Relativity physics Books

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

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Book SynopsisThis popular book on special relativity was first published in Moscow back in 1961 under the Russian title 'Очевидное? Нет, ещё неизведанное', which can be roughly translated as 'Is it evident? No, it's unexplored yet!'This clear exposition of the history of the development of physical ideas which eventually led to the discovery of special relativity is a narration of how physicists, from Galileo, Newton to Lorentz, Poincare and Einstein were distracted in their reflections by numerous fallacies (like aether, dragged or not). Then by experiment, it was finally understood that the laws of cinematics and dynamics of the objects moving at high speed can only be formulated with physical definions for what is distance, time or force. After that and from the two basic Einstein postulates — the principle of relativity and the constancy of the speed of light — everything else followed.As the emphasis is on being exact from the scientific viewpoint, it is also accessible to any person with a high school background. The last chapter 'Photon dreams' is addressed to science fiction fans. However, the author proves to the disappointed reader that the laws of physics that we know do not allow the construction of spaceships that could reach even the nearest stars during the life span of the team.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Einstein Was Right is a compelling and thought-provoking account of one of the most thrilling scientific discoveries of the modern age travel." * Society for the History of Astronomy Bulletin *"The book is in general well written and the articles are all interesting and informative. In spite of my decades-long acquaintance with the subject, I found much material that I was not familiar with and which was enlightening."---Ajit Kembhavi, Current Science

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Book SynopsisGeneral relativity, which lies at the heart of contemporary physics, has recently become the focus of a number of lively theoretical, experimental, and computational research programs. As a result, undergraduates have become increasingly excited to learn about the subject. A General Relativity Workbook is a textbook intended to support a one-semester upper division undergraduate course on general relativity. Through its unique workbook-based design, it enables students to develop a solid mastery of both the physics and the supporting tensor calculus by pushing (and guiding) them to work through the implications. Each chapter, which is designed to correspond to one class session, involves a short overview of the concepts without obscuring derivations or details, followed by a series of boxes that guide students through the process of working things out for themselves. This active-learning approach enables students to develop a more secure mastery of the material than more traditional approaches. More than 350 homework problems support further learning. This book more strongly emphasizes the physics than many of its competitors, and while it provides students a full grounding in the supporting mathematics (unlike certain other competitors), it introduces the mathematics gradually and in a completely physical context. Ancillaries To facilitate self-study, a complimentary Online Student Manual with Hints and Answers for Selected Problems is available online. A detailed Instructor's Manual is available to adopting professors. Trade Review'Moore's workbook makes General Relativity accessible to undergraduates who have seen little or none of the underlying mathematical framework. This is achieved not by watering down the contents, but rather by systematically guiding readers to work everything out themselves until they own the concepts and the mathematical techniques. It is indeed a workbook, which I trust will be a great success.' - Sergio Picozzi, University of Maryland, USA 'With its clean organization, its direct and clear prose, and especially its pedagogically effective workbook format, Moore's A General Relativity Workbook may quickly become the new standard for upper division undergraduate courses in General Relativity.' -John Mallinckrodt, Cal Poly Pomona, USA 'Not since Misner, Wheeler & Thorne has there been such a useful resource.' - Paul McKenna, Glasgow Caledonian University, UKTable of Contents1 Introduction 2 Review of Special Relativity 3 Four-Vectors 4 Index Notation 5 Arbitrary Coordinates 6 Tensor Equations 7 Maxwell’s Equations 8 Geodesics 9 The Schwarzschild Metric 10 Particle Orbits 11 Precession of the Perihelion 12 Photon Orbits 13 Deflection of Light 14 Event Horizon 15 Alternative Coordinates 16 Black Hole Thermodynamics 17 The Absolute Gradient 18 Geodesic Deviation 19 The Riemann Tensor 20 The Stress-Energy Tensor 21 The Einstein Equation 22 Interpreting the Equation 23 The Schwarzschild Solution 24 The Universe Observed 25 A Metric for the Cosmos 26 Evolution of the Universe 27 Cosmic Implications 28 The Early Universe 29 CMB Fluctuations and Inflation 30 Gauge Freedom 31 Detecting Gravitational Waves 32 Gravitational Wave Energy 33 Generating Gravitational Waves 34 Gravitational Wave Astronomy 35 Gravitomagnetism 36 The Kerr Metric 37 Particle Orbits in Kerr Spacetime 38 Ergoregion and Horizon 39 Negative-Energy Orbits Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This text is another great example of the 'In a Nutshell' series of science books from Princeton University Press. . . . The book offers an abundance of worked out examples and many interesting end-of-chapter problems. This is a text that is obviously designed for the advanced undergraduate or graduate physics student--these groups of individuals will find the work an excellent introduction to the standard model." * Choice *Table of ContentsPreface for Instructors ix Acknowledgments xi Introduction xiii Table of Symbols xv 1 Special Relativity 1 1.1 Galileo 2 1.2 Vectors and Tensors 3 1.3 Foundations of Relativity 13 1.4 Spacetime 15 1.5 Relativistic Dynamics 19 2 Scalar Fields 24 2.1 The Principle of Least Action 25 2.2 Continuous Fields 29 2.3 The Klein-Gordon Equation 32 2.4 Which Lagrangians Are Allowed? 33 2.5 Complex Scalar Fields 35 3 Noether's Theorem 43 3.1 Conserved Quantities for Particles 44 3.2 Noether's First Theorem 46 3.3 The Stress-Energy Tensor 49 3.4 Angular Momentum 52 3.5 Electric Charge 53 3.6 Digression: Inflation 54 4 Symmetry 61 4.1 What Groups Are 62 4.2 Finite Groups 63 4.3 Lie Groups 66 4.4 SU(2) 70 4.5 SU(3) 74 5 The Dirac Equation 79 5.1 Relativity and Quantum Mechanics 80 5.2 Solutions to the Dirac Equation 86 5.3 The Adjoint Spinor 88 5.4 Coordinate Transformations 90 5.5 Conserved Currents 93 5.6 Discrete Transforms 97 5.7 Quantum Free-Field Theory 100 6 Electromagnetism 109 6.1 A Toy Model of Electromagnetism 109 6.2 Gauge Transformations 112 6.3 Interpreting the Electromagnetic Lagrangian 116 6.4 Solutions to the Classical Free Field 122 6.5 The Low-Energy Limit 123 6.6 Looking Forward 126 7 Quantum Electrodynamics 129 7.1 Particle Decay 130 7.2 Scattering 140 7.3 Feynman Rules for the Toy Scalar Theory 148 7.4 QED 153 8 The Weak Interaction 164 8.1 Leptons 165 8.2 Massive Mediators 168 8.3 SU(2) 171 8.4 Helicity 177 8.5 Feynman Rules for the Weak Interaction 180 9 Electroweak Unification 184 9.1 Leptons and Quarks 184 9.2 Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking 192 9.3 The Higgs Mechanism 195 9.4 Higgs-Fermion Interactions 199 9.5 A Reflection on Free Parameters 202 10 Particle Mixing 205 10.1 Quarks 207 10.2 Neutrinos 216 10.3 Neutrino Masses 222 11 The Strong Interaction 229 11.1 SU(3) 229 11.2 Renormalization 238 11.3 Asymptotic Freedom 245 12 Beyond the Standard Model 253 12.1 Free Parameters 253 12.2 Grand Unified Theories 255 12.3 Supersymmetry 259 12.4 The Strong CP Problem 264 12.5 Some Open Questions 266 Appendix A Spinors and c-Matrices 271 Appendix B Decays and Cross Sections 274 Appendix C Feynman Rules 277 Appendix D Groups 281 Bibliography 283 Index 291

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This authoritative centenary edition is a fitting tribute to Einstein’s efforts to make his concepts accessible—in turn, helping to raise the profile of basic science and modern physics on a global scale."---Mary Craig, Nature

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Book SynopsisINSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER?Most appealing... technical accuracy and lightness of tone... Impeccable.??Wall Street Journal?A porthole into another world.??Scientific American?Brings science dissemination to a new level.??ScienceThe most trusted explainer of the most mind-boggling concepts pulls back the veil of mystery that has too long cloaked the most valuable building blocks of modern science. Sean Carroll, with his genius for making complex notions entertaining, presents in his uniquely lucid voice the fundamental ideas informing the modern physics of reality. Physics offers deep insights into the workings of the universe but those insights come in the form of equations that often look like gobbledygook. Sean Carroll shows that they are really like meaningful poems that can help us fly over sierras to discover a miraculous multidimensional landscape alive with radiant giants, warped space-time, and bewilderingly powerful forces. High school calculus is itself a centuries-old marvel as worthy of our gaze as the Mona Lisa. And it may come as a surprise the extent to which all our most cutting-edge ideas about black holes are built on the math calculus enables. No one else could so smoothly guide readers toward grasping the very equation Einstein used to describe his theory of general relativity. In the tradition of the legendary Richard Feynman lectures presented sixty years ago, this book is an inspiring, dazzling introduction to a way of seeing that will resonate across cultural and generational boundaries for many years to come.

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Book Synopsis#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The epic story of the greatest quest in all of science—the holy grail of physics that would explain the creation of the universe—from renowned theoretical physicist and author of The Future of the Mind and The Future of Humanity.When Newton discovered the law of gravity, he unified the rules governing the heavens and the Earth. Since then, physicists have been placing new forces into ever-grander theories. But perhaps the ultimate challenge is achieving a monumental synthesis of the two remaining theories—relativity and the quantum theory. This would be the crowning achievement of science, a profound merging of all the forces of nature into one beautiful, magnificent equation to unlock the deepest mysteries in science: What happened before the Big Bang? What lies on the other side of a black hole? Are there other universes and dimensions? Is time travel possible? Why are w

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the rise and proliferation of 'Supermaxes', large prisons dedicated to holding prisoners in prolonged and strict solitary confinement, in the United States since the late 1980s. Drawing on unique access to two Supermax prisons and on in-depth interviews with prison officials, prison architects, current and former prisoners, mental health professionals, penal, legal, and human rights experts, it provides a holistic view of the theory, practice and consequences of these prisons. Given the historic uses of solitary confinement, the book also traces continuities and discontinuities in its use on both sides of the Atlantic over the last two centuries. It argues that rather than being an entirely 'new' form of imprisonment, Supermax prisons draw on principles of architecture, surveillance and control which were set out in the early 19th century but which are now enhanced by the most advanced technologies available to current day prison planners and administrators. It asks why a form of confinement which had been discredited in the past is now proposed as the best solution for dealing with 'difficult', 'dangerous' or 'disruptive' prisoners, and assesses the true costs of Supermax confinement.Trade ReviewWinner of the 2010 British Society of Criminology Book Prize‘This is an extraordinarily important book, full of rare insights and invaluable information. Shalev uses a well balanced blend of theory and data — including observations, interviews, and official documents —to lay bare the harsh and dehumanizing realities of these draconian prison environments... The book is extremely well written, engaging, and astute. It is a must read for scholars, prison policy-makers, and interested citizens alike.’-Professor Craig Haney, University of California, Santa Cruz‘Sharon Shalev combines theoretical skill and a fine eye for empirical detail to ask and answer all the right questions about these extraordinary (and expanding) institutions...Shalev succeeds where much literature on imprisonment fails: comparing the "internal" technologies of control —architectural design, techniques of constant surveillance, daily routine—with the "external" ideologies of justification. An important book.’-Professor Stanley Cohen, Emeritus Professor, London School of Economics‘The "Supermax" makes a high-technology contribution to the art of institutionalized inhumanity —offering architectural settings and regimes for physically isolating prisoners for protracted periods of time in extremely deprived circumstances, under the guise of achieving security-centered penological objectives. Sharon Shalev has provided us with a long-overdue authoritative, meticulously-researched portrait and thoughtful, scholarly analysis of this draconian innovation.’-Professor Hans Toch, School of Criminal Justice, University at Albany'Shalev ultimately provides a meticulous, authoritative account that effectively combines theory with documentary material in an accessible format. In this regard Supermax provides for a broad readership including academics, students and the general public while also serving as vital reading for legal practitioners and advocates, correctional staff and policymakers along with interested community members.''Shalev presents powerful arguments against supermax that are crafted in a way which ultimately confronts and cuts through the official reasoning and rhetoric that comprise powerful justificatory discourses underpinning the continuing push for prison securitization. It is for this reason and along with others described above that Shalev’s book is a must read.'-Bree Carlton, School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University, in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, Vol 44 Iss 2Winner of the 2010 British Society of Criminology Book Prize‘This is an extraordinarily important book, full of rare insights and invaluable information. Shalev uses a well balanced blend of theory and data — including observations, interviews, and official documents —to lay bare the harsh and dehumanizing realities of these draconian prison environments... The book is extremely well written, engaging, and astute. It is a must read for scholars, prison policy-makers, and interested citizens alike.’-Professor Craig Haney, University of California, Santa Cruz‘Sharon Shalev combines theoretical skill and a fine eye for empirical detail to ask and answer all the right questions about these extraordinary (and expanding) institutions...Shalev succeeds where much literature on imprisonment fails: comparing the "internal" technologies of control —architectural design, techniques of constant surveillance, daily routine—with the "external" ideologies of justification. An important book.’-Professor Stanley Cohen, Emeritus Professor, London School of Economics‘The "Supermax" makes a high-technology contribution to the art of institutionalized inhumanity —offering architectural settings and regimes for physically isolating prisoners for protracted periods of time in extremely deprived circumstances, under the guise of achieving security-centered penological objectives. Sharon Shalev has provided us with a long-overdue authoritative, meticulously-researched portrait and thoughtful, scholarly analysis of this draconian innovation.’-Professor Hans Toch, School of Criminal Justice, University at Albany'Throughout this book, Shalev creates an atmosphere that makes the reader feel as though they are within the walls of the most secure prison in the US.Supermax is an interesting and provocative book filled with important and rare observation which are critical for understanding the inner controls of supermax prisons. The macro- and micro-level analysis of supermax prisons is ideal for a variety of readers, even those with rudimentary knowledge of the supermax phenomenon. The theoretical approach, coupled with extensive reference to empirical data, provides a unique vantage point from which to examine supermax prisons in the US. Supermax is a must read for prison scholars, policy makers, academics, or anyone fascinated with, or interested in, the rise of these institutions.' - Rachelle Larocque, PhD Candidate, Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge in the Howard Journal, May 2011 'This is a very thought provoking book.' - Donald Urquhart, Retired Police Officer and Chair of the Scottish Community Safety Network'Shalev ultimately provides a meticulous, authoritative account that effectively combines theory with documentary material in an accessible format. In this regard Supermax provides for a broad readership including academics, students and the general public while also serving as vital reading for legal practitioners and advocates, correctional staff and policymakers along with interested community members.''Shalev presents powerful arguments against supermax that are crafted in a way which ultimately confronts and cuts through the official reasoning and rhetoric that comprise powerful justificatory discourses underpinning the continuing push for prison securitization. It is for this reason and along with others described above that Shalev’s book is a must read.'-Bree Carlton, School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University, in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, Vol 44 Iss 2'This is a highly accomplished work based upon what must have been a particularly harrowing piece of research regarding the supermax prison estate in the United States.''It is a highly accessible and compelling piece...extremely interesting and stimulating to read...''This is a stimulating and thought-provoking book on a matter that is at the extremes of penological debate, however the overarching themes of security and risk management as justifications for such measures integrate the book well into wider debates surrounding punishment in the 21st century. It is a refreshing engagement with the wider view of the offender and society being potential victims of an over-enthusiastic penal policy...I would recommend this book to anyone interested in punishment and penal policy.'-Jennifer Sloan, University of Sheffield, in International Review of Victimology, vol 17 no 2.Table of Contents1. Introduction: The Supermax Phenomenon 2. Solitary Confinement as a Penal Strategy: A Brief History 3. Factors and Actors in the Rise of Supermax Prisons 4. Ideologies of Control: Discourses on the Goals and Roles of Supermax Prisons 5. The Bureaucratisation of Control: Prisoner Classification and Placement in Supermax Prisons 6. Technologies of Control: The Architectural Design, Physical Fixtures and Security Arrangements in Supermax Prisons 7. Inside a Supermax: Daily Routines and Prisoner Provision 8. The Dynamics of Control: Views from the Control Room, Views from the Cells 9. Evaluating Supermax Confinement

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Book SynopsisBlack holes, once considered to be of purely theoretical interest, play an important role in observational astronomy and a range of astrophysical phenomena. This volume is based on a meeting held at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which explored the many aspects of black hole astrophysics. Written by world experts in areas of stellar-mass, intermediate-mass and supermassive black holes, these review papers provide an up-to-date overview of developments in this field. Topics discussed range from black hole entropy and the fate of information to supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies, and from the possibility of producing black holes in collider experiments to the measurements of black hole spins. This is an invaluable resource for researchers currently working in the field, and for graduate students interested in this active and growing area of research.Table of ContentsParticipants; Preface Mario Livio and Anton Koekemoer; 1. Black holes, entropy, and information G. T. Horowitz; 2. Gravitational waves from black-hole mergers J. G. Baker, W. D. Boggs, J. M. Centrella, B. J. Kelley, S. T. McWilliams and J. R. van Meter; 3. Out-of-this-world physics: black holes at future colliders G. Landsberg; 4. Black holes in globular clusters S. L. W. McMillan; 5. Evolution of massive black holes M. Volonteri; 6. Supermassive black holes in deep multiwavelength surveys C. M. Urry and E. Treister; 7. Black-hole masses from reverberation mapping B. M. Peterson and M. C. Bentz; 8. Black-hole masses from gas dynamics F. D. Macchetto; 9. Evolution of supermassive black holes A. Müller and G. Hasinger; 10. Black-hole masses of distant quasars M. Vestergaard; 11. The accretion history of supermassive black holes K. Brand and the NDWFS Boötes Survey Teams; 12. Strong field gravity and spin of black holes from broad iron lines A. C. Fabian; 13. Birth of massive black-hole binaries M. Colpi, M. Dotti, L. Mayer and S. Kazantzidis; 14. Dynamics around supermassive black holes A. Gualandris and D. Merritt; 15. Black-hole formation and growth: simulations in general relativity S. L. Shapiro; 16. Estimating the spins of stellar-mass black holes J. E. McClintock, R. Narayan and R. Shafee; 17. Stellar relaxation processes near the Galactic massive black hole T. Alexander; 18. Tidal disruptions of stars by supermassive black holes S. Gezari; 19. Where to look for radiatively inefficient accretion flows in low-luminosity AGN M. Chiaberge; 20. Making black holes visible: accretion, radiation, and jets J. H. Krolik.

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Book SynopsisThe authors continue the book series entitled Contemporary Fundamental Physics. Edited by Professor Doctor V. V. Dvoeglazov from Universidad de Zacatecas, Mexico, this thematic issue Relativity, Gravitation, Cosmology: Beyond Foundations contains chapters related to contemporary problems of modern physics. This book includes an Editorial Introduction and eleven chapters, commentary, and several reprints. This book may also be considered as the continuation of past publications found in the authors own series concerning relativity. This issue includes contributions from M. Land, V. V. Varlamov, E. Kapuscik, I. A. Vernigora and Yu. G. Rudoy, E. M. Ovsiyuk, V. V. Kisel and V. M. Redkov, O. V. Veko, S. I. Kruglov, B. G. Sidharth, A. Gutierrez-Rodriguez, M. A. Hernandez-Ruiz and A. Gonzalez-Sanchez, and V. V. Dvoeglazov. Older research concerns quantum field theory and gravitation theories. Recent research has been presented at the XI Workshop (2015) and the X and XI Schools (2014 and 2016) of the Gravitation Division of the Sociedad Mexicana de Fisica. The book will be useful to researchers, professors, and students of physics and mathematics.

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Book SynopsisGeneral Relativity Research Trends

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Book SynopsisSubject Interest Groups: physics, mathematics, theoretical physics, astrophysics This book includes important papers written by R Cahill, J G Hartnett, F Cardone, A Marrani and R Mignani, J Dunning-Davies, A Gutierrez-Rodriguez, M A Hernandez-Ruiz and J M Rivera-Juarez, A Vankov, P O''Donell, J Lopez-Bonilla et al, V Varlamov, G.-j. Ni. Interesting mathematical questions of relativity theory, relations to the modern astrophysics, as well as some conceptual foundations are considered in the papers.

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Book SynopsisThe reader will be familiarized with some inconspicuous additions to the theory of relativity and quantum theory, which concern the energy density in cosmic and sub-nuclear domains. These are seemingly technical details, but they make the extreme vividness of light and its speed understandable. We will also ask anew some questions that concern that apparently objective world, whose objectivity is not just a matter of self-evidence, but is constantly being reconstituted in intelligent awareness. Thus the vibrancy of the presence of the world emerges as a most suitable basis for physical knowledge. Finally, we will discuss the sociological conditions, which, especially in the light of the increasing global epidemics, point to an impending disintegration, even to a collapse of civil society. While new strands of human, artificial and hybrid life forms are emerging, new aviation and nuclear time travel appear in a new light. Time as we knew it is gone forever. We experience both a time-out of time and time out of time. Only the happiest of us will keep our original shape and make our way across the galaxy.

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Book SynopsisThis book explains the relevant technical issues of general relativity theory and discusses how these issues bear upon philosophical problems about the nature of space and time, causality, and laws of nature. The first book to address these implications critically, it provides an overview of the technical literature as well as analytical commentary on its philosophical significance.Trade Review...this book is a refreshing addition to the literature for we find that Earman not only provides excellent discussions but also clarifies (or in some instances re-defines) the standard definitions involved...the book is highly recommended. * AAHPSSS, 1998 *Earman provides a careful topographic analysis of some core regions that is written in a brilliant style. * Vienna Circle Institute Yearbook 1998 *Table of Contents1. Introducing Spacetime Singularities and Acausalities ; 2. Defining, Characterizing, and Proving the Existence ; 3. Cosmic Censorship ; 4. Supertasks ; 5. The Big Bang and the Horizon Problem ; 6. Time Travel ; 7. Eternal; Recurrence, Cyclic Time, and All That ; 8. Afterword

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Book SynopsisIn his conversational style, Anthony Zee examines the nature of gravity and its role in our universe. Zee starts from a birthday gift that Albert Einstein received on his seventy-sixth birthday that worked on the main principle in his theory of gravity. From there Zee leads the reader through the implications of Einstein''s theory and its influence on modern physics. Einstein''s Universe in a witty and accessible style also examines how the theory of gravity has shaped our understanding of how the universe began, the development of stars and galaxies, and the nature of space itself. The new Oxford edition will include a new afterword by the author that will bring the subject matter up to date.Trade Review"An extraordinary writer: playful, inspired, and brilliant."--Publishers Weekly "Zee writes with wry, poetic humor.... It's as if he is conducting an easygoing conversation with his audience...a scientist who can clearly evoke the imagery hidden within a mathematical equation, treating some rather formidable material with enthusiasm and delight."--The New York Times "A brash, breezy, and authoritative discussion...a fascinating book."--The Washington Post "Through his engaging, conversational style, Zee...succeeds in informing while entertaining the reader with disarming stories."--The San Francisco Chronicle "Among the numerous authors who have written popularizations of contemporary physics, none is better than Zee at explaining things simply."--Library Journal "An extraordinary writer: playful, inspired, and brilliant."--Publishers Weekly "Zee writes with wry, poetic humor.... It's as if he is conducting an easygoing conversation with his audience...a scientist who can clearly evoke the imagery hidden within a mathematical equation, treating some rather formidable material with enthusiasm and delight."--The New York Times "A brash, breezy, and authoritative discussion...a fascinating book."--The Washington Post "Through his engaging, conversational style, Zee...succeeds in informing while entertaining the reader with disarming stories."--The San Francisco Chronicle "Among the numerous authors who have written popularizations of contemporary physics, none is better than Zee at explaining things simply."--Library Journal "How many times have you actually laughed out loud reading a book on physics? If your answer is 'Never!', then you should pick up a copy of An Old Man's Toy [Einstein's Universe].... Many books on physics can be very interesting, but it is rare to find one that is actually fun to read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would recommend it to anyone. A. Zee has a style of writing that makes one keep turning the pages.... [The book] is interesting, playfully written, and very readable. Don't pass it up."--The Science Teacher "A. Zee is that rare creature: a physicist who knows how to tell a story. (His previous book) Fearful Symmetry was...lucid, entertaining. In this reprise, Zee is just as fascinating, and even funnier...with his prankish good humor and gifts for simplifying the complicated.... An Old Man's Toy [Einstein's Universe] is both a delightful read and a faithful yet accessible look at an avant-garde that is far more revolutionary than any downtown's club scene...it is too rare an opportunity to miss."--Life of New YorkTable of ContentsPROLOGUE: THE APPLE AND THE MOON ; I. THE RISE OF GRAVITY ; II. THE EXPANDING UNIVERSE ; III. STRUCTURES OUT OF THE VOID ; IV. THE MYSTERY OF GRAVITY

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Book SynopsisPart of the reissued Oxford Classic Texts in the Physical Sciences series, this book was first published in 1983, and has swiftly become one of the great modern classics of relativity theory. It represents a personal testament to the work of the author, who spent several years writing and working-out the entire subject matter.The theory of black holes is the most simple and beautiful consequence of Einstein''s relativity theory. At the time of writing there was no physical evidence for the existence of these objects, therefore all that Professor Chandrasekhar used for their construction were modern mathematical concepts of space and time. Since that time a growing body of evidence has pointed to the truth of Professor Chandrasekhar''s findings, and the wisdom contained in this book has become fully evident.Trade ReviewThere is no doubt in my mind that this book is a masterpiece...beautifully written and well-presented. * Roger Penrose in Nature *"Chandrasekhar has provided us with a magisterial text on the classical black holes, outstanding in the depth and detail of its coverage...Throughout, a wealth of mathematical ideas is explained and employed in the process of extracting the properties of these space-times, and the similarities and differences between the different black hole space-times are thoroughly treated. This book is an undoubted classic, and wil remain a standard reference work on black holes for many years." Mathematics Today, October 1999Table of Contents1. Mathematical preliminaries ; 2. A space-time of sufficient generality ; 3. The Schwarzchild space-time ; 4. The perturbations of the Schwarzchild black hole ; 5. The Reissner-Nordstrom solution ; 6. The Kerr metric ; 7. The geodesics in the Kerr space-time ; 8. Electromagnetic waves in Kerr geometry ; 9. The gravitational perturbations of the Kerr black hole ; 10. Spin-1/2 particles in Kerr geometry ; 11. Other solutions ; 12. Other methods

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Book SynopsisThis book is a new edition of Tensors and Manifolds: With Applications to Mechanics and Relativity which was published in 1992. It is based on courses taken by advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in mathematics and physics, giving an introduction to the expanse of modern mathematics and its application in modern physics. It aims to fill the gap between the basic courses and the highly technical and specialised courses which both mathematics and physics students require in their advanced training, while simultaneously trying to promote, at an early stage, a better appreciation and understanding of each other''s discipline. The book sets forth the basic principles of tensors and manifolds, describing how the mathematics underlies elegant geometrical models of classical mechanics, relativity and elementary particle physics. The existing material from the first edition has been reworked and extended in some sections to provide extra clarity, as well as additional problemTrade ReviewReview from previous edition Clearly written and self-contained and, in particular, the author has succeeded in combining mathematical rigor with a certain degree of informality in a satisfactory way. As such, this work will certainly be appreciated by a wide audience. * Mathematical Reviews, August 1993 *Table of Contents1. Vector spaces ; 2. Multilinear mappings and dual spaces ; 3. Tensor product spaces ; 4. Tensors ; 5. Symmetric and skew-symmetric tensors ; 6. Exterior (Grassmann) algebra ; 7. The tangent map of real cartesian spaces ; 8. Topological spaces ; 9. Differentiable manifolds ; 10. Submanifolds ; 11. Vector fields, 1-forms and other tensor fields ; 12. Differentiation and integration of differential forms ; 13. The flow and the Lie derivative of a vector field ; 14. Integrability conditions for distributions and for pfaffian systems ; 15. Pseudo-Riemannian manifolds ; 16. Connection 1-forms ; 17. Connection on manifolds ; 18. Mechanics ; 19. Additional topics in mechanics ; 20. A spacetime ; 21. Some physics on Minkowski spacetime ; 22. Einstein spacetimes ; 23. Spacetimes near an isolated star ; 24. Nonempty spacetimes ; 25. Lie groups ; 26. Fiber bundles ; 27. Connections on fiber bundles ; 28. Gauge theory

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Book SynopsisThis book is intended for undergraduates taking an introductory course on special relativity which is rather more conceptually and mathematically than experimentally orientated. A suitably prepared reader could use it for self-study. It assumes no prior knowledge of relativity. Thus it elaborates the underlying logic, dwells on the subleties and apparent paradoxes, and also contains a large collection of problems which should just about cover all the basic modes of thinking and calculating in special relativity. Much emphasis has been laid on developing the student''s intuition for space-time geometry and four-tensor calculus; but the approach is not so dogmatically four-dimensional that three-dimensional methods are rejected our of hand when they yield a result more directly. This updated new edition contains additional examples and problems, and the chapter on relativistic mechanics of continua has been substantially rewritten.Trade ReviewFrom reviews of the first edition: 'This will be a really useful book for students for years, perhaps decades, to come.' Nature'...Rindler's book should be a convenient and valuable (and affordable) addition to the advanced physics students's shelves' American Journal of Physics'The author's pedagogic skills are apparent in his ability to underline and clearly explain the conceptual intricacies embodied in Einstein's postulates... giving lucid and illuminating accounts of the conventional basic topics' Physics Education'The text of the first edition is refined and improved. Major changes concern the derivation of the Lorentz transformation and the development of continuum mechanics.' B. Wegner, Mathematics Abstracts, 781/94Table of ContentsThe foundations of special relativity; Relativistic kinematics; Relativistic optics; Spacetime; Relativistic particle mechanics; Relativity and electromagnetism; Relativistic mechanics of continua; Appendices; Index.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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