In 1988 the Mossbauer effect community completed 30 years of continual contribution to the fields of nuclear physics, solid state science, and a variety of related disciplines. To celebrate this anniversary, Professor Gonser of the Universitat des Saarlandes has contributed a chapter to this volume on the history of the effect. Although Mossbauer spectroscopy has reached its mature years, the chapters in this volume illustrate that it is still a dynamic field of science with applications to topics ranging from permanent magnets to biologi cal mineralization. During the discussion of a possible chapter for this volume, a potential author asked, "Do we really need another Mossbauer book?" The editors responded in the affirmative because they believe that a volume of this type offers several advantages. First, it provides the author with an opportunity to write a personal view of the subject, either with or without extensive pedagogic content. Second, there is no artificially imposed restriction on length. In response to the question, "How long should my chapter be?," we have responded that it should be as long as is necessary to clearly present, explain, and evaluate the topic. In this type of book, it is not necessary to condense the topic into two, four, or eight pages as is now so often a requirement for publication in the research literature.

When presented with a new compound or material, the inorganic chemist will usually have several questions in mind about its composition and structure. Although a simple elemental analysis may answer many questions about its composition, the chemist will still have questions about its structure, and, ifthe material contains a metal atom, he will often want to know its oxidation state, coordination number and geometry. Further, at an increasingly frequent rate, the chemist may need details of the spin state, magnetic and perhaps dynamic properties of the material. If the investigator is fortunate, the material or compound may contain an ele ment such as iron, tin, antimony, iodine, gold, or one of several of the rare earth metals which are amenable to study by the Mossbauer effect. Often the Mossbauer effect can, sometimes with quite simple experiments, provide the answers to all of these questions. The goal of this book is to illustrate the effectiveness of the Mossbauer effect in providing the answers to the many questions that arise in char acterizing new materials and, indeed, in studying known materials in more detail. Several chapters introduce the effect to the novice and provide details about the various hyperfine interactions that are the "bread and butter" of the Mossbauer spectroscopist. Three chapters deal specifically with the experimental aspects of the technique and the increasing impor tance of sophisticated computer analysis of the resulting data.

Two decades have passed since the original discovery of recoilless nuclear gamma resonance by Rudolf Mossbauer; the spectroscopic method based on this resonance effect - referred to as Mossbauer spectroscopy - has developed into a powerful tool in solid-state research. The users are chemists, physicists, biologists, geologists, and scientists from other disciplines, and the spectrum of problems amenable to this method has become extraordinarily broad. In the present volume we have confined ourselves to applications of Mossbauer spectroscopy to the area of transition elements. We hope that the book will be useful not only to non-Mossbauer special ists with problem-Oriented activities in the chemistry and physics of transition elements, but also to those actively working in the field of Mossbauer spectroscopy on systems (compounds as well as alloys) of transition elements. The first five chapters are directed to introducing the reader who is not familiar with the technique to the principles of the recoilless nuclear resonance effect, the hyperfme interactions between nuclei and electronic properties such as electric and magnetic fields, some essential aspects about measurements, and the evaluation of Moss bauer spectra. Chapter 6 deals with the interpretation of Mossbauer parameters of iron compounds. Here we have placed emphasis on the information about the electronic structure, in correlation with quantum chemical methods, because of its importance for chemical bonding and magnetic properties.

Applications of Mössbauer Spectroscopy, Volume I is a collection of essays that discusses the research performed using Mössbauer spectroscopy. The book presents the effect of some stabilizers of polyethylene. It demonstrates the polymerization processes and structure of catalytically active centers. The text also describes the chemical processes in butyl rubber vulcanization. It discusses the experimental studies of iron transport proteins and the thermal decomposition of solids. The section that follows describes the paramagnetic hyperfine structure. The book will provide valuable insights for scientists, chemists, students, and researchers in the field of organic chemistry.

Mossbauer spectroscopy has proved itself a versatile technique, finding applications in diverse areas of science and industry. Starting from physics and chemistry it spread into biochemistry, mineralogy, biochemistry, corrosion science, geochemistry and archaeology, with applications in industrial and scientific research. The author aims to help advanced university students, professionals and research workers who ask the question "what's in it for us?". After a concise account of experimental techniques, he emphasizes those applications in which there are few, if any, alternative ways of obtaining the same information about electron fields and the nuclei. He explains areas of industrial interest, including the important applications related to tin and iron on which there is much activity in research and development, and interprets the extension of Mossbauer techniques to main group, transitional and other suitable elements. Attention is paid to factors which may lead to misinterpretation of spectra and another chapter covers the complexities of interpreting emission spectra. - Discusses the appearance of Mossbauer spectroscopy in biochemistry, mineralogy, biochemistry, corrosion science, geochemistry and archaeology, with applications in industrial and scientific research - Emphasizes the applications in which there are few, if any, alternative ways of obtaining the same information about electron fields and the nuclei - Attention is paid to the complexities of interpreting emission spectra and the factors which may lead to misinterpretation of spectra

Determining the structure of molecules is a fundamental skill that all chemists must learn. Structural Methods in Molecular Inorganic Chemistry is designed to help readers interpret experimental data, understand the material published in modern journals of inorganic chemistry, and make decisions about what techniques will be the most useful in solving particular structural problems. Following a general introduction to the tools and concepts in structural chemistry, the following topics are covered in detail: • computational chemistry • nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy • electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy • Mössbauer spectroscopy • rotational spectra and rotational structure • vibrational spectroscopy • electronic characterization techniques • diffraction methods • mass spectrometry The final chapter presents a series of case histories, illustrating how chemists have applied a broad range of structural techniques to interpret and understand chemical systems. Throughout the textbook a strong connection is made between theoretical topics and the real world of practicing chemists. Each chapter concludes with problems and discussion questions, and a supporting website contains additional advanced material. Structural Methods in Molecular Inorganic Chemistry is an extensive update and sequel to the successful textbook Structural Methods in Inorganic Chemistry by Ebsworth, Rankin and Cradock. It is essential reading for all advanced students of chemistry, and a handy reference source for the professional chemist.