Re: Gofman letter -Reply

[William Prestwich <prestwic@mcmail.cis.McMaster.CA>]

I think it can be argued that a single photon with wavelength in the uvb
range causes mutations. The primary effect is the production of a dimer
between adjacent bases in the DNA molecule. The production rate is the
product of the cross section and flux density. In effect the interaction
is characterized by a probability. So, the effect reults from a single
photon interaction, but only a small fraction of photon traverals through
the DNA result in such an interaction.
Bill Prestwich
McMaster University
prestwic@mcmaster.ca

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