Over the past ten years, the discovery of extrasolar planets has opened a new field of astronomy, and this area of research is rapidly growing, from both the observational and theoretical point of view. The presence of many giant exoplanets in the close vicinity of their star shows that these newly discovered planetary systems are very different from the solar system. New theoretical models are being developed in order to understand their formation scenarios, and new observational methods are being implemented to increase the sensitivity of exoplanet detections. In the present book, the authors address the question of planetary systems from all aspects. Starting from the facts (the detection of more than 300 extraterrestrial planets), they first describe the various methods used for these discoveries and propose a synthetic analysis of their global properties. They then consider the observations of young stars and circumstellar disks and address the case of the solar system as a specific example, different from the newly discovered systems. Then the study of planetary systems and of exoplanets is presented from a more theoretical point of view. The book ends with an outlook to future astronomical projects, and a description of the search for life on exoplanets. This book addresses students and researchers who wish to better understand this newly expanding field of research.

The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), the radiation left over from the Big Bang, is arguably the most important topic in modern cosmology. Its theory and observation have revolutionized cosmology from an order-of-magnitude science to a precision science. This graduate textbook describes CMB physics from first principles in a detailed yet pedagogical way, assuming only that the reader has a working knowledge of General Relativity. Among the changes in this second edition are new chapters on non-Gaussianities in the CMB and on large-scale structure, and extended discussions on lensing and baryon acoustic oscillations, topics that have developed significantly in the last decade. Discussions of CMB experiments have been updated from WMAP data to the new Planck data. The CMB success story in estimating cosmological parameters is then treated in detail, conveying the beauty of the interplay of theoretical understanding and precise experimental measurements.

Recent observational results from space- and ground-based telescopes have demonstrated that a unified approach to the relationships between solar and stellar magnetism is necessary to advance our understanding of magnetic fields. The Proceedings of IAU Symposium 354 present recent results and discussions of emerging topics, including: magnetic field diagnostics using high-resolution observation; initial data from ALMA, Chinese Radio Spectroheliograph and other instruments; the detection of stellar magnetospheres; and the detailed mapping of magnetic fields on the surface of stars using new unique instrumentation. These observations stimulate comparisons of solar and stellar results, and improve our understanding of how surface magnetic structures and their evolution are related to the generation of magnetic fields by dynamos in solar and stellar interiors. This volume benefits graduate students and researchers interested in the recent advances and key problems of solar and stellar magnetic fields, and their impacts on planetary atmospheres.

Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring Almost everything we know about the Universe has come from studying the messages carried by light from outer space. Until only a handful of decades ago, this meant observing optical photons in the narrow visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. However, recent technological developments have now enabled us to extend this range and explore the Universe at radio, infrared, ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma-ray wavelengths. The observations reveal a plethora of exotic phenomena such as young galaxies at the edge of the visible Universe, quasars, pulsars, colliding galaxies, and exploding stars, often at great distances. We have discovered that the Universe is expanding and that the expansion itself is accelerating. Closer to our home planet, we track killer asteroids and comets. Working closely together, observational astronomy and astrophysics have shown us how stars produce their energy, where the chemical elements come from, how black holes form, and how the giant supermassive black holes lurking in the hearts of galaxies spew immensely powerful jets of particles and energy thousands of light years out into space. And we now have new ways beyond light to probe the mysteries of the Universe. This Very Short Introduction describes how neutrinos and gravitational waves are revolutionizing our knowledge. How do we know all this? Advances in telescope technologies offer a partial explanation, but technology alone is not enough. Unlocking the secrets of the Universe also involves the critical application of the laws of physics to the observations. Cottrell describes how we are turning observations into knowledge and how theory, in turn, is inspiring new observations. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

As featured in THE EDGE OF ALL WE KNOW - the new Netflix documentary about Black Holes For 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 where light vanishes, and time stops. What does this development mean? Is this the beginning of a new physics? What can we learn from this about God, the world, and ourselves? For Falcke, astrophysics and metaphysics, science and faith, do not exclude one another. Black Hole is both a plea for curiosity and humility; it's interested in both what we know, and the mysteries that remain unsolved.

This volume gives an overview of knowledge about the light nuclei created in the Hot Early Universe: H, D, 3He, 4He, and 7Li. It combines observational and theoretical results on the early Universe, the distant galaxies, our Milky Way, the local interstellar cloud, and the solar nebula. The implications for cosmology, galactic and stellar evolution, dark matter research etc. are outlined and directions of future research are indicated.

I. Initial Angular Momentum Distribution.- Angular Momentum Effects in Star Formation.- Evolutionary Properties of Intermediate-Mass Protostar.- Small-Scale Structure and Angular Momentum Transfer in Protostellar Environments.- Ekman Pumping in a Rotating Protostar.- Rotation in Pre-Main Sequence Stars; Properties and Evolution.- Disks Associated with Intermediate Mass Stars.- Differential Rotation of Fully Convective Pre-Main Sequence Stars.- The X-ray Emission from PMS Stars in Taurus-Auriga, and the Relationship with Other Diagnostics of Activity.- Multifrequency Monitoring of RU Lupi; Observational Results and a Model.- Polarimetry and CCD Imaging of Herbig Ae/Be Stars and Star Forming Regions.- II: Angular Momentum Evolution.- Rotational Velocities of Low Mass Stars in Young Clusters.- Rotation of Young Stars in the Orion Nebula Region.- Rotational Velocities of Stars in Open Clusters; the Time-Dependence Revisited.- Main Sequence Angular Momentum Loss in Low-Mass Stars.- The Angular Momentum Evolution of Young and Old Binary Components.- Ages of Spotted Late-Type Stars.- Rotation of Evolved Stars.- Rotational Discontinuity of Evolved Stars; What Interpretation?.- III: Consequence of Rotation.- Magnetic Activity and Rotation.- Lithium, Rotation and Age.- Rotation, Chromospheric Activity, and Lithium Abundances in G and K Dwarfs of the Pleiades.- Lithium Abundance and Rotation in Southern Chromospherically Active Stars.- Lithium Depletion Induced by Rotation in Young Stars.- Rotational Mixing and Lithium in Young Stars.- IV: Internal Rotation and Models.- Internal Solar Rotation.- Stellar Activity Belts as Potential Indicators of Internal Rotation and Angular Momentum Distribution.- Dynamics of Spot Groups and Rotation of the External Convective Layers in the Sun and Magnetically Active Stars.- Theory of Magnetic Braking of Late-Type Stars.- Pre-Main Sequence and Main Sequence Rotational Evolution; Constraints on Models Derived from Observations.- Evolutionary Models of Rotating Stars.- The Internal Rotation of the Sun; Implications on the History of its Angular Momentum.- Angular Momentum Transport, Rotational Instabilities, Magnetic Fields and Mixing.- The Spin-Down of Main Sequence Stars Based on Observed Magnetic Field Strength.- Session V: Observational Perspectives.- Observational Perspectives.- PRISMA: a Space Facility for Studying Rotation and Activity.- The Spectrum-UV Project.- Summary of the Workshop.- Panel Discussion: Initial Angular Momentum.- Panel Discussion: Dynamos and Internal Rotation.- Author Index.- Object Index.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2021 FINALIST FOR THE PEN/E.O. WILSON LITERARY SCIENCE WRITING AWARD AN AMAZON BEST BOOK OF 2020 To be an astronomer is to journey to some of the most inaccessible parts of the globe, braving mountain passes, sub-zero temperatures, and hostile flora and fauna. Not to mention the stress of handling equipment worth millions. It is a life of unique delights and absurdities ... and one that may be drawing to a close. Since Galileo first pointed his telescope at the heavens, astronomy has stood as a fount of human creativity and discovery, but soon it will be the robots gazing at the sky while we are left to sift through the data. In The Last Stargazers, Emily Levesque reveals the hidden world of the professional astronomer. She celebrates an era of ingenuity and curiosity, and asks us to think twice before we cast aside our sense of wonder at the universe.

Einstein's general theory of relativity - currently our best theory of gravity - is important not only to specialists, but to a much wider group of physicists. This short textbook on general relativity and gravitation offers students glimpses of the vast landscape of science connected to general relativity. It incorporates some of the latest research in the field. The book is aimed at readers with a broad range of interests in physics, from cosmology, to gravitational radiation, to high energy physics, to condensed matter theory. The pedagogical approach is "physics first": readers move very quickly to the calculation of observational predictions, and only return to the mathematical foundations after the physics is established. In addition to the "standard" topics covered by most introductory textbooks, it contains short introductions to more advanced topics: for instance, why field equations are second order, how to treat gravitational energy, and what is required for a Hamiltonian formulation of general relativity. A concluding chapter discusses directions for further study, from mathematical relativity, to experimental tests, to quantum gravity. This is an introductory text, but it has also been written as a jumping-off point for readers who plan to study more specialized topics.

It is now clear that a binary evolutionary pathway is responsible for a significant fraction of all planetary nebulae, with some authors even going so far as to claim that binarity may be a near requirement for the formation of an observable nebula. This has led to the requirement that textbooks most likely need to be rewritten. Building upon the review of Jones and Boffin in Nature Astronomy (2017), this Springer Brief takes a first step in this direction. It offers the first expanded presentation of all the theoretical and observational support for the importance of binarity in the formation of planetary nebulae, initially focusing on common envelope evolution but also covering wider binaries. This book emphasises the wider impact of the field, highlighting the critical role binary central stars of planetary nebulae have in understanding a plethora of astrophysical phenomena, including type Ia supernovae, chemically peculiar stars and circumbinary exoplanets.

This research monograph presents a new dynamical framework for the study of secular morphological evolution of galaxies along the Hubble sequence. Classical approaches based on Boltzmann's kinetic equation, as well as on its moment-equation descendants the Euler and Navier-Stokes fluid equations, are inadequate for treating the maintenance and long-term evolution of systems containing self-organized structures such as galactic density-wave modes. A global and synthetic approach, incorporating correlated fluctuations of the constituent particles during a nonequilibrium phase transition, is adopted to supplement the continuum treatment. The cutting-edge research combining analytical, N-body simulational, and observational aspects, as well as the fundamental-physics connections it provides, make this work a valuable reference for researchers and graduate students in astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, many-body physics, complexity theory, and other related fields. Contents Dynamical Drivers of Galaxy Evolution N-Body Simulations of Galaxy Evolution Astrophysical Implications of the Dynamical Theory Putting It All Together Concluding Remarks Appendix: Relation to Kinetics and Fluid Mechanics

Space debris and asteroid impacts pose a very real, very near-term threat to Earth. In order to help study and mitigate these risks, the Stardust program was formed in 2013. This training and research network was devoted to developing and mastering techniques such as removal, deflection, exploitation, and tracking. This book is a collection of many of the topics addressed at the Final Stardust Conference, describing the latest in asteroid monitoring and how engineering efforts can help us reduce space debris. It is a selection of studies bringing together specialists from universities, research institutions, and industry, tasked with the mission of pushing the boundaries of space research with innovative ideas and visionary concepts. Topics covered by the Symposium: Orbital and Attitude Dynamics Modeling Long Term Orbit and Attitude Evolution Particle Cloud Modeling and Simulation Collision and Impact Modelling and Simulation, Re-entry Modeling and Simulation Asteroid Origins and Characterization Orbit and Attitude Determination Impact Prediction and Risk Analysis, Mission Analysis-Proximity Operations, Active Removal/Deflection Control Under Uncertainty, Active Removal/Deflection Technologies, and Asteroid Manipulation

Marvel at the wonders of the Universe, from stars and planets to black holes and nebulae, in this exploration of our Solar System and beyond. Universe opens with a look at astronomy and the history of the Universe, using 3D artworks to provide a comprehensive grounding in the fundamental concepts of astronomy, including the basic techniques of practical astronomy. The core of the book is a tour of the cosmos covering the Solar System, the Milky Way, and galaxies beyond our own. Explanatory pages introduce different celestial phenomena, such as galaxies, and are followed by catalogues that profile the most interesting and important examples. A comprehensive star atlas completes the picture, with entries on each of the 88 constellations and a monthly sky guide showing the night sky as it appears throughout the year as viewed from both the northern and southern hemispheres.

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most luminous explosions in the universe, which within seconds release energy comparable to what the Sun releases in its entire lifetime. The field of GRBs has developed rapidly and matured over the past decades. Written by a leading researcher, this text presents a thorough treatment of every aspect of the physics of GRBs. It starts with an overview of the field and an introduction to GRB phenomenology. After laying out the basics of relativity, relativistic shocks, and leptonic and hadronic radiation processes, the volume covers all topics related to GRBs, including a general theoretical framework, afterglow and prompt emission models, progenitor, central engine, multi-messenger aspects (cosmic rays, neutrinos, and gravitational waves), cosmological connections, and broader impacts on fundamental physics and astrobiology. It is suitable for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and experienced researchers in the field of GRBs and high-energy astrophysics in general.

The success of any space flight mission depends not only on advanced technology but also on the health and well-being of crew members. This book, written by an astronaut physician, is the first practical guide to maintaining crew members health in space. It combines research results with practical advice on such problems as bone loss, kidney stones, muscle wasting, motion sickness, loss of balance, orthostatic intolerance, weight loss, and excessive radiation exposure. Additional topics include pre-flight preparation, relevant gender differences, long-duration medical planning, post-flight rehabilitation, and the physiology of extra-vehicular activity. Designed as a handbook for space crews, this text is also an invaluable tool for all the engineers, medical personnel, and scientists who plan and execute space missions.

As evidenced by five Nobel Prizes in physics, radio astronomy in its 80-year history has contributed greatly to our understanding of the universe. Yet for too long, there has been no suitable textbook on radio astronomy for undergraduate students. Fundamentals of Radio Astronomy: Observational Methods is the first undergraduate-level textbook exclusively devoted to radio astronomy telescopes and observation methods. This book, the first of two volumes, explains the instrumentation and techniques needed to make successful observations in radio astronomy. With examples interspersed throughout and problems at the end of each chapter, it prepares students to contribute to a radio astronomy research team. Requiring no prior knowledge of astronomy, the text begins with a review of pertinent astronomy basics. It then discusses radiation physics, the collection and detection of astronomical radio signals using radio telescopes, the functioning of various components of radio telescopes, and the processes involved in making successful radio observations. The book also provides a conceptual understanding of the fundamental principles of aperture synthesis and a more advanced undergraduate-level discussion of real-world interferometry observations. Web ResourceA set of laboratory exercises is available for download on the book's CRC Press web page. These labs use the Small Radio Telescope (SRT) and the Very Small Radio Telescope (VSRT) developed for educational use by MIT's Haystack Observatory. The web page also includes a Java package that demonstrates the principles of Fourier transforms, which are needed for the analysis of interferometric data.

Astrometry has historically been fundamental to all the fields of astronomy, driving many revolutionary scientific results. ESA's Gaia mission is astrometrically, photometrically and spectroscopically surveying the full sky, measuring around a billion stars to magnitude 20, to allow stellar distance and age estimations with unprecedented accuracy. With the complement of radial velocities, it will provide the full kinematic information of these targets, while the photometric and spectroscopic data will be used to classify objects and astrophysically characterize stars. IAU Symposium 330 reviews the first 2.5 years of Gaia activities and discusses the scientific results derived from the first Gaia data release (GDR1). This significant increase in the precision of the astrometric measurements has sharpened our view of the Milky Way and the physical processes involved in stellar and galactic evolution. To many, the Gaia revolution heralds a transformation comparable to the impact of the telescope's invention four centuries ago.

Heliophysics is a fast-developing scientific discipline that integrates studies of the Sun's variability, the surrounding heliosphere, and the environment and climate of planets. This volume, the fourth in the Heliophysics collection, explores what makes the conditions on Earth 'just right' to sustain life, by comparing Earth to other solar system planets, by comparing solar magnetic activity to that of other stars, and by looking at the properties of evolving exoplanet systems. By taking an interdisciplinary approach and using comparative heliophysics, the authors illustrate how we can learn about our local cosmos by looking beyond it, and in doing so, also enable the converse. Supplementary online resources are provided, including lecture presentations, problem sets and exercise labs, making this ideal as a textbook for advanced undergraduate- and graduate-level courses, as well as a foundational reference for researchers in the many subdisciplines of helio- and astrophysics.

Plasmas comprise more than 99% of the observable universe. They are important in many technologies and are key potential sources for fusion power. Atomic and radiation physics is critical for the diagnosis, observation and simulation of astrophysical and laboratory plasmas, and plasma physicists working in a range of areas from astrophysics, magnetic fusion, and inertial fusion utilise atomic and radiation physics to interpret measurements. This text develops the physics of emission, absorption and interaction of light in astrophysics and in laboratory plasmas from first principles using the physics of various fields of study including quantum mechanics, electricity and magnetism, and statistical physics. Linking undergraduate level atomic and radiation physics with the advanced material required for postgraduate study and research, this text adopts a highly pedagogical approach and includes numerous exercises within each chapter for students to reinforce their understanding of the key concepts.

The variable activity of stars such as the Sun is mediated through stellar magnetic fields, radiative and energetic particle fluxes, stellar winds and magnetic storms manifested as stellar flares and coronal mass ejections. This activity influences planetary atmospheres, climate and habitability: on the one hand it drives life-sustaining processes on planets, but on the other hand can adversely impact planetary environments rendering them uninhabitable. Studies of this intimate relationship between the parent star, its astrosphere and the planets that it hosts have reached a certain level of maturity in our own Solar System. Based on this understanding, the first attempts are being made to characterize the interactions between distant stars and their planets and understand their coupled evolution, which is relevant for the search for habitable exoplanets. IAU Symposium 328 brings together diverse, interdisciplinary reviews and research papers which address the themes of star-planet interactions and habitability.