Astrophysics Books

Book SynopsisThe revealing of the phenomenon of superhydrophobicity (the "lotus-effect") has stimulated an interest in wetting of real (rough and chemically heterogeneous) surfaces. In spite of the fact that wetting has been exposed to intensive research for more than 200 years, there still is a broad field open for theoretical and experimental research, including recently revealed superhydrophobic, superoleophobic and superhydrophilic surfaces, so-called liquid marbles, wetting transitions, etc. This book integrates all these aspects within a general framework of wetting of real surfaces, where physical and chemical heterogeneity is essential. Wetting of rough/heterogeneous surfaces is discussed through the use of the variational approach developed recently by the author. It allows natural and elegant grounding of main equations describing wetting of solid surfaces, i.e. Young, Wenzel and Cassie-Baxter equations. The problems of superhydrophobicity, wetting transitions and contact angle hysteresis are discussed in much detail, in view of novel models and new experimental data. The second edition surveys the last achievements in the field of wetting of real surfaces, including new chapters devoted to the wetting of lubricated and gradient surfaces and reactive wetting, which have seen the rapid progress in the last decade. Additional reading, surveying the progress across the entire field of wetting of real surfaces, is suggested to the reader. Contents What is surface tension? Wetting of ideal surfaces Contact angle hysteresis Dynamics of wetting Wetting of rough and chemically heterogeneous surfaces: the Wenzel and Cassie Models Superhydrophobicity, superhydrophilicity, and the rose petal effect Wetting transitions on rough surfaces Electrowetting and wetting in the presence of external fieldsNonstick droplets Wetting of lubricated surfaces

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Book SynopsisAs featured in THE EDGE OF ALL WE KNOW - the new Netflix documentary about Black HolesFor readers of Stephen Hawking, a fascinating account of the universe from the perspective of world-leading astrophysicist Heino Falcke, who took the first ever picture of a black hole.10th April 2019: a global sensation. Heino Falcke, a man working at the boundaries of his discipline and therefore at the limits of the universe had used a network of telescopes spanning the entire planet to take the first picture of a black hole.Light in the Darkness examines how mankind has always looked to the skies, mapping the journey from millennia ago when we turned our gaze to the heavens, to modern astrophysics. Heino Falcke and Jorg Romer entertainingly and compellingly chart the breakthrough research of Falcke''s team, an unprecedented global community of international colleagues developing a telescope complex enough to look directly into a black hole - a hole wTrade ReviewHeino Falcke's book shows us how much stamina, curiosity, and fascination are required to persevere with a great scientific project against all naysayers * Berliner Zeitung *The technological and logistical challenges that the scientists engaged in the endeavour to produce an image of a black hole were faced with, and how they finally succeeded in the Spring of 2017 - all of this Falcke, with the help of journalist Jörg Römer, has turned into a wonderful book. * Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung *Light in the Darkness succeeds in making the invisible visible and the unimaginable imaginable * Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger *Falcke asks that we take seriously what black holes have to tell us and that we accept the limits of our knowledge. You don't see it very often that a scientist shows such modesty at the moment of his greatest triumph. One of the many strengths of this book * Neue Zürcher Zeitung *Heino Falcke's very personal book provides surprisingly revealing insights into the life of a researcher. It introduces the reader to the early history of astronomy and its modern foundation and does so in an accessible way * Neue Zürcher Zeitung am Sonntag *Heino Falcke does ground-breaking research into the universe's most mysterious phenomenon and at the very edge of space and time * From the statement of the jury for the Spinoza Prize *For me, Heino Falcke is the Man of the Year 2019, and the image of the black hole in the M87 galaxy that he and his team produced immediately became iconic. But Falcke isn't only a fantastic scientist, but also a gifted storyteller * New Scientist (Dutch edition) *Whoever reads Falcke's book won't just dive into a breathtaking scientific story but will also be in awe of the man himself. In spite - or maybe precisely because? - of his rigorous scientific work, this practicing Christian and minister keeps a room for god in his heart * Neue Ruhr Zeitung *Falcke and Römer pull off the trick of combining an individual and a cosmic perspective in the most illuminating and entertaining fashion * Der Freitag *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Leaves the reader with a renewed sense of wonder about our bizarre and vast cosmic habitat.”—Steven Poole, Wall Street Journal“The author ranges elsewhere from ringed planets to enormous clusters of galaxies, gravity waves and the big bang, and she properly emphasizes the contributions of some unjustly overlooked women astronomers, such as Jocelyn Bell, who did not share in the 1974 Nobel Prize awarded for her team’s work on neutron stars. The overall effect of the book is like binge-watching an excellent Netflix documentary series and leaves the reader with a renewed sense of wonder about our bizarre and vast cosmic habitat.”—Steven Poole, Wall Street Journal“This is a fascinating read, but also serves as a contemporary history of some of the most momentous insights of modern science. An excellent book to see us through those cloudy nights this winter!” —Alastair Gunn, BBC Sky At Night (Book of the Month)Co-won the 2019 Science Communication Award, sponsored by The American Institute of Physics Dispatches from Planet 3 is on the longlist for the 2020 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books in the Young Adult Science Book categoryWinner of the 2019 Epiphany awards' Science Awareness award, sponsored by the Novim GroupListed on Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles List for 2019"In this tour of the universe through a mix of well-known and not-so-well-known stories, it's hard to stop and read just one. Fascinating and binge-worthy."--Adam Riess, Nobel Laureate in Physics, 2011“There is no better guide to the cosmos than Marcia Bartusiak. Here she offers a tour of the heavens that is refreshingly down-to-earth, revealing not only the mysteries of the universe but also the inspiring people who brought those secrets to light."—David Baron, author of American Eclipse“An intriguing look at the sky from a top-class science journalist who has always been attuned to the most recent advancements of research.”—Carlo Rovelli, author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics"A fascinating compendium of essays on what scientists currently think the cosmos is like, and on the road to achieving those insights. Bartusiak takes the reader on a breathtaking journey from our familiar solar system to the speculative multiverse and from the beginning of time to the nature of time." —Mario Livio, author of Brilliant Blunders and Why?

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Book SynopsisThis textbook for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in astronomy aims to develop a physical understanding of the fundamental principles that dictate stellar properties. Focusing on key physical processes without going into encyclopedic depth, the authors explain the life cycle of stars in a broad contemporary context.Trade Review'Pinsonneault and Ryden's book is a very welcome addition to the field of stellar evolution at a level appropriate to advanced undergraduate- or graduate-level study, since it manages to provide a clear, comprehensive overview of topics, without being intimidating in size or style. The textbook includes up-to-date results from contemporary missions such as Gaia and Kepler, with the final chapters discussing stellar rotation, pulsations, and binary evolution in depth. Most chapters include a few well-designed exercises, with a research-level reading list provided after the appendix. I would highly recommend it for Master's-level courses on stellar structure and evolution.' Paul Crowther, University of Sheffield'This text is a welcome addition to the pantheon of monographs and textbooks explaining the physical basics of stellar structure and evolution. Aimed primarily at an audience learning the material for the first time, this text explains the phases of the life of a star through a clear application of physical principles. Weaving together classical fluids, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, and nuclear physics, it enables students and their instructors to gain the physical intuition needed for the study of stars in this time of their observational renaissance.' Lars Bildsten, University of California, Santa Barbara'This is a welcome addition to the literature, providing a comprehensive overview of stellar structure and evolution, and including insights from the latest data, techniques, and results.' William Chaplin, University of BirminghamTable of ContentsPreface; 1. Properties of stars; 2. Equations of stellar structure; 3. Equations of state; 4. Stellar energy transport; 5. Stars as fusion reactors; 6. Main sequence stars; 7. Star formation: before the main sequence; 8. Evolved stars: after the main sequence; 9. Ex-stars; 10. Rotating stars; 11. Pulsating stars; 12. Binary stars; Appendices; Bibliography, references, and figure credits; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe book aims to expound the general theory of relativity with a mathematical point of view. Catering to the needs of postgraduate students and researchers in the field of astrophysics and mathematical physics, it offers the readers a comprehensive understanding of the advanced topics of the subject matter. It specifically discusses the mathematical foundation of tensor calculus, gives a background of geodesics, Einstein''s field equations, linearised gravity, spacetime of spherically symmetric distribution of matter and black holes, and particle and photon orbits in spacetime. Apart from the formulation of general relativity, Lie derivatives and its applications, and causality of spacetime are also discussed in detail. Certain preliminary concepts of extrinsic curvature, Lagrangian formalism of general theory of relativity and 3 + 1 decomposition of space-time are covered and are provided in the book as appendices.Table of ContentsPreface; Acknowledgement; 1. Tensor calculus – a brief overview; 2. Geodesics; 3. Einstein field equations; 4. Linearized gravity; 5. Lie derivatives and Killing's equation; 6. Spacetimes of spherically symmetric distribution of matter and black holes; 7. Particle and photon orbits in the Schwarzschild spacetime; 8. Causal structure of spacetime; 9. Exact solutions of Einstein equations and their causal structures; 10. Rotating Black holes; 11. Elementary cosmology; 12. Elementary astrophysics; Appendix A. Extrinsic curvature; Appendix B. Lagrangian formalism of general relativity; Appendix C. 3+1 decomposition; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisThere is a huge gulf between the real physics of space travel and the way it is commonly portrayed in movies and TV shows. That’s not because space physics is difficult or obscure – most of the details were understood by the end of the 18th century – but because it can often be bafflingly counter-intuitive for a general audience. The purpose of this book isn’t to criticize or debunk popular sci-fi depictions, which can be very entertaining, but to focus on how space physics really works. This is done with the aid of numerous practical illustrations taken from the works of serious science fiction authors – from Jules Verne and Arthur C. Clarke to Larry Niven and Andy Weir – who have taken positive pleasure in getting their scientific facts right.Trade Review“This slim book has the appealing premise of looking at the basics of space physics, from gravity through rocket science to the nature of a vacuum, by using examples from 'well-constructed science fiction'. ... a great read both for those who enjoy science fiction (or want to write it) and those wanting to know a little more of the realities of potential life in space.” (Popular Science, popsciencebooks.blogspot.com, July 24, 2023)Table of ContentsChapter 1: Physics in Science Fiction Chapter 2: Gravity Chapter 3: Orbital DynamicsChapter 4: Rocket Science Chapter 5: Living in a Vacuum

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Book SynopsisIn recent years, cosmic rays have become the protagonists of a new scientific revolution. We are able today to film the Universe with telescopes of completely novel conception, recording information from many different messengers and accessing previously unknown cosmic regions.Written by a recognized authority in physics, this book takes readers on a captivating journey through the world of cosmic rays, their role in the revolutionary field of multi-messenger astronomy, their production from powerful accelerators close to the surfaces of black holes and compact objects, reaching the highest levels of energy observed in nature, and the implications this has for our understanding of the Universe. Through the stories of pioneering scientists, explorations of cutting-edge technologies, and simple explanations related to particle physics, quantum mechanics, and astrophysics, the book provides an illuminating state-of-the-art introduction to the current state of high-energy astrophysics. The book was written in straightforward yet rigorous language, so as to be accessible to the greater public. For those curious about the cosmos and cosmic gamma rays, nuclei, neutrinos, and gravitational waves, from casual observers to professional astronomers and physicists, the book is a must-read, offering a thrilling adventure into the future of astronomy and particle physics.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 The Largest Energies in the Universe 1.1 The Universe around us 1.2 Particles and fields 1.3 Cosmic rays 2 The Mystery of Cosmic Rays 2.1 The discovery of natural radioactivity 2.2 Is natural radioactivity of extraterrestrial origin? 2.3 Father Wulf, a true experimental physicist 2.4 Pacini’s attenuation measures in water 2.5 Hess and balloon measurements 2.6 First developments and the tragedy of the first world war 3 Cosmic-Ray Research after the First World War 3.1 Research in Europe and the Pacini-Hess controversy 3.2 Research in the United States 3.3 Are cosmic rays predominantly charged or neutral? 3.4 Bruno Rossi and the discoveries after 1930 3.5 At the origins of elementary particle physics 3.6 The recognition of the scientific community 3.7 Hypothesis on the origin of cosmic rays: Tesla, Zwicky, Fermi 4 Cosmic Rays and the Physics of Elementary Particles 4.1 Leptons and mesons 4.2 The neutral pion 4.3 The discovery of strangeness 4.4 Laboratories on the mountains 4.5 Hunters become shepherds: particle accelerators 5 Fire Under the Ashes: the Discoveries at the End of the 20th Century and at the Beginning of the 21st Century 5.1 Cosmic rays of very-high-energy 5.2 Anomalous events 5.3 X-rays 5.4 Neutrinos from the Sun and the cosmos 6 Cosmic Ray Research Today: Multi-Messenger Astrophysics and the New Astronomy 6.1 Very-high-energy cosmic rays 6.2 Search for antimatter 6.3 Gamma rays 6.4 Cosmic neutrinos 6.5 Gravitational waves 6.6 Multi-messenger astronomy 7 Cosmic Rays and Climate 7.1 Cosmic rays and thunderstorms 7.2 Variations in the flux of cosmic rays 7.3 A correlation between cosmic rays and earthquakes? 8 Cosmic Rays and Life 8.1 Ionization and chemistry of the atmosphere 8.2 The Miller-Urey experiment 8.3 Biological effects of cosmic rays 8.4 Implications on evolution 9 Cosmic Rays and the Exploration of the Universe 10 Cosmic Rays and Archaeology 10.1 Dating techniques 10.2 Muon tomography 11 The Future

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Book SynopsisTop researchers in the field of gravitation present the state-of-the-art topics outlined in this book, ranging from the stability of rotating wormholes solutions supported by ghost scalar fields, modified gravity applied to wormholes, the study of novel semi-classical and nonlinear energy conditions, to the applications of quantum effects and the superluminal version of the warp drive in modified spacetime. Based on Einstein's field equations, this cutting-edge research area explores the more far-fetched theoretical outcomes of General Relativity and relates them to quantum field theory. This includes quantum energy inequalities, flux energy conditions, and wormhole curvature, and sheds light on not just the theoretical physics but also on the possible applications to warp drives and time travel.This book extensively explores the physical properties and characteristics of these 'exotic spacetimes,' describing in detail the general relativistic geometries that generate closed timelike curves.Table of ContentsPart 1: Traversable wormholes.- 1. Introduction (Francisco Lobo).- 2. Wormhole basics (Francisco Lobo).- 3. Rotating wormholes (Jutta Kunz).- 4. Astrophysical signatures of thin accretion disks in wormhole spacetimes (Tiberiu Harko, Zoltan Kovacs, Francisco Lobo).- 5. Wormholes in modified theories of gravity (Sergey Sushkov).- 6. Trapped ghosts as sources for wormholes (Kirill Bronnikov).- 7. Geons in modified gravity (Gonzalo Olmo, Diego Rubeira-Garcia).- Part 2: Energy conditions.- 1. Quantum inequalities (Christopher Fewster).- 2. Semi-classical and nonlinear energy conditions (Prado Martín-Moruno, Matt Visser).- Part 3: Warp drive.- 1. Warp drive basics (Miguel Alcubierre).- 2. Probing faster than light travel and Chronology Protection with superluminal warp drives (Carlos Barcelo, Stefano Liberati).- Part 4: Closed time-like curves.- 1. Time machine basics (Francisco Lobo).- Part 5: Conclusion (Francisco Lobo).

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Book SynopsisDelineating the huge strides taken in cosmology in the past ten years, this much-anticipated second edition of Malcolm Longair's highly appreciated textbook has been extensively and thoroughly updated. It tells the story of modern astrophysical cosmology from the perspective of one of its most important and fundamental problems – how did the galaxies come about? Longair uses this approach to introduce the whole of what may be called "classical cosmology". What’s more, he describes how the study of the origin of galaxies and larger-scale structures in the Universe has provided us with direct information about the physics of the very early Universe.Table of ContentsPart I Preliminaries 1 A Brief History of Cosmology and Galaxy Formation.............................................................................................. 5 1.1 Prehistory..................................................................................... 5 1.2 The Galaxies and the Structure of our Galaxy........................................................................................... 7 1.3 The Theory of the Expanding Universe...................................................................................... 13 1.4 The Big Bang............................................................................................ 16 1.5 Galaxy and Structure Formation................................................................................... 18 1.6 Hot and Cold Dark Matter......................................................................................... 21 1.7 The Very Early Universe...................................................................................... 24 2 The Large Scale Structure of the Universe.............................................................................................. 29 2.1 The Spectrum and Isotropy of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation............................................................. 29 2.1.1 The Spectrum of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation........................................................................ 30 2.1.2 The Isotropy of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation........................................................................ 32 2.2 The Large-scale Distribution of Galaxies...................................................................................... 36 2.2.1 Two-point correlation functions........................................................................ 37 2.2.2 Walls and voids in the distribution of galaxies on large scales 41 2.3 Hubble’s Law and the Expansion of the Universe...................................................................................... 47 2.4 Conclusion.................................................................................. 51 3 Galaxies............................................................................................... 53 3.1 Introduction............................................................................... 53 3.2 The Revised Hubble Sequence for Galaxies...................................................................................... 54 3.3 Peculiar and Interacting Galaxies...................................................................................... 61 3.4 The Light Distribution in Galaxies...................................................................................... 63 3.4.1 Elliptical Galaxies.......................................................................... 63 3.4.2 Spiral and Lenticular Galaxies.......................................................................... 65 3.4.3 Putting the Light Distributions Together........................ 66 3.5 The Masses of Galaxies............................................................... 67 3.5.1 The Virial Theorem for Clusters of Stars, Galaxies and Clusters of Galaxies........................................................ 67 3.5.2 The Rotation Curves of Spiral Galaxies........................... 70 3.5.3 The Velocity Dispersions of Elliptical Galaxies................ 73 3.6 The Properties of Spiral and Elliptical Galaxies.......................... 74 3.6.1 The Faber–Jackson Relation and the Fundamental Plane............................................................................... 74 3.6.2 Ellipticals Galaxies as Triaxial Systems........................... 75 3.6.3 The Tully-Fisher Relation for Spiral Galaxies................... 77 3.6.4 Luminosity-Metallicity Relations.................................... 78 3.7 The Luminosity Function of Galaxies.......................................... 80 3.7.1 Aspects of the Luminosity Function of Galaxies............. 83 3.7.2 The Integrated Luminosity and the Mean Mass- to-Luminosity Ratio for Visible Matter in the Universe.......................................................................... 87 3.8 The Properties of Galaxies – Correlations Along the Hubble Sequence..................................................................................... 89 3.9 The Red and Blue Sequences...................................................... 93 3.9.1 Colour versus Absolute Magnitude................................ 93 3.9.2 Sérsic Index and Colour.................................................. 94 3.9.3 Mean Stellar Age and Concentration Index C................ 94 3.9.4 The Effect of the Galaxy Environment............................ 97 3.9.5 The New Perspective...................................................... 98 3.10 Concluding Remark..................................................................... 98 4 Clusters of Galaxies............................................................................. 99 4.1 The Large-scale Distribution of Clusters of Galaxies.................. 99 4.1.1 The Abell Catalogues of Rich Clusters of Galaxies........ 100 4.1.2 Comparison with Clusters Selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey................................................................... 103 4.1.3 Abell Clusters and the Large-scale Distribution of Galaxies . 104 4.2 The Distribution of Galaxies in Clusters of Galaxies................. 106 4.2.1 The Galaxy Content and Spatial Distribution of Galaxies in Clusters..................................................................... 106 4.2.2 Clusters of Galaxies and Isothermal Gas Spheres........ 107 4.2.3 The Luminosity Function for Cluster Galaxies.............. 113 4.2.4 Summary of the Properties of Rich Clusters of Galaxies......................................................................... 114 4.3 Dynamical Estimates of the Masses of Clusters of Galaxies..... 114 4.4 X-ray Observations of Hot Gas in Clusters of Galaxies.............. 119 4.5 The Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect in Hot Intracluster Gas.............. 129 4.6 Gravitational Lensing by Galaxies and Clusters of Galaxies...... 131 4.6.1 Basic Theory of Gravitational Deflections.................... 131 4.6.2 Magnification of Images by Gravitational Lensing....... 135 4.6.3 Extended Deflectors..................................................... 137 4.6.4 Gravitational Lensing and the Astrophysics of Galaxies........................................................................ 142 4.7 Forms of Dark Matter....................................................................................... 143 4.7.1 Baryonic Dark Matter.......................................................................... 144 4.7.2 Non-baryonic Dark Matter.......................................................................... 147 4.7.3 Astrophysical and Experimental Limits............................................................................ 149 Part II The Basic Framework 5 The Theoretical Framework........................................................................................ 155 5.1 The Cosmological Principle.................................................................................... 155 5.2 Isotropic Curved Spaces....................................................................................... 156 5.3 The Space-time Metric for Isotropic Curved Spaces....................................................................................... 161 5.4 The Robertson-Walker Metric....................................................................................... 165 5.5 Observations in Cosmology................................................................................ 168 5.5.1 The Cosmological Redshift........................................................................ 168 5.5.2 Hubble’s Law................................................................................ 173 5.5.3 Angular Diameters..................................................................... 173 5.5.4 Apparent Intensities..................................................................... 174 5.5.5 Number Densities....................................................................... 177 5.5.6 The Age of the Universe....................................................................... 177 5.6 Summary................................................................................... 178 6 An Introduction to Relativistic Gravity............................................................................................... 179 6.1 The Principle of Equivalence.............................................................................. 179 6.2 The Gravitational Redshift.................................................................................... 182 6.3 The Bending of Light Rays........................................................................................... 185 6.4 Further Complications........................................................................... 187 6.5 The Route to General Relativity................................................................................... 190 6.5.1 Four-tensors in Relativity...................................................................... 190 6.5.2 What Einstein Did................................................................................ 193 6.6 Experimental and Observational Tests of General Relativity................................................................................... 195 6.6.1 The Four Tests of General Relativity...................................................................... 195 6.6.2 Pulsars and General Relativity...................................................................... 198 6.6.3 Parameterised Post-Newtonian Models.......................................................................... 201 6.6.4 Variation of the Gravitational Constant with Cosmic Epoch . 203 6.7 Summary 205 7 The Friedman World Models............................................................................................... 207 7.1 Einstein’s Field Equations................................................................................. 207 7.2 The Standard Friedman World Models with Λ=0............................................................................................ 210 7.2.1 The Newtonian Analogue of the Friedman World Models.......................................................................... 210 7.2.2 The Critical Density and the Density Parameter..................................................................... 212 7.2.3 The Dynamics of the Friedman Models with Λ=0................................................................................ 213 7.3 Friedman Models with Non-zero Cosmological Constant................................................................................... 216 7.3.1 The Cosmological Constant and the Vacuum Energy Density 216 7.3.2 Varying the Equation of State of the Vacuum Energy........................................................................... 219 7.3.3 The Dynamics of World Models with Λ≠ 0: General Considerations...................................... 220 7.4 Observations in Cosmology................................................................................ 225 7.4.1 The Deceleration Parameter..................................................................... 225 7.4.2 The Cosmic Time–Redshift Relation........................................................................ 225 7.4.3 Distance Measures as a Function of Redshift........................................................................ 227 7.4.4 Angular Diameter-Redshift Relations...................................................................... 232 7.4.5 Flux Density-Redshift Relations...................................................................... 232 7.4.6 The Comoving Volume Within Redshift z.................................................................................... 236 7.5 Angular Diameter Distances Between Any Two Redshifts................................................................................... 238 7.6 The Flatness Problem.................................................................................... 240 7.7 Inhomogeneous World Models...................................................................................... 241 A7 The Robertson-Walker Metric for an Empty Universe.................................................................................................... 247 8 The Determination of Cosmological Parameters........................................................................................ 251 8.1 The Cosmological Parameters............................................................................... 251 8.2 Testing the Friedman Models...................................................................................... 253 8.3 Hubble’s Constant H0.............................................................................................. 256 8.4 The Age of the Universe T0....................................................................................................................... 260 8.5 The Deceleration Parameter q0............................................................................................... 262 8.5.1 The Redshift-Magnitude Relation for the Brightest Galaxies in Clusters......................................................................... 263 8.5.2 The Redshift-Magnitude Relation for Radio Galaxies........................................................................ 264 8.5.3 The Redshift-Magnitude Relation for Type 1a Supernovae.................................................................. 267 8.5.4 The Number Counts of Galaxies........................................................................ 270 8.5.5 The Angular Diameter-Redshift Test.................................................................................................... 271 8.6 QA and the Statistics of Gravitational Lenses....................................................................................... 274 8.7 The Density Parameter Q0.............................................................................................. 277 8.8 Summary................................................................................... 280 9 The Thermal History of the Universe............................................................................................ 281 9.1 Radiation-Dominated Universes.................................................................................. 281 9.2 The Matter and Radiation Content of the Universe.................................................................................... 283 9.3 The Epoch of Recombination......................................................................... 287 9.4 The Radiation-Dominated Era............................................................................................. 291 9.5 The Speed of Sound as a Function of Cosmic Epoch........................................................................................ 294 9.6 Early Epochs...................................................................................... 296 10 Nucleosynthesis in the Early Universe............................................................................................ 299 10.1 Equilibrium Abundances in the Early Universe.................................................................................... 299 10.2 The Decoupling of Neutrinos and the Neutrino Barrier....................................................................................... 300 10.3 The Synthesis of the Light Elements................................................................................... 302 10.4 The Abundances of the Light Elements................................................................................... 305 10.4.1 Determinations of the Observed Abundances of the Light Elements............................................... 306 10.4.2 Comparison of Theory and Observations................................................................ 309 10.5 The Neutrino Background Temperature and the Value of x................................................................................................ 311 10.6 Baryon-symmetric Universes.................................................................................. 314 Part III The Development of Primordial Fluctuations under Gravity 11 The Evolution of Perturbations in the Standard Big Bang................................................................................................... 321 11.1 What The Theorists Are Trying to Do.............................................................................................. 321 11.1.1 Why This Programme Is Feasible........................................................................ 322 11.1.2 A Warning........................................................................ 323 11.2 The Non-relativistic Wave Equation for the Growth of Small Perturbations in the Expanding Universe............................................................ 323 11.3 The Jeans’ Instability.................................................................................. 327 11.4 The Jeans’ Instability in an Expanding Medium.................................................................................... 329 11.4.1 Small Perturbation Analysis........................................................................ 329 11.4.2 Perturbing the Friedman Solutions...................................................................... 331 11.4.3 Falling Poles............................................................................. 333 11.4.4 The General Solution........................................................................ 335 11.5 The Evolution of Peculiar Velocities in the Expanding Universe.................................................................................... 338 11.6 The Relativistic Case.......................................................................................... 340 11.7 The Basic Problem.................................................................................... 343 12 More Tools and Problems........................................................................................... 345 12.1 Horizons and the Horizon Problem.................................................................................... 345 12.2 Pedagogical Interlude – Space–time Diagrams for the Standard World Models...................................................................................... 349 12.2.1 Distance and Times............................................................................ 349 12.2.2 The Past Light Cone............................................................................. 351 12.2.3 The Critical World Model Ω0 = 1, ΩΛ = 0.................................................................................... 352 12.2.4 The Reference World Model Ω 0 = 0.3, Ω Λ = 0.7................................................................................. 354 12.3 Superhorizon Scales........................................................................................ 357 12.4 The Adiabatic Baryonic Fluctuations in the Standard Big Bang.......................................................................................... 360 12.4.1 The Radiation-Dominated Era................................................................................. 362 12.4.2 The Matter-Dominated Era................................................................................. 363 12.5 Dissipation Processes in the Pre-recombination Era............................................................................................. 365 12.6 Isothermal Perturbations........................................................................... 367 12.7 Baryonic Theories of Galaxy Formation................................................................................. 371 12.7.1 The Adiabatic Scenario........................................................................ 371 12.7.2 The Isothermal Scenario........................................................................ 373 12.8 What Went Wrong? 374 13 Dark Matter and Galaxy Formation.......................................................................................... 377 13.1 Introduction............................................................................. 377 13.2 Forms of Non-Baryonic Dark Matter....................................................................................... 379 13.3 WIMPs as Dark Matter Particles.................................................................................... 380 13.4 Metric Perturbations and Hot and Cold Dark Matter....................................................................................... 384 13.5 Free Streaming and the Damping of Hot Dark Matter Perturbations . 386 13.6 Instabilities in the Presence of Dark Matter....................................................................................... 387 13.7 The Evolution of Hot and Cold Dark Matter Perturbations........................................................................... 390 13.7.1 Hot Dark Matter Scenario........................................................................ 390 13.7.2 Cold Dark Matter Scenario........................................................................ 391 13.8 Conclusion................................................................................ 394 14 Correlation Functions and the Spectrum of the Initial Fluctuations....................................................................................... 395 14.1 The Two-point Correlation Function for Galaxies.................................................................................... 395 14.2 The Perturbation Spectrum.................................................................................. 398 14.2.1 ( ) The Relation Between ξ r and the Power Spectrum of the Fluctuations.......................................... 398 14.2.2 The Initial Power-Spectrum...................................................................... 400 14.2.3 The Harrison–Zeldovich Power Spectrum...................................................................... 401 14.3 The Evolution of the Initial Perturbation Spectrum – Transfer Functions........................................................... 403 14.3.1 Adiabatic Cold Dark Matter.......................................................................... 403 14.3.2 Adiabatic Hot Dark Matter.......................................................................... 406 14.3.3 Isocurvature Cold Dark Matter.......................................................................... 406 14.3.4 The Subsequent Evolution...................................................................... 409 14.4 Biasing...................................................................................... 412 14.5 Reconstructing the Processed Initial Power Spectrum.................................................................................. 415 14.5.1 Redshift biases............................................................................ 416 14.5.2 Non-linear development of the density perturbations............................................................... 418 14.5.3 The role of baryon perturbations............................................................... 419 14.6 The Acoustic Peaks in the Power Spectrum of Galaxies.................................................................................... 421 14.6.1 The 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey........................................................................... 422 14.6.2 The Sloan Digital Sky Survey........................................................................... 424 14.7 Variations on a Theme of Cold Dark Matter....................................................................................... 425 15 Fluctuations in the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation........................................................................................... 431 15.1 The Ionisation of the Intergalactic Gas Through the Epoch of Recombination.................................................. 432 15.2 The Physical and Angular Scales of the Fluctuations.............................................................................. 434 15.2.1 The Last Scattering Layer............................................................................. 435 15.2.2 The Silk Damping Scale.............................................................................. 436 15.2.3 The Sound Horizon at the Last Scattering Layer............................................................................. 436 15.2.4 The Particle Horizon Scales............................................................................ 439 15.2.5 Summary...................................................................... 440 15.3 The Power Spectrum of Fluctuations in the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation........................................................... 441 15.3.1 The Statistical Description of the Temperature Fluctuations . 441 15.3.2 The Power-Spectrum of Fluctuations in the Intensity of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation............................................... 444 15.4 Large Angular Scales........................................................................................ 445 15.4.1 The Sachs-Wolfe Effect – Physical Arguments.................................................................... 447 15.4.2 The Integrated Sachs-Wolfe and Rees-Sciama Effects........................................................................... 450 15.4.3 Primordial Gravitational Waves............................................................................................... 451 15.5 Intermediate Angular Scales – the Acoustic Peaks......................................................................................... 453 15.6 Small Angular Scales........................................................................................ 459 15.6.1 Statistical and Silk Damping....................................................................... 459 15.6.2 The Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect in Clusters of Galaxies........................................................................ 460 15.6.3 Confusion due to Discrete Sources......................................................................... 462 15.7 The Reionised Intergalactic Gas............................................................................................ 462 15.8 The Polarisation of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation.................................................................................. 464 15.8.1 The Polarisation Mechanism for the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation............................................... 465 15.8.2 Polarisation from the Last Scattering Layer............................................................................. 466 15.8.3 Polarisation from the Epoch of Reionisation................................................................. 469 15.8.4 Primordial Gravitational Waves............................................................................................... 469 15.8.5 Weak Gravitational Lensing.......................................................................... 471 15.9 The Determination of Cosmological Parameters............................................................................... 474 15.10Other Sources of Primordial Fluctuations.............................................................................. 476 15.11Reflections................................................................................ 477 Part IV The Post-Recombination Universe 16 The Post-Recombination Era...................................................................................................... 481 16.1 The Non-linear Collapse of Density Perturbations........................................................................... 483 16.1.1 Isotropic Top-hat Collapse........................................................................ 483 16.1.2 The Zeldovich Approximation............................................................. 486 16.2 The Role of Dissipation................................................................................ 488 16.3 The Press-Schechter Mass Function.................................................................................... 492 16.3.1 Exposition – Elementary Theory.......................................................................... 492 16.3.2 Development and Recapitulation.............................................................. 495 17 The Evolution of Galaxies and Active Galaxies with Cosmic Epoch................................................................................................. 501 17.1 Introduction............................................................................. 501 17.2 Counts of Galaxies and Active Galaxies.................................................................................... 502 17.2.1 Euclidean Source Counts.......................................................................... 503 17.2.2 Source Counts for the Standard World Models.......................................................................... 504 17.2.3 Submillimetre Counts of Dusty Galaxies........................................................................ 511 17.2.4 Number Counts in Models with Finite QA.................................................................................. 511 17.2.5 Fluctuations in the Background Radiation due to Discrete Sources.................................................. 514 17.3 / The V Vmax or Luminosity-Volume Test................................................................................................................... 517 17.4 The Background Radiation.................................................................................. 520 17.4.1 The Background Radiation and the Source Counts.......................................................................... 520 17.4.2 Evaluating the Background due to Discrete Sources......................................................................... 521 17.4.3 The Effects of Evolution – the Case of the Radio Background Emission....................................................................... 523 17.5 The Evolution of Active Galaxies with Cosmic Epoch........................................................................................ 524 17.5.1 / Number Counts and V Vmax Tests for Extragalactic Radio Sources.................................................. 524 17.5.2 Radio Quiet Quasars......................................................................... 529 17.5.3 X-ray Source Counts.......................................................................... 533 17.5.4 X-ray Clusters of Galaxies........................................................................ 540 17.6 Infrared and Submillimetre Number Counts...................................................................................... 541 17.7 Counts of Galaxies.................................................................................... 548 17.8 Clusters of Galaxies.................................................................................... 553 18 The Intergalactic Medium............................................................................................. 557 18.1 The Background Emission of and Absorption by the Intergalactic Gas............................................................................................ 558 18.2 The Gunn–Peterson Test................................................................................................................... 559 18.3 The Lyman-a Absorption Clouds....................................................................................... 562 18.3.1 The Properties of the Lyman-a Absorption Clouds........................................................................... 563 18.3.2 The Nature of the Clouds in the Lyman-a Forest............................................................................ 565 18.3.3 The Evolution of Lyman-a Absorption Clouds with Cosmic Epoch............................................................................ 566 18.3.4 The Power-spectrum of the Lyman-a Forest............................................................................ 567 18.4 The Luke-warm Intergalactic Gas............................................................................................ 570 18.4.1 The X-ray Background and a Cosmic Conspiracy.................................................................... 571 18.4.2 The Collisional Excitation of the Intergalactic Gas................................................................................ 572 18.4.3 The Emission and Absorption of Diffuse Luke-warm Intergalactic Gas......................................................... 573 18.4.4 The Proximity Effect and the Diffuse Ultraviolet Background Radiation at Large Redshifts....................................................................... 578 18.5 The Lyman Continuum Opacity of the Intergalactic Gas............................................................................................ 579 18.6 Modelling the Evolution of the Intergalactic Medium.................................................................................... 582 18.7 The Epoch of Reionisation............................................................................. 584 18.8 The Origin of Magnetic Fields......................................................................................... 587 19 Making Real Galaxies............................................................................................. 593 19.1 Star and Element Formation in Galaxies.................................................................................... 593 19.1.1 The Background Radiation and Element Formation..................................................................... 594 19.1.2 The Global Star Formation Rate from Optical and Ultraviolet Observations of Star-forming Galaxies........................................................................ 598 19.1.3 The Lyman-break Galaxies........................................................................ 601 19.1.4 The Hubble Deep and Ultra Deep Fields............................................................................ 601 19.1.5 Submillimetre Determinations of Cosmic Star Formation Rate............................................................................... 606 19.2 The Abundances of Elements in Lyman-a Absorption Systems..................................................................................... 610 19.3 The Equations of Cosmic Chemical Evolution.................................................................................. 614 19.4 The Old Red Galaxies.................................................................................... 617 19.5 The Origin of Rotation.............................................................. 621 19.6 Putting It All Together – Semi-Analytic Models of Galaxy Formation623 20 The Very Early Universe.................................................................... 631 20.1 The Big Problems...................................................................... 631 20.1.1 The horizon problem.................................................... 631 20.1.2 The flatness problem.................................................... 632 20.1.3 The baryon-asymmetry problem................................. 632 20.1.4 The Primordial Fluctuation Problem............................ 633 20.1.5 The Values of the Cosmological Parameters................ 633 20.1.6 The Way Ahead............................................................. 634 20.2 The Limits of Observation......................................................... 635 20.3 The Anthropic Cosmological Principle...................................... 636 20.4 The Inflationary Universe – Historical Background.................. 636 20.5 The Origin of the Spectrum of Primordial Perturbations......... 640 20.5.1 The equation of state................................................... 641 20.5.2 The duration of the inflationary phase........................ 641 20.5.3 The shrinking Hubble sphere........................................ 641 20.5.4 Scalar Fields.................................................................. 644 20.5.5 The Quantised Harmonic Oscillator............................. 646 20.5.6 The Spectrum of Fluctuations in the Scalar Field......... 647 20.6 Baryogenesis............................................................................. 651 20.7 The Planck Era........................................................................... 652 Index.......................................................................................................... 655 References............................................................................... 689

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Marcelo Gleiser argues that the only hope we have of addressing the current environmental crisis lies in rethinking our relationship to history and to the entire cosmos. The Dawn of a Mindful Universe is a work of great honesty and daring. Its message couldn’t be more alarming, yet it is ultimately optimistic." — Elizabeth Colbert, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sixth Extinction and Under a White Sky “An extraordinary book. Marcelo Gleiser has brought together cosmology, environmentalism, and spirituality in a personal and poetic call to arms that is nothing short of breathtaking. Most of the time I was smiling and nodding as I read it, and occasionally I was moved to tears.” — William Egginton, author of The Rigor of Angels, The Splintering of the American Mind, and The Man Who Invented Fiction "Marcelo Gleiser is precisely the kind of public intellectual our culture urgently needs: a skilled communicator of complex scientific ideas whose work is animated by a humane and humanistic sensibility. The Dawn of a Mindful Universe, a fascinating and often moving book, is guided by a profound sense of civilizational urgency as it charts a path toward re-enchantment." — Mark O’Connell, author of To Be a Machine and Notes from an Apocalypse "As James Russell Lowell once put it, ‘new occasions teach new duties; time makes ancient good uncouth.’ We are at a novel and fraught moment in our history as a species, and as this book posits, getting through it will require rethinking who we are and why we are here. Gleiser’s argument will send you off on interesting and fruitful tangents of your own!" — Bill McKibben, author of The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon "[A] brave, compelling book of great beauty and urgency. ... Gleiser fully understands the transformative power of science. Unlike many, however, he also sees how worldviews that claim to speak for science have led humanity to the brink of ruin through environmental destruction and the desacralization of the world we communally inhabit. Dawn of a Mindful Universe is a call for a deep reinvention of ourselves in ways that don’t abandon the prosperity that science has made possible but realigns our technological prowess with a new moral stance treating Earth as a sacred community whose fate is always our own." — Adam Frank, astrophysicist "Our future—and whether we have one—depends on us realizing that Earth is the only truly sacred place. Everything flows from our valuation of this miraculous only-known living planet. This book provides that re-framing, that adjustment in attitude and perspective that is so desperately needed now." — Carl Safina, ecologist and author of Alfie and Me "Marcelo Gleiser’s brilliant book is a major contribution to our understanding of the evolution of the living Earth community. It is a tour de force in activating allegiance to life’s complexity, beauty, and continuity. At once erudite and eloquent, this luminous work deserves to be widely read." — Mary Evelyn Tucker, co-author of Journey of the Universe and co-director of the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology "Dawn of a Mindful Universe is a surprisingly accessible exploration of difficult and pressing topics that affect us all. Author Marcelo Gleiser leads us on a thought-provoking (re)assessment of humanity’s place in the cosmos—digging into our deep past and looking at our collective future. At this historic inflection point, such discussions are a vital part of larger conversations on climate change, societal stability, and scientific breakthrough. Gleiser’s work encourages us to create more mindful interactions with our world, its cultures, and economies." — Gregory W. Brown, co-executive producer of the planetarium show God, Science, and Our Search for Meaning at the Boston Museum of Science and composer of Missa Charles Darwin "Marcelo Gleiser is an accomplished astrophysicist who writes with the heart of a poet. In The Dawn of a Mindful Universe he shines a sharp, critical light on some accepted scientific truisms which have contributed to our dangerously unhealthy relationship with the natural world. He shows how our explorations of the cosmos have brought home the preciousness and uniqueness of our living planetary home, and proposes a necessary re-engagement with the sacred. It is a passionate and moving call for a scientifically informed spiritual reawakening which can help us navigate and transcend the traps we humans have set for ourselves." — David Grinspoon, astrobiologist and award-winning author of Earth in Human Hands "A lively, deeply considered and deeply impassioned argument for why our species' future must embrace biocentrism. Gleiser’s writing and humanity shines in this tour de force of science and scholarship." — Caleb Scharf, senior scientist for astrobiology at NASA Ames and author of The Ascent of Information "A passionate appeal for 'biocentric values that reflect our spiritual reconnection with the Earth.'" — Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisThis volume pulls together more than forty years of research, to provide graduate students and researchers in astrophysics, gravitational physics and astronomy with the first self-contained treatment of the structure, stability and oscillations of rotating neutron stars.Table of Contents1. Stationary, axisymmetric equilibria; 2. 3+1 split, action, Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms; 3. Asymptotics, virial identities and nonaxisymmetric equilibria; 4. Numerical schemes; 5. Equilibrium models; 6. Approximation methods; 7. Perturbation theory of relativistic fluids; 8. Quasinormal modes; 9. Stellar stability; 10. Nonlinear dynamics of rotating relativistic stars; Appendix.

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Book SynopsisAre we alone in the universe? It is a captivating question, but one that historically eluded proper scientific investigation. The new discipline of astrobiology changes the game, introducing rigor to the quest for extraterrestrial life. Life in the Cosmos surveys the field, showing how cutting-edge research is closing in on the answers “out there.”Trade ReviewThe new go-to for astrobiology. Life in the Cosmos is a quantitative and encyclopedic tour de force for all topics related to the origin of life on Earth and life’s existence beyond. -- Sara Seager, author of The Smallest Lights in the UniverseAn instant classic. Lingam and Loeb’s brilliant Life in the Cosmos is a momentous scientific achievement. To anyone looking to dig deep into the exciting prospect of discovering extraterrestrial life, I say: Make space on your bookshelf. -- Michael J. Russell, University of TurinA book of sweeping vision. Lingam and Loeb offer detailed and insightful analysis of the challenges we face as we investigate the universal distribution of this unusual material we call life. A helpful and fascinating read. -- Charles Cockell, author of Astrobiology: Understanding Life in the UniverseAre we alone in the universe? Lingam and Loeb provide expert guidance to the many dimensions of this fundamental question—and, just maybe, how to answer it. -- Andrew H. Knoll, author of A Brief History of Earth: Four Billion Years in Eight ChaptersA remarkable and modern survey of how to search for life in the universe, from two of the boldest, most innovative thinkers in the field today. Impressively detailed, this book takes into account what we know about life on Earth to consider what we don’t know about life elsewhere. -- Jason Wright, Director, Penn State Extraterrestrial Intelligence CenterThis book discusses everything you ever wanted to know about life in the cosmos. Lingam and Loeb are the best guides for this truly breathtaking journey, providing masterful and comprehensive answers for everyone, from the scholar to the amateur stargazer. -- Dimitar Sasselov, author of The Life of Super-Earths: How the Hunt for Alien Worlds and Artificial Cells Will Revolutionize Life on Our PlanetThe search for intelligent alien life continues to motivate and inspire generations of scientists and the public alike…The authors separate themselves from other treatments of similar topics by focusing on ‘extraterrestrial technological intelligences’ rather than alien life more generally. * Nature Astronomy *Boldly goes where few academic books have gone before by seriously and open-mindedly considering the possibility of extraterrestrial technological intelligence on par with or far beyond humans…Chock-full of interesting topics and insights…A stellar achievement that deserves the undivided attention of readers who are ready to take a deep dive into astrobiology. * Inquisitive Biologist *An excellent primer on life on earth, from the very beginnings…Both incredibly wide-ranging and constantly fascinating. * Complete Review *

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Book SynopsisIn September of 1859, the entire Earth was engulfed in a gigantic cloud of seething gas, and a blood-red aurora erupted across the planet. This title presents the story behind Carrington's observations of a mysterious explosion on the surface of the Sun and how his brilliant insight helped to usher in the modern era of astronomy.Trade ReviewWinner of the 2007 Best Professional/Scholarly Book in Cosmology and Astronomy, Association of American Publishers Shortlisted for the 2008 Royal Society Prizes for Science Books, General Prize In this well-researched and very well-written book, Clark tells the embattled, little-known history of modern astronomy, a spry tale full of intrigue, jealousy, spite, dedication and perseverance."--Publishers Weekly "Here is popular science at its best: accurate, meticulously researched ... and full of adventures."--Simon Mitton, Times Higher Education "The techniques of Carrington and his contemporaries gave birth to the new science of astrophysics, which can probe questions about the structure, function, and origin of the stars, planets, and the universe at large... From Carrington's observations, Clark spins a lively account of seminal discoveries in spectroscopy, photography, and theoretical physics that led to the present-day understanding."--Laurence A. Marschall, Natural History "Science journalist Stuart Clark, in his new book The Sun Kings, places [English amateur astronomer Richard] Carrington at the fulcrum of a century-long debate over the effects of sunspots, because he drew on two very different sorts of scientific observations--studies of sunspots and of the Earth's magnetic field--that together would eventually allow astronomers to see the relation between solar and terrestrial activity."--Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, American Scientist "Well paced and well chosen, Clark's history will delight science readers."--Booklist "Meticulously researched, The Sun Kings chronicles the largely untold story of the inception of modern astrophysics in marvelous detail."--SEED Magazine "We still don't understand the sun, but Clark shows with verve and assurance how it is that we understand so much more than we used to."--Lorien Kaye, The Age "A tale of ongoing speculations and proofs, The Sun Kings reveals, above all, Stuart Clark's passion for all things astronomical."--Brett Josef Grubisic, Vancouver Sun "Stuart Clark's The Sun Kings is a compelling account of how astronomers came to understand solar flares, sunspots, and magnetic storms. It is also a vivid portrait of the scientific climate of a vanished era... The Sun Kings is an excellent and fast-paced read for anyone interested in astronomy, history, or human drama, as well as important context for understanding some of the reasons Earth's climate changes over time."--Melissa A. Barton, BookSlut.com "The Sun Kings uncovers much of the history of how we came to understand how solar flares and associated phenomena can wreak havoc on Earth... This is popular science history told with rare accuracy and enough intrigue to keep the reader entertained."--Neil Bone, Astronomy Now "Each story is told with the clarity required to keep the non-expert engrossed and the stories are entertaining and genuinely fascinating."--Bruce Elder, Sydney Morning Herald "Simply telling the history of scientific solar observations and the beginnings of modern astronomy and making the writing a page-turner would be a difficult feat, but Clark does it superbly. This is not a dry scientific chronology but a story of real men and women who had lives beyond the science they performed... Well-written and well-researched with a thorough bibliography and index."--M.V. Golden, Choice "The all-powerful, infinitely fragile nexus between Earth and its sun drives Stuart Clark's riveting study of astronomer Richard Carrington, dubbed the Sun King by his 19th-century English peers. Carrington's specialty was sunspots and solar flares, but the real drama here is off-telescope."--Tony Maniaty, The Australian "Stuart Clark's The Sun Kings is a lively, informative discourse on the research that led to a discovery that in Victorian times was revolutionary: a cause-and-effect relationship between events on the Sun and Earth. Although the book is biographical, the science is not secondary: The characters and their research are skillfully interwoven in the narrative. The inclusion of the discoveries and personas of so many of the pioneers of Victorian astrophysics will make Clark's book an enjoyable and meaningful read for anyone, professional physicist and layperson alike, who has an interest in the roots of physics and astronomy...Clark is writing for a popular science audience who will enjoy his lively and eminently readable account of the lives and scientific careers of those whose work furthered the understanding of the Sun-Earth connection."--Richard C. Canfield, Physics Today "What a delight! This is an enthralling account of the personal lives of the scientists who first demonstrated the Sun's dominant influence over Earthly affairs and laid the foundation for modern astronomy and astrophysics. This is a fast-moving, accurate, and fascinating story of diverse personalities, their families, ambitions, hopes, and struggles, their passion for knowledge, for awards, positions and recognition, and the inevitable roles that pride, greed, jealousy, and resentments played in deciding the tragedies, fame and fortune of the founders of modern astronomy."--Manuel K. Oliver, Twenty-first Century Science and Technology "Run, don't walk, to your nearest ... store to buy The Sun Kings... It is a remarkable book."--Jeff Kuhn, Nature Physics "This is a fascinating and fast-paced narrative."--Allan Chapman, The Observatory "Clark's engaging and authoritative account of the early years of solar-terrestrial science will he especially valuable as an introduction to space weather for undergraduates and beginning graduate students. It will also appeal more generally as a first-rate scientific detective story involving flesh-and-blood characters."--Edward W. Cliver, Space Weather Quarterly "Clark's style of popular historical storytelling effectively conveys the personal, interpersonal, and political aspects of scientific lives and work. He creates clear and interesting nontechnical explanations for solar phenomena and researchers' methods and analyses. Both general and academic readers should appreciate how his narrative demonstrates the multigenerational nature of solar astronomy and relates the contemporary importance of accurate verbal and artistic descriptions of natural phenomena... [T]here can be little doubt that the history of science and public science education both stand to benefit immensely from hybrid forms of historiography like Clark's."--Pamela Gossin, Isis "Stuart Clark's eminently readable book ... although aimed at a broad audience, is also useful for the specialist... The significance of coincidences and chance in research, as well as the personal side of science, is well described for the general public. It is highly recommended reading."--Bela Kalman, Solar Physics "Solar astronomy is truly a multigenerational science and its beginnings are brilliantly summarised in Stuart Clark's story, built around the greatest magnetic storm ever recorded... The tale is lively, informative and often compelling."--Keith Mansfield, Plus MagazineTable of ContentsList of Illustrations ix Acknowledgments xi Prologue: The Dog Years 1 Chapter One: The First Swallow of Summer 9 Chapter Two: Herschel's Grand Absurdity 25 Chapter Three: The Magnetic Crusade 47 Chapter Four: The Solar Lockstep 58 Chapter Five: The Day and Night Observatory 71 Chapter Six: The Perfect Solar Storm 80 Chapter Seven: In the Grip of the Sun 93 Chapter Eight: The Greatest Prize of All 98 Chapter Nine: Death at the Devil's Jumps 117 Chapter Ten: The Sun's Librarian 129 Chapter Eleven: New Flare, New Storm, New Understanding 148 Chapter Twelve: The Waiting Game 168 Chapter Thirteen: The Cloud Chamber 179 Epilogue: Magnetar Spring 188 Bibliography 191 Index 207

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Book SynopsisGamma-ray bursts are the brightest - and, until recently, among the least understood - cosmic events in the universe. This title offers an overview of gamma-ray bursts and the theoretical framework that physicists have developed to make sense of complex observations across the electromagnetic spectrum.Trade Review"This series of books (Princeton Frontiers of Physics) is aimed at 'students, scientists and scientifically minded general readers'. This particular book is on target, with reasonably clear explanations of most of the jargon, a useful glossary, a good index and a reference to a more advanced review for those who need it."--D.J. Miller, Contemporary PhysicsTable of ContentsPREFACE ix Chapter 1: Introduction 1 1.1 Serendipity during the Cold War 1 1.2 A New Field Begins 7 1.3 Precise Localizations and the Search for Counterparts 10 1.4 The March 5th Event and Soft Gamma-Ray Repeaters 12 1.5 BATSE and the Great Debate 16 1.6 The Afterglow Era Begins 23 1.7 Progenitors and Diversity 29 1.8 Gamma-Ray Bursts in a Universal Context 37 Chapter 2: Into the Belly of the Beast 40 2.1 What Are Gamma-Ray Bursts? 40 2.2 Understanding the Origin of the High-Energy Emission 52 2.3 The Central Engine 62 Chapter 3: Afterglows 72 3.1 Phenomenology 73 3.2 Origin of the Emission 90 3.3 Evidence for Jetting 105 3.4 Late-Time Observations 111 Chapter 4: The Events in Context 113 4.1 Local Scales 114 4.2 Galactic Scales 121 4.3 Universal Scales 127 Chapter 5: The Progenitors of Gamma-Ray Bursts 135 5.1 A Massive-Star Origin 137 5.2 Mergers of Compact Objects 150 5.3 Extragalactic Magnetars 163 5.4 Classification Challenges 165 Chapter 6: Gamma-Ray Bursts as Probes of the Universe 169 6.1 Studies of Gas, Dust, and Galaxies 171 6.2 The History of Star Formation 177 6.3 Cosmic Dawn: Measuring Reionization and the First Objects in the Universe 181 6.4 Neutrinos, Gravitational Waves, and Cosmic Rays 191 6.5 Quantum Gravity and the Expansion of the Universe 195 6.6 The Future of Gamma-Ray Bursts: At the Nexus of Physical and Astrophysical Inquiry 200 NOTES 203 SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING 227 GLOSSARY 231 INDEX 249

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewOne of SkyNews Best Astronomy Books of the Year 2013, chosen by SkyNews editor, Terence Dickinson "The Milky Way is a good overview of our knowledge of the Milky Way... [F]or those who want to get up to speed on the Milky Way, or simply refresh their knowledge of it, this book can help the reader become an insider about our galactic home."--Jeff Foust, Space Review "Erudite, yet eminently accessible... [A] joy to read."--Bill Baker, ForeWord "The Milky Way: An Insider's Guide is a very comprehensive and up-to-date survey of its subject. The overall impression it leaves one with is of our galaxy as a very busy place, fizzing with what the author, in a particularly felicitous phrase, calls 'vigorous fecundity.' Our little burg may be a mere speck in the grand scheme of things, but there's a lot going on here."--John Derbyshire, American Spectator "The breadth of material Waller covers is astonishing... As a space journalist, I'll definitely keep this book on my shelf."--Elizabeth Howell, Universe Today "[R]ich with fascinating detail... The author delivers everything we need in a book about our Galaxy, bringing a welcome depth to our appreciation of those clear, dark nights."--Alastair Gunn, BBC Sky at Night "[W]ell-written and accessible... Strongly recommended, as this volume should have a wide readership among student and lay astronomers."--Library Journal "[A] thrilling story of our home galaxy, quite the best I've seen in popular astronomy books."--Simon Mitton, Times Higher Education "The photographs are quite stunning. As new techniques and more elaborate apparatus for exploring the universe are being developed, our knowledge and understanding are increasing exponentially. This excellent and comprehensive guide to the Milky Way may well be the definitive book on the subject for the time being, but it is unlikely to remain so for too long."--Anthony Toole, Shvoong.com "Waller's book provides an excellent starting point, telling the story of the formation and evolution of the Milky Way, and how this hard-won knowledge was obtained--and it does so in an entertaining and not overly detailed fashion. It should be among the first recommendations to new students of the field, as well as to citizen scientists who wish to deepen their understanding of one of the fundamental, as well as fast-advancing, areas of modern astronomy."--Timothy C. Beers, Nature Physics "This clearly written, largely nontechnical book balances the poetic interpretation of the starry realm with the modern scientific nature of the Milky Way galaxy... The book can be used as a textbook or be a good general read."--Choice "[W]aller's goal--fully achieved, in my opinion--is to familiarize readers with the history of the discovery of the Milky Way Galaxy's size, shape, and contents and our place in it. Attention is given to the origin of stars in general and to the nature of specific types of stars and how our galaxy came to be in the first place."--Terence Dickinson, SkyNews "This book is superb: written in an engaging, even folksy, style, it would be the perfect primer for a beginning undergraduate wanting an up-to-date overview of stellar and galactic astronomy."--David Stickland, Journal of Continuity and ChangeTable of ContentsPreface vii Chapter 1: First Impressions 1 Chapter 2: Historic Perceptions 10 Chapter 3: Panchromatic Vistas 53 Chapter 4: Neighbors of the Sun 82 Chapter 5: Beacons from Afar 102 Chapter 6: Star Birth 127 Chapter 7: Lives of the Stars 148 Chapter 8: Stellar Afterlives 171 Chapter 9: The Galactic Garden 194 Chapter 10: Monster in the Core 221 Chapter 11: Tales of Origin 236 Chapter 12: Life in the Milky Way 251 Glossary 277 Notes 295 Selected Readings 303 Index 311

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Book SynopsisThe essential introduction to magnetic reconnectionwritten by a leading pioneer of the fieldPlasmas comprise more than 99 percent of the visible universe; and, wherever plasmas are, magnetic reconnection occurs. In this common yet incompletely understood physical process, oppositely directed magnetic fields in a plasma meet, break, and then reconnect, converting the huge amounts of energy stored in magnetic fields into kinetic and thermal energy. In Magnetic Reconnection, Masaaki Yamada offers an illuminating synthesis of modern research and advances on this important topic. Magnetic reconnection produces such phenomena as solar flares and the northern lights, and occurs in nuclear fusion devices. A better understanding of this crucial cosmic activity is essential to comprehending the universe and varied technological applications, such as satellite communications. Most of our knowledge of magnetic reconnection comes from theoretical and computational models and laboratory experiment

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Book SynopsisTaking readers into the remarkable world of cosmology, Hooper describes many of the extraordinary and perplexing questions that scientists are asking about the origin and nature of the world.Trade Review"Beginning with Carl Sagan’s Cosmos in 1980, Big Bang books have become a genre that curious readers should check out every few years to keep up with breakthroughs (gravity waves being the latest). They can’t go wrong with Hooper’s. A lucid account that is neither dumbed down nor overly difficult." * Kirkus, starred review *"I found myself getting wonderfully lost in this book, and swapping my usual pre-bedtime read for this. This is not something that has ever happened to me before with a popular science book!. . . I love that the book does not shy away from controversial or tough concepts. . . . This is essential reading for any cosmology enthusiast."---Dr. Laura Nuttall, BBC Sky at Night"[At the Edge of Time]’s enthusiasm for its subject is contagious. From Einstein’s theories and Edwin Hubble’s discoveries to the Large Hadron Collider, the text presents scientific advancement as an exciting odyssey—if one that is, for the time being, often characterized by questions, to be answered at a future date to the satisfaction of all."---Rebecca Foster, Foreword Reviews"[An] informed introduction to 'the mysteries of our universe’s first seconds'."---Andrew Robinson, Nature"Hooper takes the reader on a tour of our collective ignorance about the early universe. . . . Science is a messy endeavor, with dead ends and false alarms and backtracking; that can still be an interesting story, and this book succeeds in explaining both what we do know about the universe’s origins and what remains unknown."---Jeff Foust, The Space Review"Scientists know precious little about what happened when the universe got its start: many cosmologists think space and time underwent an extremely rapid expansion called inflation, yet this theory raises as many questions as it answers. . . . Hooper takes readers on a mind-bending expedition through these questions and shows how they all connect to the beginning."---Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American"If you're mystified and curious about the mysteries of the Universe, including dark matter, dark energy, and cosmic inflation, and want a unique take on all of these puzzles with a peek behind how science-in-action works, you won't want to miss this book."---Ethan Siegel, Forbes"Hooper's writing style has an almost palpable sense of excitement, which creates an incredibly engaging read as we travel back in time."---Matthew Hodgson, Astronomy Now"This is definitely a book that will leave you musing on what might be the next big cosmological discovery."---Deb Farkas, California Classroom Science"I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. . . . [At the Edge of Time is] a brief but comprehensive account of the general development of current cosmological knowledge, written by an enthusiastic expert in the field and easy for the layman to follow."---Colin Cooke, The Observatory

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Book SynopsisA leading astronomer takes readers behind the scenes of the thrilling science of stellar archaeology and explains how sections of the night sky are "excavated" in the hunt for extremely rare, 13-billion-year-old relic stars and how this quest reveals tantalizing new details about the origins and evolution of the cosmos.Trade Review"Frebel's narrative provides a rich picture of the understandings astronomers have gleaned from studies of the elements in stars."—Laurence A. Marschall, Natural History"A delight."—Matt Sutherland, Foreword Reviews"The core of Frebel's book, and the source of its appeal, is the joy it conveys."—Brian Bethune, Maclean's"An excellent description of how a scientist approaches and works through a research project and how her cutting-edge project fits into the larger view of modern astronomy."—Choice"A gripping account of astronomy and the thrill of scientific discovery."—Dave Pugl, Library Journal

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Book SynopsisThis award-winning cosmology textbook for advanced undergraduate students in physics and astronomy has been updated to include recent observational results, fuller descriptions of special and general relativity, expanded discussions of dark energy, and a new chapter on the baryonic matter that makes up stars and galaxies in the universe.Trade Review'This is an excellent textbook, with a clear and pedagogical presentation, which perfectly fills a gap between other introductory books available at either much more basic or much more advanced levels. The easy-to-read style, focus on physics concepts, and self-contained derivations make the book easy to follow. It works well for advanced undergraduates or beginning graduate students, who will come away with a solid and comprehensive understanding of modern cosmology. The additions in this Second Edition, such as galaxy formation and baryon acoustic oscillations, are valuable and bring the book even more up-to-date.' Zoltán Haiman, Columbia University'Barbara Ryden writes in a very clear and engaging style. This transparency has inspired many undergraduate science majors in my cosmology class to pursue additional coursework and research in astrophysics. The addition of new material on the baryonic component of the universe links cosmology to many modern research topics in astrophysics.' Crystal Martin, University of California, Santa Barbara'I am delighted that a second edition of Barbara Ryden's Introduction to Cosmology is now available. With the addition of a second chapter on structure formation, the book paints an elegant mathematical picture of the evolution of the Universe from the Big Bang to the formation of stars. Ryden does a masterful job of paring cosmology down to its most fundamental elements and presenting complex topics with exceptional clarity. The conversational style of the text, the imaginative analogies, and the emphasis placed on developing students' conceptual understanding combine to make this book one of the best upper-level astronomy texts available.' Christy Tremonti, University of Wisconsin, Madison'Barbara Ryden's Introduction to Cosmology is now published in a second edition, following the well-received first edition of 2002 … This is a course book for physics students; its approach is quantitative and the basic equations and mathematical descriptions are extensively outlined from first principles in all the areas covered. Those equations that are not derived are quoted in such a way as to be understood … Without this, of course, cosmology cannot be usefully studied … The style of writing is efficient, while being pleasant and clear, and the explanations are on the whole of a high quality in their attention to the level of detail that is needed for a genuine understanding of the arguments. This is a highly recommendable textbook that deserves to be widely taken up in university courses in physics and astronomy.' Peter J. Bussey, Contemporary Physics'… Ryden avoids oversimplification while covering all topics at about the same level, appropriate for an undergraduate course in cosmology, although the last two chapters on structural formation go somewhat beyond that. … The mixture of narrative and equations is very close to a lecture course, and the book is well written. Complicated topics such as cosmological distances and horizons are presented briefly, but correctly. The editing is much better than average … There are a few black-and-white figures throughout the text. Each chapter ends with a handful of exercises, solutions to which are available to those using the book for a course. … The main text is followed by a table of useful constants and a five-page small-print index. … this book is highly recommended …' Phillip Helbig, The ObservatoryTable of ContentsPreface to second edition; Preface to first edition; 1. Introduction; 2. Fundamental observations; 3. Newton versus Einstein; 4. Cosmic dynamics; 5. Model universes; 6. Measuring cosmological parameters; 7. Dark matter; 8. The cosmic microwave background; 9. Nucleosynthesis and the early Universe; 10. Inflation and the very early Universe; 11. Structure formation: gravitational instability; 12. Structure formation: baryons and photons; Epilogue; Bibliography; Table of useful constants; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis 2006 volume discusses the statistics of binary stars; the evolution of single stars; and several of the most important kinds of interaction between two (and even three or more) stars. A series of mathematical appendices gives a concise but full account of the mathematics of these processes.Trade ReviewReview of the hardback: '… I know of no book quite like Peter Eggleton's monograph, which describes in great detail stellar evolution in the context of binary and to some extent multiple stars, but also gives a masterly and comprehensive one-chapter summary of single-star evolution, in a very concise style. Anyone who masters the contents will have a deep understanding of the processes involved and of the approximations that are necessary to make progress. … the writing is clear and readable … the text is full of nice phrases that are accessible to everyone … A nice feature of the book, that will make it more accessible to non-experts, is that the detailed mathematical justifications have mostly been placed in the appendices that take up the last 50 pages of the book … a remarkable book … it is authoritative and comprehensive and will be a fruitful source of ideas for those working in the field. It should also persuade our extragalactic colleagues that stellar evolution is still a topic with lots of interesting unsolved problems.' The ObservatoryTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Evolution of single stars; 3. Binary interaction: conservative processes; 4. Slow non-conservative processes; 5. Rapid non-conservative processes; 6. Accretion by the companion; Appendices.

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Book SynopsisIn this volume, David Merritt assesses the viability of the only major competing theory to the standard cosmological model: MOND (Modified Newtonian Dynamics). Astronomers, physicists, and philosophers of science will find a frank examination of current MOND theories, as an active and ongoing case study in theory testing.Trade Review'This book gives a very careful analysis of the relation of theory to observational confirmation in astrophysics and cosmology, using as a case study the succession of MOND models proposed by Milgrom. Using Lakatos's approach, which is contrasted with Popper's proposals, the book focuses with exemplary clarity on the question of to what extent theories can be taken to be validated by observational tests. This is a great contribution to the philosophy of cosmology, which will also make the reader appreciate the strength of Milgrom's theory in terms of having, in advance, made predictions which were subsequently confirmed.' George F. R. Ellis, University of Cape Town'Merritt's take on dark matter is as thorough as it is illuminating. It is rare to find arguments so rigorous on both the scientific and philosophical sides, while still being eminently readable. This book will be insightful for practitioners in astrophysics as well for those wanting to understand what has been going on in astrophysics lately.' Sabine Hossenfelder, Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies'David Merritt, in an excellent well-written discussion, considers MOND, an alternative to dark matter, in terms of the ideas of Karl Popper and Imre Lakatos. In assessing a scientific theory, Popper emphasized falsification over verification, but in practice a theory may grow in content through a 'research program'. This growth is judged to be progressive if it successfully predicts new phenomena not related to those the theory was designed to explain. Merritt traces the MOND research program through various stages, pointing out numerous progressive successes. The point is that MOND is essentially predictive; the standard theory, dark matter, is essentially reactive.' Robert H. Sanders, University of Groningen'Merritt's book has an excellent (and blissfully short) introduction into the philosophy of science that contains everything you need to know to follow along. The book is extremely well structured … I think that everyone who has a research interest in astrophysics and cosmology will benefit from reading this book. And I think that physics would much benefit from a similar analysis of inflation and other hypotheses for the early universe, quantum gravity, theories of everything and grand unification, and quantum foundations.' Sabine Hossenfelder, BackReaction.blogspot.com'This is a major development in the both the science of cosmology and astrophysics, on the one hand, and the philosophy and history of science on the other. It should be required reading for anyone interested in any of these topics.' Stacy McGaugh, Triton Station'It is not every day that philosophy and alternative theories of gravity mix. But David Merritt does exactly that in his book discussing Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND), a group of theories first introduced by Mordehai Milgrom in the 1980s. The book leans heavily on the epistemological theories of Imre Lakatos to understand MOND and compare it to the standard cold dark-matter cosmological model. Merritt argues that MOND has produced a number of falsifiable and ultimately verified predictions that should at least present it as a viable alternative theory for our current cosmological understanding of the Universe.' Marios Karouzos, Nature Astronomy'… [David Merritt] presents a discussion of MOND and the roles of evidence and theory in the philosophy of science. His writing is lucid and thought provoking. Merritt is a practicing astrophysicist; this monograph represents his first excursion into the philosophy of science. Students and professionals in related fields will find the book valuable.' A. Spero, Choice'As an exemplar of the power of the scientific monograph, I direct your attention to the winner of the 2021 PROSE Award for Excellence in Physical Sciences & Mathematics: David Merritt's A Philosophical Approach to MOND: Assessing the Milgromian Research Program in Cosmology, ... Constructed with exquisite care over 270 pages and beautifully written for its intended audience, ... I found the book entirely gripping ...' Sean Pidgeon, Association of American Publishers Blog (https://publishers.org/)Table of ContentsPreface; 1. The epistemology of science; 2. The methodology of scientific research programs; 3. The Milgromian research program; 4. Theory variant T0: the foundational postulates; 5. Theory variant T1: a non-relativistic Lagrangian; 6. Theory variant T2: a relativistic theory; 7. Theory variant T3: a modified hard core; 8. Convergence; 9. Summary / final thoughts; References; Index.

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Book SynopsisIn SECRETS OF ANTIGRAVITY PROPULSION, physicist Paul LaViolette reveals the secret history of antigravity experimentation - from Nikola Tesla and T. Townsend Brown to the B-2 Advanced Technology Bomber. He discloses the existence of advanced gravity-control technologies, under secret military development for decades, that could revolutionise air travel and energy production. Included among the secret projects he reveals is the research of Project Skyvault to develop an aerospace propulsion system using intense beams of microwave energy similar to that used by the strange crafts seen flying over Area 51. Using subquantum kinetics - the science behind antigravity technology- LaViolette reviews numerous field-propulsion devices and technologies that have thrust-to-power ratios thousands of times greater than that of a jet engine and whose effects are not explained by conventional physics and relativity theory. He then presents controversial evidence about the NASA cover-up in adopting these advanced technologies. He also details ongoing Russian research to duplicate John Searl's self-propelled levitating disc and shows how the results of the Podkletnov gravity beam experiment could be harnessed to produce an interstellar spacecraft. · Reviews numerous field propulsion devices that have thrust-topower ratios thousands of times greater than a jet engine · Shows how NASA is part of a cover-up to block adoption of advanced technologies under military developmentTrade Review“Kudos to Paul LaViolette for disclosing the important new science of electro-magneto-gravitic propulsion. For over fifty years, humanity has continued to use earth-destroying primitive fuels when an ocean of infinite energy teems all around us. It is time that the truth be known!” * Steven M. Greer, M.D., author of Hidden Truth: Forbidden Knowledge *“Paul LaViolette is one of the most interesting and innovative thinkers probing the limits and horizons of contemporary physics. In this book he takes up a challenge that many of us have thought about but could not document: the possibility of propulsion systems that practically defy gravity. His findings merit earnest consideration, debate, and discussion.” * Ervin Laszlo, author of Science and the Akashic Field *“Paul LaViolette’s investigations into this most mysterious of subjects are at once fascinating and prescient.” * Nick Cook, author of The Hunt for Zero Point: Inside the Classified World of Antigravity Technology *“One of the boldest and most exciting books on gravity control to be put forward in our times. Paul LaViolette is an outstanding scientist and the first to reverse engineer the B-2’s highly classified propulsion system.” * Eugene Podkletnov, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry, Tampere, Finland *“Paul LaViolette has once again unearthed advanced knowledge that can change our lives. This is a landmark book to be read and discussed by anyone concerned about humanity’s options for the near future.” * Jeane Manning, author of The Coming Energy Revolution: The Search for Free Energy *"If you buy only one book on antigravity/electrogravity, this had better be the one! I have been a fan of Townsend Brown since the early eighties. This book showed me things I DID NOT know! . . . Secrets ARE revealed." * T. Long, reviewer, July 2008 *"Numerous field-propulsion devices and techologies that have huge thrust-to-power ratios are surveyed in chapters which offer new science ideas and theories perfect for any new age library." * The Midwest Book Review, Sept 2008 *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments 1 Antigravity: From Dream to Reality 2 Beyond Rocket Propulsion 3 Onward and Upward 4 An Etheric Explanation 5 The U.S. Antigravity Squadron 6 Gravity Beam Propulsion 7 Project Skyvault 8 Microwave Phase Conjugation 9 Unconventional Flying Objects 10 The Searl Effect 11 Electrogravitic Wave Experiments 12 High-Voltage Electrogravitics Experiments 13 Black Hole Discovered in NASA 14 A Technology That Could Change the World Appendices A. Letters Written by T. Townsend Brown to Thomas Turman B. Aviation Studies International Ltd. Publications C. Electrogravitics Systems D. A Brief Description of Experiments Made in Paris by T. Townsend Brown E. Notes on the Skyvault Antigravity Project F. Secret Government Memos Concerning Operation Majestic Twelve G. Electrogravitics: An Energy-Efficient Means of Space Propulsion H. Beyond Rocket Propulsion I. Correspondence with Charles Morris J. Preventing Another Columbia Disaster Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe Euclidean approach to Quantum Gravity was initiated almost 15 years ago in an attempt to understand the difficulties raised by the spacetime singularities of classical general relativity which arise in the gravitational collapse of stars to form black holes and the entire universe in the Big Bang. An important motivation was to develop an approach capable of dealing with the nonlinear, non-perturbative aspects of quantum gravity due to topologically non-trivial spacetimes. There are important links with a Riemannian geometry. Since its inception the theory has been applied to a number of important physical problems including the thermodynamic properties of black holes, quantum cosmology and the problem of the cosmological constant. It is currently at the centre of a great deal of interest.This is a collection of survey lectures and reprints of some important lectures on the Euclidean approach to quantum gravity in which one expresses the Feynman path integral as a sum over Riemannian metrics. As well as papers on the basic formalism there are sections on Black Holes, Quantum Cosmology, Wormholes and Gravitational Instantons.Table of ContentsGeneral formalism - G. 't Hooft, M. Veltman, S.W. Hawking, M.J. Perry, G.W. Gibbons, R. Schoen, S.T. Yau, K. Schleich, S. Coleman, R.L. Bishop; black holes - S.W. Hawking, J.B. Hartle, G.W. Gibbons, M.J. Perry, D.J. Gross, L.G. Yaffe; quantum cosmology - G.W. Gibbons, S.W. Hawking, S. Coleman, F. De Luccia, I.G.Moss, J.B. Hartle, J.J. Halliwell; wormholes - S.W. Hawking, S.B. Giddings, A. Strominger, S. Coleman, I. Klebanov, L. Susskind, T. Banks, J. Preskill, S.P. Trivedi, M.B. Wise; gravitational instantons - G.W. Gibbons, S.W. Hawking, T. Eguchi, A. Hanson, G.W. Gibbons, C.N. Pope, N.J. Hitchin, P.B. Kronheimer, D.N. Page, M.F. Atiyah.

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