Astrophysics Books

Book SynopsisPacked with striking photography, Eyewitness Universe explores the incredible celestial bodies in our Solar System.Become an eyewitness to outer space and beyond, in this picture-led reference guide that will take you on a visual tour of the Universe. Children will be mesmerised by how past, present, and future space exploration has helped our understanding of the Sun, our Solar System, rocky planets, gas giants, and explosive stars.This beautifully illustrated guide for kids aged 9+ gives an insight into far-off galaxies and out-of-this-world objects captured by powerful space telescopes. Striking photographs and detailed illustrations help you learn the secrets of pulsars and black holes, and how they are created by dead stars.Throughout the pages of this newly-revised book on fossils, you can expect to find: - A fresh new look; new photographs, updated information, and a new eyewitness feature.- Amazing facts, updated diagr

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"James Peebles, Co-Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics""Finalist for the PROSE Award in Cosmology and Astronomy, Association of American Publishers""It's hard to imagine anyone better placed to recount the inside story of modern cosmology. . . . For anyone seriously interested in the ways of science and how we came to understand our place in the Universe, this is essential reading."---Giles Sparrow, BBC Sky at Night Magazine"As expected, the quality is top-notch. . . . [Cosmology's Century] is also very well written. The book is essential reading for anyone interested in the first hundred years of modern cosmology."---Phillip Helbig, The Observatory

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Book SynopsisBased on the author's popular lecture notes, this graduate-level textbook provides an accessible and self-contained introduction to cosmology, ideal as a course companion or for self-study. Concepts are explained at an appropriate level of detail, with hundreds of worked examples and problems to facilitate a deeper understanding.Trade Review'A brilliant introduction to the most profound facts and ideas about the evolution of the universe, written by a young master of the field. Cosmology is a must-read for beginning students and active researchers alike.' Nima Arkani-Hamed, Professor, Institute for Advanced Study'Daniel Baumann provides a superb introduction to modern cosmology. If I were teaching a cosmology course, I would want to have the students work through this text. Baumann balances rigor and intuition in his approach and covers the most exciting aspects of the field.' David Spergel, Charles Young Professor of Astronomy Emeritus, Princeton and President, Simons Foundation'This book is sure to be a new standard text in modern cosmology. It covers the most important topics, from the early universe to the formation of structure, in a clear and engaging way. I'd strongly recommend it for anyone interested in the physics underlying our modern scientific view of the universe.' Sean Carroll, Professor, Johns Hopkins University and author of Spacetime and Geometry'This masterful text is a carefully reasoned, clear exposition of a dramatic development in science: a precise characterization of the cosmological history of the universe on large scales. Baumann explains how we know what we know, via an interplay of observation and well-grounded theory. In addition, as a key contributor to its modern development, Baumann introduces opportunities to build from these results to extract fundamental empirical information about early universe dynamics from ongoing cosmological observations.' Eva Silverstein, Professor, Stanford University'Baumann's writings and explanations are some of the clearest and best structured of any I've encountered in this field. I've been recommending his lecture notes to students for years, and this book will certainly be my first choice as an up-to-date text for those seeking to understand cosmology and its physical foundations.' Katie Mack, Professor of Cosmology and Science Communication, Perimeter Institute of Theoretical Physics'Like the Book of Genesis, but true. 13.8 billion years of history in 440 content-packed pages.' David Tong, Professor, University of CambridgeTable of ContentsPreface; 1. Introduction; Part I. The Homogenous Universe: 2. The expanding universe; 3. The hot Big Bang; 4. Cosmological inflation; Part II. The Inhomogenous Universe: 5. Structure formation; 6. Relativistic perturbation theory; 7. Cosmic microwave background; 8. Quantum initial conditions; 9. Outlook; Appendices: Index.

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of Astrophysics for People in a Hurry and the host of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey,a memoir about growing up and a young man's budding scientific curiosity. This is the absorbing story of Neil deGrasse Tyson's lifelong fascination with the night sky, a restless wonder that began some thirty years ago on the roof of his Bronx apartment building and eventually led him to become the director of the Hayden Planetarium. A unique chronicle of a young man who at one time was both nerd and jock, Tyson's memoir could well inspire other similarly curious youngsters to pursue their dreams. Like many athletic kids he played baseball, won medals in track and swimming, and was captain of his high school wrestling team. But at the same time he was setting up a telescope on winter nights, taking an advanced astronomy course at the Hayden Planetarium, and spending a summer vacation at an astronomy camp in the Mojave Desert. Eventually, his scientific curiosity prevailed, and he went on to graduate in physics from Harvard and to earn a Ph.D. in astrophysics from Columbia. There followed postdoctoral research at Princeton. In 1996, he became the director of the Hayden Planetarium, where some twenty-five years earlier he had been awed by the spectacular vista in the sky theater. Tyson pays tribute to the key teachers and mentors who recognized his precocious interests and abilities, and helped him succeed. He intersperses personal reminiscences with thoughts on scientific literacy, careful science vs. media hype, the possibility that a meteor could someday hit the Earth, dealing with society's racial stereotypes, what science can and cannot say about the existence of God, and many other interesting insights about science, society, and the nature of the universe. Now available in paperback with a new preface and other additions, this engaging memoir will enlighten and inspire an appreciation of astronomy and the wonders of our universe.

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Book SynopsisThis long-awaited second edition of the classical textbook on Stellar Structure and Evolution by Kippenhahn and Weigert is a thoroughly revised version of the original text. Taking into account modern observational constraints as well as additional physical effects such as mass loss and diffusion, Achim Weiss and Rudolf Kippenhahn have succeeded in bringing the book up to the state-of-the-art with respect to both the presentation of stellar physics and the presentation and interpretation of current sophisticated stellar models. The well-received and proven pedagogical approach of the first edition has been retained.The book provides a comprehensive treatment of the physics of the stellar interior and the underlying fundamental processes and parameters. The models developed to explain the stability, dynamics and evolution of the stars are presented and great care is taken to detail the various stages in a star’s life. Just as the first edition, which remained a standard work for more than 20 years after its first publication, the second edition will be of lasting value not only for students but also for active researchers in astronomy and astrophysics.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews of the second edition:“‘Stellar Structure and Evolution’ is a mathematical and theoretical look at stellar physics. … As a textbook I found this clear and concise, containing all the important topics … and as such is an essential learning material for students of astrophysics, but also a good reference-work to fall back upon if something needs to be reminded. Because of it’s structure and the way the concepts are presented it also makes for a good textbook for independent study … .” (Kadri Tinn, AstroMadness.com, March, 2014)“There is an enormous amount of physics and astronomy in this second edition, more … than a typical first-year-graduate class, or instructor, can master in a semester. Some of the material cannot easily be found in other books … . Certainly, anyone planning to teach the subject should have the book … .” (Virginia Trimble, The Observatory, Vol. 133 (1233), April, 2013)Table of ContentsPart I The Basic Equations.- 1 Coordinates, Mass Distribution, and Gravitational Field in Spherical Stars.- 2 Conservation of Momentum.- 3 The Virial Theorem.- 4 Conservation of Energy.- 5 Transport of Energy by Radiation and Conduction.- 6 Stability Against Local, Non-spherical Perturbations.- 7 Transport of Energy by Convection.- 8 The Chemical Composition.- 9 Mass Loss.- Part II The Overall Problem.- 10 The Differential Equations of Stellar Evolution.- 11 Boundary Conditions.- 12 Numerical Procedure.- Part III Properties of Stellar Matter.- 13 The Perfect Gas with Radiation.- 14 Ionization.- 15 The Degenerate Electron Gas.- 16 The Equation of State of Stellar Matter.- 17 Opacity.- 18 Nuclear Energy Production.- Part IV Simple Stellar Models.- 19 Polytropic Gaseous Spheres.- 20 Homology Relations.- 21 Simple Models in the U–V Plane.- 22 The Zero Age Main-Sequence.- 23 Other Main-Sequences.- 24 The Hayashi Line.- 25 Stability Considerations.- Part V Early Stellar Evolution.- 26 The Onset of Star Formation.- 27 The Formation of Protostars.- 28 Pre-Main-Sequence Contraction.- 29 From the Initial to the Present Sun.- 30 Evolution on the Main-Sequence.- Part VI Post-Main-Sequence Evolution.- 31 Evolution Through Helium Burning – Intermediate-Mass Stars.- 32 Evolution Through Helium Burning – Massive Stars.- 33 Evolution Through Helium Burning – Low-Mass Stars.- Part VII Late Phases of Stellar Evolution.- 34 Evolution on the Asymptotic Giant Branch.- 35 Later Phases of Core Evolution.- 36 Final Explosions and Collapse.- Part VIII Compact Objects.- 37 White Dwarfs.- 38 Neutron Stars.- 39 Black Holes.- Part IX Pulsating Stars.- 40 Adiabatic Spherical Pulsations.- 41 Non-adiabatic Spherical Pulsations.- 42 Non-radial Stellar Oscillations.- Part X Stellar Rotation.- 43 The Mechanics of Rotating Stellar Models.- 44 The Thermodynamics of Rotating Stellar Models.- 45 The Angular-Velocity Distribution in Stars.- References.- Index.

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Book SynopsisThis textbook equips Masters' students studying Physics and Astronomy with the necessary mathematical tools to understand the basics of General Relativity and its applications. It begins by reviewing classical mechanics with a more geometrically oriented language, continues with Special Relativity and, then onto a discussion on the pseudo-Riemannian space-times. Applications span from the inner and outer Schwarzschild solutions to gravitational wave, black holes, spherical relativistic hydrodynamics, and Cosmology. The goal is to limit the abstract formalization of the problems, to favor a hands-on approach with a number of exercises, without renouncing to a pedagogical derivation of the main mathematical tools and findings. Features Provides a self-contained introduction to General Relativity and to its standar applications. Presents readers with all the tools necessary for further learning and research in the field. Accessible to readeTable of Contents1. Space and Time: The Classical View. 2. From Space and Time to Space-Time. 3. From Inertial to Non-Inertial Reference Frames. 4. Pseudo-Riemannian Spaces. 5. The Riemann-Christoffel Curvature Tensor. 6. From Non-Inertial Frames to Gravity: the Equivalence Principle. 7. Observational Test of the Equivalence Principle. 8. Field Equations in the "Vacuum": the Isotropic Solution. 9. Test-particles in the Schwarzschild Space-Time. 10. The Classical Tests of General Relativity. 11. Gravitational Waves in the "Vacuum". 12. Schwarzschild Black Holes. 13. Field Equations in Non-Empty Space-Times. 14. Further Applications of Some Field Equations. 15. Theoretical Cosmology. 16. The Hot Big-Bang. Appendix A. References. Index.

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Book SynopsisThis book provides an accessible, yet thorough, introduction to special and general relativity, crafted and class-tested over many years of teaching. Suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, this book provides clear descriptions of how to approach the mathematics and physics involved. It is also contains the latest exciting developments in the field, including dark energy, gravitational waves, and frame dragging.The table of contents has been carefully developed in consultation with a large number of instructors teaching courses worldwide, to ensure its wide applicability to modules on relativity and gravitation. Features: A clear, accessible writing style, presenting a sophisticated approach to the subject, that remains suitable for advanced undergraduate students and above Class-tested over many years To be accompanied by a partner volume on âAdvanced TopicsâTrade Review"In my view, this is a very readable text and very student-friendly. The presentation of the content is clear and there are lots of detailed illustrative examples (which are absent in many other GR texts). You might be aware that there is a strong interest on General Relativity course nowadays due to recent detection of gravitational wave and black imaging. This particular text will have potential to be well-like by students." — Prof. Kenneth Hong Chong Ming, National University of Singapore Table of Contents1. Relativity: A theory of space, time, and gravity 2. Basic special relativity 3. Lorentz transformation, I 4. Geometry of Lorentz invariance 5. Tensors on flat spaces 6. Lorentz transformation, II 7. Particle dynamics 8. Covariant electrodynamics 9. Energy-momentum of fields 10. Relativistic hydrodynamics 11. Equivalence of local gravity and acceleration 12. Acceleration in special relativity 13. Tensors on manifolds 14. Differential geometry 15. General relativity 16. The Schwarzschild metric 17. Physical effects of Schwarzschild spacetime 18. Linearized gravity 19. Relativistic cosmology. Appendix A: Invariance of the wave equation Appendix B: The Doppler effect Appendix C: Topics in linear algebra Appendix D: Topics in classical mechanics Appendix E: Photon and particle orbits

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Book SynopsisThis book introduces you to the physics of cosmic rays, charged particles which reach us from known â and maybe unknown â sources in the cosmos. Starting from a brief history of this fascinating field, it reviews what we know about the creation of elements in the Big Bang and inside stars. It explains cosmic accelerators reaching fabulous energies. It follows the life cycle of cosmic rays all the way from their sources to detection near, on or below Earth. The central three chapters cover what we know about them at the level of the solar system, the Milky Way and the Universe at large. Up-to-date experimental results are presented in detail, showing how they are obtained and interpreted. The book provides an accessible overview of this lively and diversified research field. It will be of interest to undergraduate physics students beginning their studies on astronomy, cosmology, and particle physics. It is also accessible to the general public by concentrating mathematical and technical detail into Focus Boxes.Key features: Complete introductory overview of cosmic ray physics Covers the origins, acceleration, transport mechanisms and detection of these particles Mathematical and technical detail is kept separate from the main text Table of ContentsChapter 1. Cosmic Rays and Us Chapter 2. A Brief History. Chapter 3. Gross features. Chapter 4. Particle Production. Chapter 5. Cosmic Accelerators. Chapter 6. Particle Transport. Chapter 7. Pointing Messengers. Chapter 8. In the Heliosphere.. Chapter 9. In the Milky Way. Chapter 10. In the Cosmos. Chapter 11. The Next Revolution. Bibliography. Index.

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Book SynopsisThe study of plasmas is crucial in improving our understanding of the universe, and they are being increasingly utilised in key technologies such as spacecraft thrusters, plasma medicine, and fusion energy. Providing readers with an easy to follow set of examples that clearly illustrate how simulation codes are written, this book guides readers through how to develop C++ computer codes for simulating plasmas primarily with the kinetic Particle in Cell (PIC) method. This text will be invaluable to advanced undergraduates and graduate students in physics and engineering looking to learn how to put the theory to the test.Features: Provides a step-by-step introduction to plasma simulations with easy to follow examples Discusses the electrostatic and electromagnetic Particle in Cell (PIC) method on structured and unstructured meshes, magnetohydrodynamics (MTable of Contents1. Fundamentals. 2. Plasma in a box. 3. Flow Around a Sphere. 4. Material Interactions. 5. Symmetry. 6. Unstructured Meshes. 7. Electromagnetic PIC. 8. Eulerian Methods. 9. Parallel Programming.

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Book SynopsisWhen we look at a starry night sky, we are looking out through vast invisible expanses of our own Solar System. The planets, appearing as bright specks, have been revealed as worlds by space missions. However, the invisible spaces between them are equally interesting. Unseen forces, such as the effect of gravity, spiraling magnetic fields, and subatomic particles, originate from the Sun. Celestial bodies too small to see form unexpected patterns, while atoms and nuclei are hidden even if in our own bodies. Weaving the history of discovery with clear explanations, Invisible Solar System pulls back the cloak of invisibility under which myriad aspects of the local region of space are connected.Features: Gravity, originally seen as an invisible force, is now revealed as a curvature of spacetime, and, even in its simple form, enables amazing patterns to form The smallest particles have other structures that enable them to interact, poweriTable of ContentsChapter 1: Discovery of the Invisible Solar System. Chapter 2: Astronomy of the Invisible. Chapter 3: Let there be Light! Chapter 4: Inner Space. Chapter 5: Beneath our Notice. Chapter 6: Wind from the Sun. Chapter 7: Blowback: Planetary Magnetospheres. Chapter 8: Radiation in Space! Chapter 9: Exploration of the Invisible Solar System. Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisAstronomy has become data-driven in ways that are both quantitatively and qualitatively different from the past: data structures are not simple; procedures to gain astrophysical insights are not obvious; and the informational content of the data sets is so high that archival research and data mining are not merely convenient, but obligatory, as researchers who obtain the data can only extract a small fraction of the science enabled by it. IAU Symposium 325 took place at a crucial stage in the development of the field, when many efforts have carried significant achievements, but the widespread groups have just begun to effectively communicate across specialties, to gather and assimilate their achievements, and to consult cross-disciplinary experts. Bringing together astronomers involved in surveys and large simulation projects, computer scientists, data scientists, and companies, this volume showcases their fruitful exchange of ideas, methods, software, and technical capabilities.Table of Contents1. Astroinformatics projects; 2. Current and future surveys; 3. Data mining and machine learning; 4. Time domain and cosmology; 5. Data visualization; 6. Astroinformatics tools; 7. Archives in astronomy.

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Book SynopsisHeliophysics is a fast-developing scientific discipline that integrates studies of the Sun's variability, the surrounding heliosphere, and the environment and climate of planets. This volume, the fourth in the Heliophysics collection, explores what makes the conditions on Earth 'just right' to sustain life, by comparing Earth to other solar system planets, by comparing solar magnetic activity to that of other stars, and by looking at the properties of evolving exoplanet systems. By taking an interdisciplinary approach and using comparative heliophysics, the authors illustrate how we can learn about our local cosmos by looking beyond it, and in doing so, also enable the converse. Supplementary online resources are provided, including lecture presentations, problem sets and exercise labs, making this ideal as a textbook for advanced undergraduate- and graduate-level courses, as well as a foundational reference for researchers in the many subdisciplines of helio- and astrophysics.Table of ContentsPreface; 1. Introduction Carolus J. Schrijver, Frances Bagenal and Jan J. Sojka; 2. Solar explosive activity throughout the evolution of the Solar System Rachel Osten; 3. Astrospheres, stellar winds, and the interstellar medium Brian Wood and Jeffrey L. Linsky; 4. Effects of stellar eruptions throughout astrospheres Ofer Cohen; 5. Characteristics of planetary systems Debra Fischer and Ji Wang; 6. Planetary dynamos: updates and new frontiers Sabine Stanley; 7. Climates of terrestrial planets David Brain; 8. Upper atmospheres of the giant planets Luke Moore, Tom Stallard and Marina Garland; 9. Aeronomy of terrestrial upper atmospheres David E. Siskind and Stephen W. Bougher; 10. Moons, asteroids, and comets interacting with their surroundings Margaret G. Kivelson; 11. Dusty plasmas Mihály Horányi; 12. Energetic-particle environments in the Solar System Norbert Krupp; 13. Heliophysics with radio scintillation and occultation Mario M. Bisi; Appendix 1. Authors and editors; List of illustrations; List of tables; References; Index.

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Book SynopsisA Powerful Window into Cosmic EvolutionTerahertz (THz) observations of interstellar atoms, molecules, and dust serve as powerful probes of the conditions within the interstellar medium that permeates our galaxy, providing insights into the origins of stars, planets, galaxies, and the Universe. Taking a cross-disciplinary approach to the subject, Terahertz Astronomy explores THz astrophysics and the technologies that make this rapidly evolving field possible.The first four chapters of the book discuss the origin and interpretation of THz light in astrophysical sources. The remaining five chapters present an overview of the technologies used to collect and detect THz light. Every chapter contains worked-out examples and exercises. The author explains each topic as intuitively as possible and includes the equations needed for real-life astrophysical applications.In just a few years, the number of active THz researchersTrade Review"The book is beautifully illustrated, having a long list of references and worked examples at the end of each chapter. I would recommend the book to students and researchers working in THz technologies and astronomy."—Optics & Photonics News, January 2016"This comprehensive, well-written book was a pleasure to read, an absolute must for anyone interested in learning about cutting-edge technologies and techniques revolutionizing our modern view of the Universe, and it is destined to become a standard reference work for astronomers and technologists."—Professor Glenn White, The Open University"This excellent book fills a huge hole in the literature in observational terahertz astronomy. No other existing text covers the essentials of terahertz astronomy instrumentation and techniques as applied to the study of the interstellar medium. It is sure to become an essential text for those who work in the field."—Christopher Groppi, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University"… a wonderful book, combining an insightful overview of the interstellar medium with a description of the most important techniques used to study this component of galaxies and how new stars form. It’s particularly timely, with the availability of powerful new tools, including the ALMA array, the SOFIA airborne observatory, and a range of planned and proposed suborbital and space missions in the terahertz range."—Paul F. Goldsmith, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology and Herschel Space Observatory"This valuable and well-written textbook by Professor Christopher Walker helps to fill a gap in the literature describing the interstellar medium at terahertz frequencies. There are very few textbooks that discuss the medium from the observer’s point of view, showing how to determine its physical parameters from the output of the detectors. Also discussed are the operations of mixer and bolometer detectors."—Thomas G. Phillips, John D. MacArthur Professor of Physics Emeritus, California Institute of Technology"… a fundamental source for astronomers and engineers who wish to understand the physical principles and detection techniques."—Jonathan Williams, University of Hawaii"Walker’s book is incredibly timely: it introduces the basics of terahertz data but also explains the instrumentation at the level all observers need to know, and does so in friendly but, most importantly, crystal-clear prose."—George H. Rieke, Regents' Professor of Astronomy, University of Arizona"… an essential resource for all astrophysicists and experimental physicists seeking to exploit the opportunities of this last frontier in astronomy."—Michael Burton, University of New South Wales"The first four chapters that cover stellar evolution, atomic physics and radiation physics are the basics…. The last five are… crucial as THz data are highly dependent on the observation and calibration techniques, especially the detector technology, the improvement of which is the reason why the field has moved forward the way it is… the examples and exercises will help the readers along the way." —Contemporary Physics (Aug 2016)"The book is beautifully illustrated, having a long list of references and worked examples at the end of each chapter. I would recommend the book to students and researchers working in THz technologies and astronomy."—Optics & Photonics News, January 2016"This comprehensive, well-written book was a pleasure to read, an absolute must for anyone interested in learning about cutting-edge technologies and techniques revolutionizing our modern view of the Universe, and it is destined to become a standard reference work for astronomers and technologists."—Professor Glenn White, The Open University"This excellent book fills a huge hole in the literature in observational terahertz astronomy. No other existing text covers the essentials of terahertz astronomy instrumentation and techniques as applied to the study of the interstellar medium. It is sure to become an essential text for those who work in the field."—Christopher Groppi, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University"… a wonderful book, combining an insightful overview of the interstellar medium with a description of the most important techniques used to study this component of galaxies and how new stars form. It’s particularly timely, with the availability of powerful new tools, including the ALMA array, the SOFIA airborne observatory, and a range of planned and proposed suborbital and space missions in the terahertz range."—Paul F. Goldsmith, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology and Herschel Space Observatory"This valuable and well-written textbook by Professor Christopher Walker helps to fill a gap in the literature describing the interstellar medium at terahertz frequencies. There are very few textbooks that discuss the medium from the observer’s point of view, showing how to determine its physical parameters from the output of the detectors. Also discussed are the operations of mixer and bolometer detectors."—Thomas G. Phillips, John D. MacArthur Professor of Physics Emeritus, California Institute of Technology"… a fundamental source for astronomers and engineers who wish to understand the physical principles and detection techniques."—Jonathan Williams, University of Hawaii"Walker’s book is incredibly timely: it introduces the basics of terahertz data but also explains the instrumentation at the level all observers need to know, and does so in friendly but, most importantly, crystal-clear prose."—George H. Rieke, Regents' Professor of Astronomy, University of Arizona"… an essential resource for all astrophysicists and experimental physicists seeking to exploit the opportunities of this last frontier in astronomy."—Michael Burton, University of New South Wales"The first four chapters that cover stellar evolution, atomic physics and radiation physics are the basics…. The last five are… crucial as THz data are highly dependent on the observation and calibration techniques, especially the detector technology, the improvement of which is the reason why the field has moved forward the way it is… the examples and exercises will help the readers along the way." —Contemporary Physics (Aug 2016)Table of ContentsThe Interstellar Medium at Terahertz Frequencies. THz Radiative Transfer Basics and Line Radiation. THz Continuum Emission. Simple Radiative Transfer Model. THz Optical Systems. THz Coherent Detection Systems. Incoherent Detectors. THz Observing Techniques. THz Interferometry. Answers to Problems. Appendices.

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Book SynopsisBringing the material up to date, Black Holes, Wormholes and Time Machines, Second Edition captures the new ideas and discoveries made in physics since the publication of the best-selling first edition. While retaining the popular format and style of its predecessor, this edition explores the latest developments in high-energy astroparticle physics and Big Bang cosmology.The book continues to make the ideas and theories of modern physics easily understood by anyone, from researchers to students to general science enthusiasts. Taking you on a journey through space and time, author Jim Al-Khalili covers some of the most fascinating topics in physics today, including: Black holes Space warps The Big Bang Time travel Wormholes Parallel universes Professor Al-Khalili explains often complex scientific concepts in simple, nontechnical terms and imparts an appreciation of the cosTrade ReviewIt is very desirable to have a book available that explores the relevant physics issues from a straight and sober scientific standpoint. Jim Al-Khalili’s Black Holes, Wormholes and Time Machines, appearing in a newly revised second edition, fulfils this need admirably. The explanations are up to date and the author knows how to provide honest accounts of his exotic subject matter … A good virtue of the book is that it successfully distinguishes between truth and fiction. The presentation is quite thorough while being very much at a popular level, with almost no mathematics, some nice illustrations, and plenty of jokes. I was fascinated to learn that the entire area of wormholes, first developed by Kip Thorne, was initially prompted by Carl Sagan, who wanted to have some kind of plausible scientific basis for his novel Contact. … a highly enjoyable and very interesting read. It can be strongly recommended to teenagers and to anyone who wants a non-technical account of some very topical areas of modern physics. Quite a lot of important details are included and discussed, giving an extremely good up-to-date overview of the subject matter. Even academic physicists who are not engaged in these areas can find here the kind of clear and straightforward explanations that may be helpful in answering students’ questions. These are topics where it is often hard to get information that is both reliable and understandable. Al-Khalili has once again done everyone a good turn in providing it.—Peter J. Bussey, Contemporary Physics, June 2012Praise for the First Edition:… the reader will enjoy the clear and non-technical explanations strewn with historical anecdotes about the heroes of this quest for the understanding of what is space and time … Al-Khalili takes us by the hand to a fascinating world from which you may not return…—Jean-Phillipe Uzan, University of Paris, FranceThis is precisely the kind of book that I like reading. The pace of the journey as the ever more complex theories unfold is well handled. Jim Al-Khalili uses layman's language to his credit.—Vernon NashI know of no other book on this subject that is so accessible to the reader for whom relativity and quantum mechanics are new. The author's explanations are unusually clear, and he writes at a simple level without being patronizing or slow-paced. The tone is consistently good-humored, almost playful at times.—Publisher Tom QuinnJim Al-Khalili has produced, with earnest intentions, a concise, well written book … this is on the whole a pleasant, readable book.—Physics WorldIf you want to know about time, this is the book. I don't know of another nearly as good and I've read a lot of them. But more than telling you about time, what makes this book exceptional is that it conveys a wonderful sense of the beautiful excitement of scientific ideas.—David Malone, Producer of BBC's Documentary "The Flow of Time"Jim Al-Khalili has written a splendid popular book … The book would be an excellent resource for school teachers in both mathematics and physics to enrich their teaching, and to enthuse their students. … Many physicists will enjoy this easy-to-read book … I highly recommend it for teenagers with an interest in science and for non-scientists interested in the deep questions of our universe.—David G. Blair, University of Western Australia, The PhysicistJim Al-Khalili's [book] is another of the many books about the wonders of the Universe and what we know about them. But with a difference, though. Enthusiasm to make everything understandable to the most untutored comes from every page. It's successful, it's humorous, and it's up to date. A great crib for furtive, refreshing use.—New ScientistThis is a popular book on general relativity and cosmology including black hole physics. Also, the history of these subjects is described, and a valuable list of references, including both popular and advanced levels, is attached … the book contains several nice figures to help understanding properties of relativity theory.—Hans-Jurgen Schmidt, Zentralblatt MathThroughout the book, everything is surprisingly clear and the readers are left with lots of room for her/his imagination to follow their own thoughts, though not losing track of the trend … It is actually fun reading this book … This book gives a good impression of how special and general relativity affect our environment.—Karsten Markus, Department of Astronomy, UCTIt is very desirable to have a book available that explores the relevant physics issues from a straight and sober scientific standpoint. Jim Al-Khalili’s Black Holes, Wormholes and Time Machines, appearing in a newly revised second edition, fulfils this need admirably. The explanations are up to date and the author knows how to provide honest accounts of his exotic subject matter … A good virtue of the book is that it successfully distinguishes between truth and fiction. The presentation is quite thorough while being very much at a popular level, with almost no mathematics, some nice illustrations, and plenty of jokes. I was fascinated to learn that the entire area of wormholes, first developed by Kip Thorne, was initially prompted by Carl Sagan, who wanted to have some kind of plausible scientific basis for his novel Contact. … a highly enjoyable and very interesting read. It can be strongly recommended to teenagers and to anyone who wants a non-technical account of some very topical areas of modern physics. Quite a lot of important details are included and discussed, giving an extremely good up-to-date overview of the subject matter. Even academic physicists who are not engaged in these areas can find here the kind of clear and straightforward explanations that may be helpful in answering students’ questions. These are topics where it is often hard to get information that is both reliable and understandable. Al-Khalili has once again done everyone a good turn in providing it.—Peter J. Bussey, Contemporary Physics, June 2012Praise for the First Edition:… the reader will enjoy the clear and non-technical explanations strewn with historical anecdotes about the heroes of this quest for the understanding of what is space and time … Al-Khalili takes us by the hand to a fascinating world from which you may not return…—Jean-Phillipe Uzan, University of Paris, FranceThis is precisely the kind of book that I like reading. The pace of the journey as the ever more complex theories unfold is well handled. Jim Al-Khalili uses layman's language to his credit.—Vernon NashI know of no other book on this subject that is so accessible to the reader for whom relativity and quantum mechanics are new. The author's explanations are unusually clear, and he writes at a simple level without being patronizing or slow-paced. The tone is consistently good-humored, almost playful at times.—Publisher Tom QuinnJim Al-Khalili has produced, with earnest intentions, a concise, well written book … this is on the whole a pleasant, readable book.—Physics WorldIf you want to know about time, this is the book. I don't know of another nearly as good and I've read a lot of them. But more than telling you about time, what makes this book exceptional is that it conveys a wonderful sense of the beautiful excitement of scientific ideas.—David Malone, Producer of BBC's Documentary "The Flow of Time"Jim Al-Khalili has written a splendid popular book … The book would be an excellent resource for school teachers in both mathematics and physics to enrich their teaching, and to enthuse their students. … Many physicists will enjoy this easy-to-read book … I highly recommend it for teenagers with an interest in science and for non-scientists interested in the deep questions of our universe.—Professor David G. Blair, University of Western Australia, The PhysicistJim Al-Khalili's [book] is another of the many books about the wonders of the Universe and what we know about them. But with a difference, though. Enthusiasm to make everything understandable to the most untutored comes from every page. It's successful, it's humorous, and it's up to date. A great crib for furtive, refreshing use.—New ScientistThis is a popular book on general relativity and cosmology including black hole physics. Also, the history of these subjects is described, and a valuable list of references, including both popular and advanced levels, is attached … the book contains several nice figures to help understanding properties of relativity theory.—Hans-Jurgen Schmidt, Zentralblatt MathThroughout the book, everything is surprisingly clear and the readers are left with lots of room for her/his imagination to follow their own thoughts, though not losing track of the trend … It is actually fun reading this book … This book gives a good impression of how special and general relativity affect our environment.—Karsten Markus, Department of Astronomy, UCTTable of ContentsSPACE: The 4th Dimension. Matters of Some Gravity. The Universe. Black Holes. TIME: Times Are Changing. Einstein's Time. Time Travel Paradoxes. TIME MACHINES: Wormholes. How to Build a Time Machine. What Do We Know? Suggestions for Further Reading. Index.

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Book SynopsisThis book summarizes the recent progress in the physics and astrophysics of neutron stars and, most importantly, it identifies and develops effective strategies to explore, both theoretically and observationally, the many remaining open questions in the field. Because of its significance in the solution of many fundamental questions in nuclear physics, astrophysics and gravitational physics, the study of neutron stars has seen enormous progress over the last years and has been very successful in improving our understanding in these fascinating compact objects. The book addresses a wide spectrum of readers, from students to senior researchers. Thirteen chapters written by internationally renowned experts offer a thorough overview of the various facets of this interdisciplinary science, from neutron star formation in supernovae, pulsars, equations of state super dense matter, gravitational wave emission, to alternative theories of gravity. The book was initiated by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action MP1304 “Exploring fundamental physics with compact stars” (NewCompStar).Trade Review Table of Contents1. Neutron stars formation and Core Collapse Supernovae P. Cerda'-Duran (ES), TBD 2. Strongly magnetized pulsars: explosive events and evolution Gourgouliatos (UK), P. Esposito (NL) 3. Radio pulsars: testing gravity and detecting GWs D. Perrodin (IT), A. Sesana (UK) (TBC) 4. Accreting pulsars: mixing-up accretion phases in transitional systems Di Salvo (IT), S. Campana (IT) 5. Testing the EOS with electromagnetic observations N. Degenaar (UK), Juri Poutanen (FI) 6. Nuclear EOS for Compact Stars & Supernovae A. Fantina (FR), F. Burgio (I) 7. Low-energy QCD & Super-dense matter D. Blaschke (PL), C. Pethick (DK) 8. Superfluidity & Superconductivity in Compact Stars B. Haskell (PL), A. Sedrakian (D) 9. Transport phenomena & reactions rates for Compact Stars & Supernovae P. Shternin (RU), A. Schmitt (UK) 10. GW emission from merging BNSs T. Hinderer (D), L. Rezzolla (D) < 11. EM emission and nucleosynthesis from BNSs A. Arcones (D) B. Giacomazzo (I) 12. GW emission from single neutron stars L. Gualtieri (I), K. Glampedakis (ES) 13. Universal relations and Alternative Gravity Theories D. Doneva (BG), G. Pappas (PT)

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Book SynopsisCircumstellar disks are vast expanses of dust that form around new stars in the earliest stages of their birth. This work covers a range of scientific knowledge that helps in understanding circumstellar disks, including chemical processes, the properties of dust and gases, hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics, and stellar evolution.Trade Review"Garcia provides a deep, insightful presentation of the key theoretical issues relevant to understanding the protoplanetary disks that are likely sites for future planet formation. This volume will certainly be a fundamental contribution to astrophysical literature." (Suzan Edwards, Smith College)"

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Book SynopsisCircumstellar disks are vast expanses of dust that form around new stars in the earliest stages of their birth. This work covers a range of scientific knowledge that helps in understanding circumstellar disks, including chemical processes, the properties of dust and gases, hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics, and stellar evolution.Trade Review"Garcia provides a deep, insightful presentation of the key theoretical issues relevant to understanding the protoplanetary disks that are likely sites for future planet formation. This volume will certainly be a fundamental contribution to astrophysical literature." (Suzan Edwards, Smith College)"

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Book SynopsisOffers an introduction to the mathematical and physical techniques used in the study of high-energy astrophysics. This title approaches the basics of high-energy astrophysics with an emphasis on underlying physical processes as opposed to a more mathematical approach.Trade Review"Mario Vietri's book provides an excellent pedagogical introduction to the basic elements of high-energy astrophysics. The authoritative text is well balanced to serve both beginning students and advanced researchers. This exceptional combination of basic physics and its applications, rarely found to this level of rigor in a single textbook, demonstrates how fundamental physical principles shape observable phenomena in one of the most exciting frontiers of present-day astrophysics." - Abraham Loeb, Harvard University"

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Book SynopsisThis book provides General Relativity problems to be tackled both analytically and symbolically-numerically with the Mathematica software. In the first case, the reader is guided in setting up the appropriate solutions. In the second case, the reader is provided with very illustrative notebooks to carry out the steps necessary to solve a General Relativity problem. These include the calculation of the Christoffel symbols, Riemann, Ricci, Einstein and energy-momentum tensors, as well as the resolution of the field equations of General Relativity in different astrophysical/cosmological contexts, with and without the introduction of a cosmological constant. This study guide should be used alongside existing textbooks to provide additional learning and engagement opportunities for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in physics and astrophysics taking courses on general relativity. It may also be of interest to mathematics students interested in celestial mechanics and space sci

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Book SynopsisAlthough the field of celestial dynamics ? the application of Newtonian dynamics to systems with a relatively small number of celestial bodies ? is centuries old, it has been reinvigorated by the discovery of thousands of exoplanetary systems orbiting other stars. This textbook uses the properties of planetary systems, including own Solar System, to illustrate the rich variety of behavior permitted by Newton''s law of gravity. The textbook then expands its view to examine stellar dynamics ? the study of systems containing a very large number of stars or other celestial bodies. The different techniques used for celestial dynamics and stellar dynamics are compared and contrasted. However, throughout the text, emphasis is placed on the underlying physics that applies on scales as small as the Earth?Moon system and as large as a cluster of galaxies. It is ideal for a 1-semester astrophysical dynamics course for upper-level undergraduates and starting graduate students.

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Book SynopsisAstrophysicist and space pioneer James Van Allen (1914-2006), for whom the Van Allen radiation belts were named, was among the principal scientific investigators for twenty-four space missions, including Explorer I in 1958, the first successful U.S. satellite; Mariner 2's 1962 flyby of Venus, the first successful mission to another planet; and the 1970s Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11 missions that surveyed Jupiter and Saturn. Although he retired as a University of Iowa professor of physics and astronomy in 1985, he remained an active researcher, using his campus office to monitor data from Pioneer 10 - on course to reach the edge of the solar system when its signal was lost in 2003 - until a short time before his death at the age of ninety-one. Now Abigail Foerstner blends space science drama, military agendas, cold war politics, and the events of Van Allen's lengthy career to create the first biography of this highly influential physicist. Drawing on Van Allen's correspondence and publications, years of interviews with him as well as with more than a hundred other people, and declassified documents from such archives as the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Kennedy Space Center, and the Applied Physics Laboratory, Foerstner describes Van Allen's life from his Iowa childhood to his first experiments at White Sands to the years of Explorer I until his death in 2006. Often called the father of space science, James Van Allen led the way to mapping a new solar system based on the solar wind, massive solar storms, and cosmic rays. Pioneer 10 alone sent him more than thirty years of readings that helped push our recognition of the boundary of the solar system billions of miles past Pluto. Abigail Foerstner's compelling biography charts the eventful life and time of this trailblazing physicist.

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Book SynopsisHorizons of Cosmology: Exploring Worlds Seen and Unseen is the fourth title published in the Templeton Science and Religion Series, in which scientists from a wide range of fields distill their experience and knowledge into brief tours of their respective specialties. In this volume, highly esteemed astrophysicist Joseph Silk explores the vast mysteries and speculations of the field of cosmology in a way that balances an accessible style for the general reader and enough technical detail for advanced students and professionals. Indeed, while the physical laws and origins of the universe can be endlessly complex, even Einstein once mused that they could be explained simply enough to be grasped by nonspecialists. To that end Silk begins by introducing the basic story of the major discoveries in cosmology over the past century—wherein we learned that we live in an expanding universe populated with galaxies and stars. The middle chapters examine a number of contemporary puzzles such as dark matter and dark energy. The last third of the book looks at the human side of cosmology and moves to the more philosophical frontiers of the field, such as concepts of multiverses and time travel—areas of exploration where some crossover into speculative territory becomes unavoidable. In the past century alone, our understanding of the universe has expanded exponentially, and it will be fascinating to see what discoveries the next hundred years hold. Few books will provide such a thorough understanding of where we have been and what might lie ahead as Horizons of Cosmology.

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