This edition, considerably revised since Russian publication in 1954, now includes the theories of thermal and chain explosion reviewed in the light of very recent work. The classical example of the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen is treated in detail, and among the large selection of chain reactions analyzed are the gas phase cracking of hydrocarbons and the oxidation of methane and other hydrocarbons in the liquid phase. The book summarizes many recent and unpublished Soviet investigations in the field. Originally published in 1959. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.