Book Notes from Radiochemistry Society
 
-- Radiation Detection and Measurement
by Glenn F. Knoll
(December 22, 1999 - 816 pages)

Review by: Larry Burchfield, PhD, Radiochemistry Society Faculty

The first edition of this text came out in 1979. This book is a great reference for all students of radiochemistry, nuclear engineering, physics, and health physics instrumentation. It clearly conveys to the student the specifics on how nuclear instrumentation operates from first principles. Additionally this text provides useful design information, and contains an up-to-date and thorough review of the literature as well as many practical problems with solutions provided through a separate solutions guide.

The third edition provides the reader with a clear understanding of the methods and instrumentation used in the detection and measurement of ionizing radiation. It provides in-depth coverage of the basic principles of radiation detection as well as illustrating their application through modern applications. Additionally, a thorough description of well-established detection and spectroscopic methods are explored. These include extensive new discussions of semiconductor detectors with unique properties, recently developed scintillation materials and photomultiplier tubes, and several gas-filled detectors of new design.

This text is a must have for any serious scholar of "things nuclear".