Physics and Contemporary Needs, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1979 Volume 3

These proceedings cover the lectures delivered at the Third International Summer College on Physics and Contemporary Needs held from June 17 - July 5, 1978 at Nathiagali, one of the scenic hill resorts in the northern part of Pakistan. The college was organized by The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and co-sponsored by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste (ICTP). It also received a financial grant by the University Grants Commission for the participation of physicists from various universities of Pakistan. The college was attended by 14 lecturers, 2 invited seminar speakers and 156 participants from 23 countries and consisted of 15 concen­ trated days of lectures, seminars and informal discussions. These proceedings contain only regular lectures delivered there, but the seminars which were held there are listed in the Appendix. This year the college put special emphasis on energy, parti­ cularly on nuclear energy and its role in the context of energy sys­ tems. However the lectures delivered at the college also covered a wide spectrum of physics. The lectures gave an overview of various topics covered at the college and emphasized the inter-disciplinary aspects of physics. Some of the lecturers also indicated the areas where research in developing countries with limited facilities could be carried out. The college had a definite objective of encouraging the physicists, part~cularly those working at the universities, to apply their knowledge of physics and methodology of research to the needs of modern society.

I: Physics and Energy.- Perspective on Pakistan’s Energy Problems.- World Energy Problems.- Long-Term Energy Systems and the Role of Nuclear and Solar Energy.- Laser Produced Nuclear Fusion.- Latest Trends in the Economics of Nuclear Power.- Role of Nuclear Energy with Particular Reference to Western Europe.- Some Topics in Reactor Physics.- Nuclear Non-Proliferation.- Unified Neutron Transport Theory.- II: Physics and Technology.- Amorphous Semiconductors.- Solar Energy Materials.- III: Computational Methods in Physics.- Computational Methods in Physics.- IV: Physics and Frontiers of Knowledge.- Observational Traits of Black Holes in the Optical Band.- The Role of Polarization in Microscopic Physics.- Fundamental Constituents of Matter and Unification of Weak and Electromagnetic Interactions.- V: Science and Development.- Science and Development.- Appendix I: List of Invited Seminar Speakers.- Appendix II: List of Seminars.- Appendix III: List of Participants.