Bessel Functions For Engineers. by N. W. Mclachlan. Oxford, Clarendon Press

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1935-i SHORTER NOTICES 613

Bessel Functions for Engineers. By N. W. McLachlan. Oxford, Clarendon Press,


1934. xi+192 pp.
This is the fourth volume of the Oxford Engineering Science Series. The
purpose of the book is to provide engineers and engineering students with a
course on Bessel functions and their practical applications. In conformity with
this purpose the book is mainly concerned with expansions, formulas, and
properties of the functions which are found useful in applications. The mathe-
matical discussions are straightforward and formal with occasional use of the
expression "it can be shown." The applications are mainly mechanical and
electrical with particular attention to loud-speaker horns—a subject in which
the author is particularly interested. The book contains about 600 examples
(with answers) to be solved by the reader. At the end there is a rather ex*
tensive collection of formulas and brief tables of the principal functions.
H. B. PHILLIPS

Theorie den Konvexen Körper. By T. Bonnesen and W. Fenchel. Berlin,


Springer, 1934. vii+164 pp.
This monograph is the first part of the third volume of the excellent series,
Ergebnisse der Mathematik und ihrer Grenzgebiete, published by the Zentral-
blatt fiir Mathematik. It contains an exhaustive exposition of the theory of
convex bodies in «-dimensional spaces, in all its ramifications and connections
with differential geometry. Even a superficial perusal of the book will give the
reader a clear idea of the importance and interest of this subject which un-
fortunately is not as widely known as it should be. A more attentive reading
will reveal a multitude of results of a perfect beauty and will urge him to turn
to a serious study of this fascinating field.
The monograph starts with exposition of fundamental notions of convex
sets and bodies, of convex hulls, planes of support, centers of gravity, and
classification of boundary points of a convex body (§§1-3). The relationship
with the theory of convex functions and their applications to the problem of
representation of convex bodies are shown next (§4). The following articles,
§§5-6, treat of linear combinations of convex bodies, of linear and concave
families of convex bodies, of convergent sequences of convex bodies, and of
approximation of convex bodies by means of polyhedra and of analytic convex
surfaces. Various important quantities and figures connected with convex
bodies are discussed in §§7-8. Such are volume and mixed volume, cross sec-
tions, surface area, width, diameter, thickness, and the like. Special attention
is given to the integral formulas for volumes and mixed volumes in terms of
point coordinates and of functions of support (Stiitzfunktionen). Next, §§9-10
contain extensions of the methods of symmetrizing which were first introduced
by Steiner in his classical investigations on the isoperimetric properties of a
circle. Various extension problems and inequalities naturally belong here. Va-
rious proofs of the important theorem of Brunn-Minkowski and its numerous
applications are treated in §§11-12. Next, §13 deals with the problem of de-
termination of a convex body by means of its curvature functions, including
uniqueness and existence theorems. Various special cases of convex bodies
(such as convex bodies possessing a center, bodies of constant width, convex
614 SHORTER NOTICES [September,

quadric surfaces) are discussed in §§14, 15, and 16. The last article, §17, con-
tains indications concerning the differential geometry in the large of convex
curves and surfaces. T h e monograph closes with a rather complete bibliogra-
phy. T h e reading of this remarkable monograph at places is not very easy, but
is extremely suggestive and the total result is well worth the effort.
Being primarily interested in the theory of convex bodies, the authors did
not enter into discussion of the theory of convex j"unctions as such. The ex-
position of this theory, which plays such an important role in the modern de-
velopment of analysis and theory of functions, would require an extended
monograph of its own. Let us hope t h a t such a monograph will appear soon in
the Ergebnisse series, and t h a t it will prove just as exciting as the monograph
by Bonnesen and Fenchel.
J. D. T A M A R K I N

Lezioni sulla Teoria Geometrica delle Equazioni e delle Funzioni Algebriche. By


F . Enriques and O. Chisini. Volume 4, Funzioni Ellittiche e Abeliane.
Zanichelli, Bologna, 1934. viii+274 pp.
This fourth volume concludes the series of magisterial lectures on algebraic
geometry by Enriques with the collaboration ôf Chisini. They composed it
during a vacation-sojourn in the country, and afterwards used it as the base
of a course of lectures at the Universities of Rome and Milan, respectively.
T h e Lezioni are designed as preparatory for students who intend to take
courses in which more advanced developments of algebraic geometry are given.
In this task the authors have succeeded admirably. T h e student who masters
Enriques and Chisini's lectures will have a foundation in algebraic geometry
which cannot be matched anywhere else in the world.
Enriques himself promises to continue this work by treating in t h e same
spirit algebraic surfaces or the algebraic functions of two variables.
T h e fourth volume contains the sixth book of the general treatise: Elliptic
and Abelian Functions. In the first chapter, we find a very clear and concise
treatment of elliptic integrals and functions with which every student of alge-
braic geometry should be familiar. One may of course expect that the geometric
aspect of the theory is stressed in opportune places without impairing the rigor
of the argument. Thus, the flex-configuration of the plane cubic, linear point-
series and correspondences on elliptic curves are very adequately treated.
T h e second chapter is concerned with Abelian integrals and appears as
an extension of the function-theoretical and geometric theories so beautifully
explained in Chapter 1.
In the last chapter, the authors discuss the famous problem of inversion and
Abelian functions. Here again we see at every turn the hand of master geo-
metricians handling an otherwise purely analytical theory.
T h e volume ends with an application of Abelian functions to hyperelliptic
and Kummer surfaces. As in the preceding volumes, at the end of every
chapter we find a very competent and accurate account of the historical
development of the theory.
Enriques and Chisini have written a beautiful book which may be strongly
recommended to student and teacher alike.
ARNOLD E M C H

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