Equations of state of elements based on the generalized Thomas-Fermi theory, pp. 1561-73 in Physical Review Vol. 75, No. 10, May 15, 1949. IGNITING THE ATOMIC BOMB

First edition, complete journal issue in original printed wrappers, of this seminal work in the theory of plasmas (hot dense matter), work done as part of the Manhattan Project and declassified after the end of the War. One of the main problems faced by the scientists at Los Alamos was how to design an implosion (using conventional explosive materials) to create a critical mass of fissionable material. "The initial experimental work on the compressibility of various fissionable materials supplied the data needed to calculate theoretical equations of state. In order to extrapolate equations of state to very high densities, Metropolis and Teller introduced the simplification of describing the electron distribution in the matter by the Thomas-Fermi approximation, well known from atomic theory. Later, with Richard Feynman, they improved the calculations to include relativistic effects; the Feynman-Metropolis-Teller equation of state for uranium and plutonium was subsequently used in all hydrodynamic calculations" (Hoddeson et al. Critical Assembly: A Technical History of Los Alamos During the Oppenheimer Years). Large 8vo, pp. 1473-1635. Original printed wrappers.…