The Mössbauer effect is a phenomenon where gamma rays from a radioactive source are absorbed and remitted by a nucleus without energy loss from nuclear recoil. This allows for the extremely precise measurement of nuclear energy levels. Since nuclear energy levels are influenced by the interactions between the atom and its environment, Mössbauer effect spectroscopy is a very powerful method of understanding the properties of solids.
In this updated and significantly expanded second edition of "The Mössbauer Effect", an introduction to the Mössbauer effect is provided for the non-specialist with a general background in undergraduate physics. The text also serves as an introduction to the field for undergraduate students undertaking a laboratory experiment using the technique and for undergraduate or graduate students beginning a research project using the Mössbauer effect.
A wide variety of Mössbauer applications are covered within this reference text. These include general relativity, as well as the physical and chemical properties of materials. Applications in other fields including mineralogy, archaeology, space science, and biology are discussed. The book also contains descriptions of some more advanced Mössbauer spectroscopic techniques, such as ion implantation. This second edition includes a new chapter on experimental methods and updated and greatly expanded material on applications of the Mössbauer effect.
