This is an in-depth look at baryon number violation in the Standard Model including the necessary background in finite temperature field theory, plasma dynamics and how to calculate the out of equilibrium evolution of particle number densities throughout a phase transition. It is a self-contained pedagogical review of the theoretical background to electroweak baryogenesis as well as a summary of the other prevailing mechanisms for producing the asymmetry between matter and antimatter using the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model as a pedagogical tool whenever appropriate.

This book presents a brief compilation of results from nearly a century of research on the globular star clusters in the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). It explores the techniques and limitations of the observations, the successes and challenges of the models, and the paradigm for the formation of M31 that has gradually emerged. These results will eventually be superseded by new data, better analysis techniques, and more complex models. However, the emphasis of this book is on the techniques, thought processes, and connections with other studies.

This volume provides a detailed description of some of the most active areas in astrophysics from the largest scales probed by the Planck satellite to massive black holes that lie at the heart of galaxies and up to the much awaited but stunning discovery of thousands of exoplanets. It contains the following chapters: * Jean-Philippe UZAN, The Big-Bang Theory: Construction, Evolution and Status * Jean-Loup PUGET, The Planck Mission and the Cosmic Microwave Background * Reinhard GENZEL, Massive Black Holes: Evidence, Demographics and Cosmic Evolution * Arnaud CASSAN, New Worlds Ahead: The Discovery of Exoplanets Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez shared the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics "for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the centre of our galaxy'", alongside Roger Penrose "for the discovery that black hole formation is a robust prediction of the general theory of relativity". The book corresponds to the twentieth Poincare Seminar, held on November 21, 2015, at Institut Henri Poincare in Paris. Originally written as lectures to a broad scientific audience, these four chapters are of high value and will be of general interest to astrophysicists, physicists, mathematicians and historians.

In this book we will look at what planetary nebulae are, where they come from and where they go. We will discuss what mechanisms cause these beautiful markers of stellar demise as well as what causes them to form their variety of shapes. How we measure various aspects of planetary nebulae such as what they are made of will also be explored. Though we will give some aspects of planetary nebulae mathematical treatment, the main points should be accessible to people with only a limited background in mathematics. A short glossary of some of the more arcane astronomical terms is at the end of the book to help in understanding. Included at the end of each chapter is an extensive bibliography to the peer reviewed research on these objects and I would encourage the reader interested in an even deeper understanding to read these articles.

The diverse planetary environments in the solar system react in somewhat different ways to the encompassing influence of the Sun. These different interactions define the electrostatic phenomena that take place on and near planetary surfaces. The desire to understand the electrostatic environments of planetary surfaces goes beyond scientific inquiry. These environments have enormous implications for both human and robotic exploration of the solar system. This book describes in some detail what is known about the electrostatic environment of the solar system from early and current experiments on Earth as well as what is being learned from the instrumentation on the space exploration missions (NASA, European Space Agency, and the Japanese Space Agency) of the last few decades. It begins with a brief review of the basic principles of electrostatics.

The book is an introduction to the subject of fluid mechanics, essential for students and researchers in many branches of science. It illustrates its fundamental principles with a variety of examples drawn mainly from astrophysics and geophysics as well as from everyday experience. Prior familiarity with basic thermodynamics and vector calculus is assumed.

This book is intended to be a course about the creation and evolution of the universe at large, including the basic macroscopic building blocks (galaxies) and the overall large-scale structure. This text covers a broad range of topics for a graduate-level class in a physics department where students' available credit hours for astrophysics classes are limited. The sections cover galactic structure, external galaxies, galaxy clustering, active galaxies, general relativity and cosmology.

Full color publication. NP-2009-066-GSFC. This colorful book provides concise explanations and descriptions-easily read and readily understood-of what is now known of the chain of events and processes that connect the Sun to the Earth, with special emphasis on space weather and sun-climate.

This book is the Second Edition of the ground-breaking book on faster-than-light travel Bright Stars, Bright Universe: Advancing Civilization by Colonization of the Solar System and the Stars using a Fast Quark Drive which described a new approach to spacecraft propulsion that could enable Mankind to travel to the stars, and beyond, to the galaxies of the known universe. In this edition we add Appendices to the original edition (together with a few minor changes to the First Edition) on Seeing and Navigating through the Cosmos on superluminal starships; Complex Thrust using Braided Accelerators; Suspended Animation to keep the biological clocks of starship occupants in sync with earth time; Engineering very long life starship and life support components; Robot guidance and robot exploratory starships; and Fuel consumption on starships. At the time of this writing the United States appears headed towards a deficit of ten or eleven trillion dollars over the next ten years. It appears that a likely cost for starship R&D would be of the order of half a trillion dollars spread over perhaps thirty years - a small amount relative to the projected US deficit - with an enormous reward for success. On a yearly basis this expense averages to about seventeen billion dollars per year. Since the NASA budget is eighteen billion dollars a year, the cost of the starship program is comparable and quite affordable. The formation of an international consortium would further reduce the per country costs. If the United States paid sixty per cent of the costs then its share would be about ten billion dollars per year. It is a venture of great significance to the future of Mankind. The cost is relatively small; the benefits are potentially enormous! In a series of recent books we explored the theoretical importance of superluminal (faster-than-light) particles called tachyons in the derivation of the form of the Standard Model of Elementary Particles. We also showed some of the remarkable features of superluminal particles such as reverse fission, length dilation, and time contraction - quite the opposite of sublight phenomena. In this book we examine the possibility of superluminal starship propulsion for interstellar exploration and colonization. We begin the book with a statement of the earth's present condition and the need to expand into space or face a slow decline into a cultural and social miasma. Then we develop a new plan for the exploration and colonization of this solar system since it appears that current announced plans have missed the mark and do not have an overall long-term approach. Since this solar system lacks enough planets that are congenial for human life we consider the possibility of colonizing planets around other stars. Many plans have been proposed for interstellar spaceships - starships. But they are usually impractical for some good reason(s). In this book we will consider superluminal (beyond light speed) starships based on tachyon dynamics. They provide a practical means of starship propulsion although much R&D must be done before the proposed starships can be built. Once built they will support speeds up to 5,000 to 30,000 times the speed of light and beyond making the universe Mankind's backyard. Travel times to other galaxies could be as short as a few months. Superluminal starships open the door to a vast expansion of humanity into the universe in the large! As world population grows, and human social needs also grow, the capacity of the world to mount a major space effort will diminish. So a major space initiative with a well-thought out game plan is required now, while we still have the resources.

This well-documented and fascinating book tells how, over the centuries, a series of visionaries, scientists, technologists, and politicians fostered the involvement of Italy in space exploration. The lives of these pioneers was often far from easy, yet they persevered. The fruits of their efforts can today be witnessed in Italy's success within the cutting-edge space sector. Italy's history in space started at the end of the fourteenth century and continued with the development of fireworks. Later, the nineteenth century marked the beginning of research into rockets in a more scientific way. After World War II, rocket technology was advanced with the aid of German scientists, and in the 1960s Luigi Broglio, the father of Italian space exploration, designed the San Marco satellite. In 1979 the first Italian Space Plan was launched, but it was the foundation of the Italian Space Agency in 1988 that kick-started a program of exploration in various fields of cosmic research. The outcome was construction of the Vega launcher and collaboration in the International Space Station. Now the Italian space industry stands ready to play an important role in the Gateway orbital station. All of this history, and more, is explored in this riveting book.

Have you ever seen a comet? It is a marvelous experience, one that all humans can share, that spawns a deep yearning to understand the spectacle. Have you ever wondered what comets are and why astronomers spend so much time studying them? Now, a comet expert and an astronomical historian have come together to produce the unique book that you now hold in your hands. Using their several decades of teaching experience, the authors have concisely presented the information you need to comprehend these majestic apparitions that grace our night skies. No mathematical proficiency is needed, in fact, this book doesn't contain a single equation! Comets are cosmic Rosetta stones, bridging our current knowledge by digging back to the earliest days of our Solar Systems. How did life arise on Earth? Did comets play a significant role in bringing water and the necessary organic matter to our early Earth? How about the dinosaurs? Were they driven to extinction by a cometary impact 66 million years ago? Comets may be both the enablers and destroyers of life on Earth as we know it. These are some of the tantalizing questions discussed here. If you so desire, steps are given to join the ranks of amateur comet hunters. Astronomy is one of the last sciences where amateurs play a significant role. Your reward for discovery? A comet officially bearing your name in the history books! The next Great Comet is on its way, we just do not know when it will arrive. Armed with this book, you will be ready to enjoy this unforgettable event.

Offers an accessible text and reference (a cosmic-ray manual) for graduate students entering the field and high-energy astrophysicists will find this an accessible cosmic-ray manual Easy to read for the general astronomer, the first part describes the standard model of cosmic rays based on our understanding of modern particle physics. Presents the acceleration scenario in some detail in supernovae explosions as well as in the passage of cosmic rays through the Galaxy. Compares experimental data in the atmosphere as well as underground are compared with theoretical models

"Venus has always been associated with the feminine in astrology and in culture, yet little emphasis is placed upon the wisdom aspect of the planet. With the cycles of Venus we are given insight into the unfolding of wisdom within ourselves and society, especially with the cycle of Venus' inferior conjunctions - the so-called 2nd order cycle of the planet. In her timely and much-needed work, Firegazing, Gail has brilliantly outlined the meaning and import of these cycles and the deeper meaning of a planet that often only receives a passing notice in astrology, yet is so intimately connected with our own lives and what it is to be human. When Venus passes across the face of the solar orb, we are given opportunity to gaze into the very fire of the soul itself. Well done, Gail " - Malvin Artley

Written by a leading expert on comets, this textbook is divided into seven main elements with a view to allowing advanced students to appreciate the interconnections between the different elements. The author opens with a brief introductory segment on the motivation for studying comets and the overall scope of the book. The first chapter describes fundamental aspects most usually addressed by ground-based observation. The author then looks at the basic physical phenomena in four separate chapters addressing the nucleus, the emitted gas, the emitted dust, and the solar wind interaction. Each chapter introduces the basic physics and chemistry but then new specific measurements by Rosetta instruments at comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko are brought in. A concerted effort has been made to distinguish between established fact and conjecture. Deviations and inconsistencies are brought out and their significance explained. Links to previous observations of comets Tempel 1, Wild 2, Hartley 2, Halley and others are made. The author then closes with three smaller chapters on related objects, the loss of comets, and prospects for future exploration. This textbook includes over 275 graphics and figures - most of which are original. Thorough explanations and derivations are included throughout the chapters. The text is therefore designed to support MSc. students and new PhD students in the field wanting to gain a solid overview of the state-of-the-art.

Our Universe is amazing. This is its story, told in simple language. The story tells how the Universe came to be what it is today. It starts with the Big Bang and describes how stars, black holes, and our solar system developed. It explores the evolution of life on Earth and investigates the possibility of extra-terrestrial life. It peers into the future and wonders about the Universe's likely old age and death, or whatever else may be its end. The challenge the book takes up is to explain all of this, including some of the astonishing concepts we have in science, such as Einstein's theories of Relativity and Quantum Mechanics, using virtually no mathematics and without dumbing-down. All are described narratively and explained using examples and anecdotes. The book is written for young people with a thirst for learning about the science of space, as well as for 'grown-ups' who want a better understanding of this fascinating subject.

This present book discusses the application of the methods to astrophysical data from different perspectives. In this book, the reader will encounter interesting chapters that discuss data processing and pulsars, the complexity and information content of our universe, the use of tessellation in astronomy, characterization and classification of astronomical phenomena, identification of extragalactic objects, classification of pulsars and many other interesting chapters. The authors of these chapters are experts in their field and have been carefully selected to create this book so that the authors present to the community a representative publication that shows a unique fusion of artificial intelligence and astrophysics.