window and have one tear that extends from the window to the edge of the cover (about an inch).  Other than that this is a very nice, Fine, copy.  $750

Luck, Logic and Dynamic Games: Kemeny on Baccarat

J.G. Kemeny and J.L. Snell, "Game-Theoretic Solutionb of Baccarat", an article in The American Mathematical Monthly, volume 64, number 7, August-September 1957.  The Kemeny-Snell article occupies pp 465-469 of the issue comprising pp 465-536.  Original printed wrappers, very nice copy.  $45

J.L. Coolidge on the Number e

Coolidge, J.L.  "The Number e" in The American Mathematical Monthly, volume 57, number 9, November 1950.  Coolidge's article occupies pp 591-602 of the issue (which comprises pp 591-662. Excellent short summary of the history and innards of the number e by the superb Julian Lowell Coolidge, long-time chair of Harvard math.  Original printed wrappers.  Very good condition.  Nice fresh copy.  $40

Other works by Cooliedge:

J. L. Coolidge (1909) The elements of non-Euclidean geometry, Oxford University Press.

Wallace Eckert on Printing Mathematical Tables, 1947

Wallace J. Eckert.

"The Printing of Mathematical Tables."

Printed in Mathematical Tables and other Aids to Computation (MTAC), volume II, number 17, January 1947.  The issue:  pp197-228, with the Eckert article occupying pp 197-202, with one photographic illustration.  Very nice, fresh copy in the original wrappers, the previous owner's name rubber stamped twice on front cover top and bottom.  $700

"From 1940 to 1944 Eckert served as director of the United States Nautical Almanac Office (USNAO) at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., where he set up a computation laboratory similar to the one he had left at Columbia. One of his chief tasks at the USNAO was to develop and compute tables for the American Air Almanac, a navigational tool used by the United States armed forces. Eckert devised punched-card methods of generating the tables and a mechanical method of proofreading, using the comparing device on the punched-card reproducer, that insured the absolute accuracy of the tables. These methods are outlined in Eckert's paper, which also contains his account of an improved table-printing machine designed by IBM and installed in February 1945” (Hook and Norman, 577).

Three Papers by Einstein, 1907

Einstein,  Albert. Three papers by Albert Einstein in volume 22 (1907) of the Annalen der Physik.  

"Die Plancksche Theorie der Strahlung ueber die Theorie des Spezifischen Warme" ("Planck's Theory of Radiation and the Theory of Specific Heat").   Leipzig:  Johannes Barth,  1907, pp 180-190.    First printing. "With this paper, solid state quantum theory begins… the first paper ever written on the quantum theory of the solid state.” (Abraham Pais).

With: 

Über die Gültigkeitsgrenze des Satzes vom thermodynamischen Gleichgewicht und über die Möglichkeit einer neuen Bestimmung der Elementarquanta",("On the Limit of Validity of the Law of Thermodynamic Equilibrium and on the Possibility of a New Determination of the Elementary Quanta").   Annalen der Physik 22 (1907) 569-572.  First printing.

With:

"Berichtigung zu meiner Arbeit: "Die Plancksche Theorie der Strahlung etc" ("Correction to My Paper: "Planck's Theory of Radiation, etc."), Annalen der Physik 22 (1907) 800 

All in Annalen der Physik  series 4 volume 22. Cloth-backed marbled boards.  Very good condition.  Two articles by Einstein (including the significant Weil #15 of E's deduction of Planck's laws of radiation).  Weil 15* and 16; Boni 15 and 16. Internally, lightly ex-library, from Wright Patterson Air Force Base. $950.00

Early Photographically Illustrated Technical Work, 1873

Champion,  P.  De la Spectrometrie Spectronatrometre. 

Paris:  Librarie Polytechnique de J. Baudry,  1873.  1st edition.  15pp.   Original printed wrappers.  Very good condition.  This rare pamphlet--unlocated in OCLC/WorldCat was written by Champion with H. Pellet and M. Grenier, and is illustrated with a full-page original photograph of the apparatus. There is one old rubber stamp from the former owner (The Library of Congress) and a few bends here and there in the wrappers; otherwise this is quite a nice pamphlet.   $225.00

Military Balloons, 1889

Yon,  Gabriel. 

Aerostats et Aerostation Militaire a l'Exposition Universelle de 1889.  Paris:  E. Bernard et Cie,  1893.  1st edition.  Cloth.  Good condition. Ex-library.  Roy 8vo, 52pp, large folding chart (12x25”) featuring the cross section and plan of a large transportable balloon. Original printed wrappers, all rebound in the cloth and marbled boards style adopted for the Langley deposit.

Provenance: The Library of Congress, via the Smithsonian Institution Collection and the Samuel Pierpont Langley Aeronautical Library (carrying the acquisition date of 1929). $250