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Books > Science & Mathematics > Physics > Applied physics & special topics > Astrophysics
Our concepts of the sun have been altered by four new developments--the discovery of apparent global solar oscillations, an unsettled and unsettling deficit of neutrinos from the center of the sun, a new elucidation of the role of solar wind, and some disturbing historical facts that shake old concepts of solar constancy and regularity. This volume brings together summaries of these four developments in solar physics, written by the four scientists whose work has prompted our new assessment of the sun.
This volume is the first of its kind on focusing gamma-ray telescopes. Forty-eight refereed papers provide a comprehensive overview of the scientific potential and technical challenges of this nascent tool for nuclear astrophysics. The book features articles dealing with pivotal technologies such as grazing incident mirrors, multilayer coatings, Laue- and Fresnel-lenses - and even an optic using the curvature of space-time.
First published in 1973, Gravitation is a landmark graduate-level textbook that presents Einstein's general theory of relativity and offers a rigorous, full-year course on the physics of gravitation. Upon publication, Science called it "a pedagogic masterpiece," and it has since become a classic, considered essential reading for every serious student and researcher in the field of relativity. This authoritative text has shaped the research of generations of physicists and astronomers, and the book continues to influence the way experts think about the subject. With an emphasis on geometric interpretation, this masterful and comprehensive book introduces the theory of relativity; describes physical applications, from stars to black holes and gravitational waves; and portrays the field's frontiers. The book also offers a unique, alternating, two-track pathway through the subject. Material focusing on basic physical ideas is designated as Track 1 and formulates an appropriate one-semester graduate-level course. The remaining Track 2 material provides a wealth of advanced topics instructors can draw on for a two-semester course, with Track 1 sections serving as prerequisites. This must-have reference for students and scholars of relativity includes a new preface by David Kaiser, reflecting on the history of the book's publication and reception, and a new introduction by Charles Misner and Kip Thorne, discussing exciting developments in the field since the book's original publication. * The book teaches students to:* Grasp the laws of physics in flat and curved spacetime* Predict orders of magnitude* Calculate using the principal tools of modern geometry* Understand Einstein's geometric framework for physics* Explore applications, including neutron stars, Schwarzschild and Kerr black holes, gravitational collapse, gravitational waves, cosmology, and so much more
This book covers the field of neutrino physics and astrophysics, providing an up-to-date presentation of the different research topics on the frontier of the field. It starts with a historical description to understand how the different aspects of our knowledge about the neutrinos evolved up to the present state. The main required elements of the Standard Model of electroweak interactions are introduced, and the different neutrino interactions and detection techniques are presented. We introduce the various ways to give neutrinos a mass and the phenomenon of neutrino oscillations which provides the main evidence for non-vanishing neutrino masses. We then consider the neutrinos produced in the Sun, what we have learned from them, and how they can also be useful to study our star. The geoneutrinos produced by the radioactivity in the Earth are discussed and the status of their detection is presented. We survey the neutrino production in the supernova explosions at the end of the life of very massive stars, what has been observed in SN1987A, and what could be learned from a future supernova or from the observation of the diffuse supernova neutrino background. We describe in detail the neutrino production by cosmic rays interacting in the atmosphere, the evidence for their flavor oscillations, and the oscillograms to describe their flavor change in terrestrial matter. The different mechanisms of production of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos and the observations achieved with the IceCube detector are presented, also discussing their flavor content by means of the flavor triangle. We then examine the cosmological neutrino background, its impact on Big Bang nucleosynthesis and on the CMB observations, with the associated bound on their masses and effective number. Finally, we review the basics of the leptogenesis scenarios, which provide an attractive explanation for the observed baryon asymmetry of the Universe.
Spectropolarimetry embraces the most complete and detailed measurement and analysis of light, as well as its interaction with matter. This book provides an introductory overview of the area, which plays an increasingly important role in modern solar observations. Chapters include a comprehensive description of the polarization state of polychromatic light and its measurement, an overview of astronomical (solar) polarimetry, the radiative transfer equation for polarized light, and the formation of spectral lines in the presence of a magnetic field. Most topics are dealt with within the realm of classical physics, although a small amount of quantum mechanics is introduced where necessary. This text will be a valuable reference for graduates and researchers in astrophysics, solar physics and optics.
This volume is designed as an introductory text and reference book for graduate students, researchers and practitioners in the fields of astronomy, astrodynamics, satellite systems, space sciences and astrophysics. The purpose of the book is to emphasize the similarities between celestial mechanics and astrodynamics, and to present recent advances in these two fields so that the reader can understand the inter-relations and mutual influences. The juxtaposition of celestial mechanics and astrodynamics is a unique approach that is expected to be a refreshing attempt to discuss both the mechanics of space flight and the dynamics of celestial objects. "Celestial Mechanics and Astrodynamics: Theory and Practice" also presents the main challenges and future prospects for the two fields in an elaborate, comprehensive and rigorous manner. The book presents homogenous and fluent discussions of the key problems, rendering a portrayal of recent advances in the field together with some basic concepts and essential infrastructure in orbital mechanics. The text contains introductory material followed by a gradual development of ideas interweaved to yield a coherent presentation of advanced topics.
This book provides an up-to-date overview of the foundations of spacetime physics. It features original essays written by world-class experts in the physics and philosophy of spacetime. The foundational questions regarding the origin and nature of spacetime are branching into new and exciting directions. These questions are not restricted to the quantum gravity program but also arise in the context of a well-established theory like general relativity. Against the background of these quick and diverse developments, this volume features a broad range of perspectives on spacetime. Part I focuses on the nature of spacetime in non-quantum theories, such as Newtonian mechanics and relativity. Part II explores some intriguing conceptual implications of developing a quantum theory of spacetime. The Foundations of Spacetime Physics is an essential resource for scholars and advanced students working in philosophy of physics, philosophy of science, and scientific metaphysics.
In the interstellar medium - the space between the stars in galaxies - new stars are born from material that is replenished by the debris ejected by stars when they die. This book is a comprehensive manual for studying the collisional and radiative processes observed in the interstellar medium. This second edition has been thoroughly updated and extended to cover related topics in radiation theory. It considers the chemistry of the interstellar medium both at the present epoch and in the early Universe, and discusses the physics and chemistry of shock waves. The methods of calculation of the rates of collisional excitation of interstellar molecules and atoms are explained, emphasising the quantum mechanical method. This book will be ideal for researchers involved in the interstellar medium and star formation, and physical chemists specialising in collision theory or in the measurement of the rates of collision processes.
International Weather Radar Networking covers all aspects of the subject in a collection of contributions drawn from all over the world. Of particular interest are the papers describing work in Eastern Europe and papers reviewing of the achievements of the Commission of the European Communities COST-73 project. During the last twenty years there has been a rapid growth in the number of digital radars deployed for operational use in Western Europe. There are now around 100, of which about half have a Doppler capability, providing wind as well as reflectivity information. The international exchange of the data from these systems promises a great enhancement of the benefits to weather forecasting and commercial users. This volume reports work being undertaken to realize those benefits and points the way to future developments of radar technology.
Features * Fully updated with the latest results from the spacecraft Hinode, Stereo, Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS), and Parker Solar Probe * Presents step-by-step explanations for calculating numerical models of the photosphere, convection zone, and radiative interior with exercises and simulation problems to test learning * Describes the structure of polytropic spheres and the acoustic power in the Sun and the process of thermal conduction in different physical conditions
The Adriatic Meetings have traditionally been conferences on the most - vanced status of science. They are one of the very few conferences in physics aiming at a very broad participation of young and experienced researchers with di?erent backgrounds in particle physics. Particle physics has grown into a highly multi-faceted discipline over the sixty years of its existence, mainly because of two reasons: Particle physics as an experimental science is in need of large-scale laboratory set-ups, involving typically collaborations of several hundreds or even thousands of researchers and technicians with the most diverse expertise. This forces particle physics, being one of the most fundamental dis- plines of physics, to maintain a constant interchange and contact with other disciplines, notably solid-state physics and laser physics, cosmology and - trophysics, mathematical physics and mathematics. Since the expertise necessary in doing research in particle physics has become tremendously demanding in the last years, the ?eld tends to organize purely expert conferences, meetings and summer schools, such as for detector development, for astroparticle physics or for string theory. TheAdriaticMeetingthroughitsentirehistoryhasbeenaplaceforest- lishing exchange between theory and experiment. The 9th Adriatic Meeting successfully continued this tradition and even intensi?ed the cross-discipline communication by establishing new contacts between the community of c- mologists and of particle physicists. The exchange between theorists and - perimentalists was impressively intensive and will certainly have a lasting e?ect on several research projects of the European and world-wide physics community.
This book reviews recent observations of non-evolved and evolved binary populations in clusters and the field with special emphasis on statistical biases, incompleteness, and distribution functions. It considers different binary types and presents and discusses recent results in the field.
These are the proceedings of a meeting celebrating Michael Thompson's seminal work on solar and stellar physics, as well as his major contributions to the development of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The meeting also marked Michael J. Thompson's untimely death in October 2018. Michael played a key role in the development of helioseismology and its application to the study of the structure and dynamics of the solar interior, and he provided a strong foundation for the extension of seismic studies for other stars. After focusing for several years on more administrative activities, he was returning to leading the seismic studies of solar interior rotation and he was deeply involved in the understanding of the dynamics of the core of stars, when his life was tragically lost. The conference focused on dynamical aspects of the sun and stars, based on the large amount of data available on solar and stellar oscillations, and the extensive and detailed modelling now becoming feasible. Combining observations, seismic analysis, and modelling the meeting and this book serve as a fitting memorial to a close colleague and friend, much missed.
Presents simplified but useful and practical equations that can be applied in estimating performance and design of energy-efficient systems in low-temperature systems or cryogenics Contains practical approaches and advanced design materials for insulation, shields/anchors, cryogen vessels/pipes, calorimeters, cryogenic heat switches, cryostats, current leads, and RF couplers Provides a comprehensive introduction to the necessary theory and models needed for solutions to common difficulties and illustrates the engineering examples with about 300 figures
The book provides an extensive theoretical treatment of whistler-mode propagation, instabilities and damping in a collisionless plasma. This book fills a gap between oversimplified analytical studies of these waves, based on the cold plasma approximation, and studies based on numerical methods. Although the book is primarily addressed to space plasma physicists and radio physicists, it will also prove useful to laboratory plasma physicists. Mathematical methods described in the book can be applied in a straightforward way to the analysis of other types of plasma waves. Problems included in this book, along with their solutions, allow it to be used as a textbook for postgraduate students.
Thomas Gold (1920-2004) had a curious mind that liked to solve problems. He was one of the most remarkable astrophysicists in the second half of the twentieth century, and he attracted controversy throughout his career. Based on a full-length autobiography left behind by Thomas Gold, this book was edited by the astrophysicist and historian of science, Simon Mitton (University of Cambridge). The book is a retrospective on Gold's remarkable life. He fled from Vienna in 1933, eventually settling in England and completing an engineering degree at Trinity College in Cambridge. During the war, he worked on naval radar research alongside Fred Hoyle and Hermann Bondi - which, in an unlikely chain of events, eventually led to his working with them on steady-state cosmology. In 1968, shortly after their discovery, he provided the explanation of pulsars as rotating neutron stars. In his final position at Cornell, he and his colleagues persuaded the US Defense Department to fund the conversion of the giant radio telescope at Arecibo in Puerto Rico into a superb instrument for radio astronomy. Gold's interests covered physiology, astronomy, cosmology, geophysics, and engineering. Written in an intriguing style and with an equally intriguing foreword by Freeman Dyson, this book constitutes an important historical document, made accessible to all those interested in the history of science. "
This self-contained introduction to molecular astrophysics is suitable as a text for advanced postgraduate courses on interstellar matter. It is an excellent summary of present knowledge and outstanding questions and will be valued by research astrophysicists, physical chemists, atomic and molecular physicists and atmospheric scientists who wish to become familiar with this field. Descriptions are given of the distributions and types of molecules observed in galactic and extragalactic sources, including those in the vicinity of active galactic nuclei. The chemistry of diffuse and dense clouds is also discussed, and chemical reactions in shocks and dynamically evolving clouds are considered.
This new book is fully up to date with all the latest developments on both theoretical and experimental investigations of the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics with a particular emphasis on its historical development on both sides. It further stresses the cross-fertilisation between the two sub-disciplines of theoretical and experimental particle physics which has been instrumental in establishing the SM. In other words, the book develops a truly phenomenological attitude to the subject. In addition to emphasising the successes of the SM, this book also critically assesses its limitations and raises key unanswered questions for the purpose of presenting a new perspective of how to further our knowledge above and beyond it. It also contains both historical information from past experiments and latest results from the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. This book will be an invaluable reference to advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students, in addition to early-stage researchers in the field. Key Features: Provides a unique approach not found in current literature in developing and verifying the SM Presents the theory pedagogically but rigorously from basic knowledge of quantum field theory Brings together experimental and theoretical practice in one, cohesive text
This book presents the fundamental concepts of the theory, illustrated by numerous examples of astrophysical applications. Classical concepts are combined with new developments and the authors demarcate what is well established and what is still under debate. To book illustrates how apparently complicated phenomena can be addressed and understood using well-known physical principles and equations within appropriate approximations and simplifications. For this purpose, a number of astrophysical examples are considered in greater detail than what is normally presented in a regular textbook. In particular, a number of nonlinear self-consistent models are considered, which is motivated by the latest observational data and modern theory.
The growth of cosmology into a precision science represents one of the most remarkable stories of the past century. Much has been written chronicling this development, but rarely has any of it focused on the most critical element of this work-the cosmic spacetime itself. Addressing this lacuna is the principal focus of this book, documenting the growing body of evidence compelling us-not only to use this famous solution to Einstein's equations in order to refine the current paradigm, but-to probe its foundation at a much deeper level. Its excursion from the smallest to largest possible scales insightfully reveals an emerging link between the Universe we behold and the established tenets of our most fundamental physical theories. Key Features: Uncovers the critical link between the Local Flatness Theorem in general relativity and the symmetries informing the spacetime's metric coefficients Develops a physical explanation for some of the most unpalatable coincidences in cosmology Provides a sober assessment of the horizon problems precluding our full understanding of the early Universe Reveals a possible explanation for the origin of rest-mass energy in Einstein's theory In spite of its technical layout, this book does not shy away from introducing the principal players who have made the most enduring contributions to this field. Anyone with a graduate level foundation in physics and astronomy will be able to easily follow its contents.
"This book provides up-to-date knowledge of space debris and valuable insights on how to grapple with this issue from legal, technical, economical and societal aspects. I would strongly recommend that everyone who is working on space development and utilizations and even non-specialists once read this book and think over how human being should be faced with this issue." -Prof. Shinichi Nakasuka, University of Tokyo, Japan Space Debris Peril: Pathways to Opportunities takes readers through the wide spectrum of problems created by space debris - including technical, political, legal and socio-economical aspects - and suggests ways to mitigate its negative consequences and create new opportunities. With chapter contributions from authors at world-renowned universities, private or public entities, and research institutes active in the field of space debris mitigation, space policy and law, risk and resilience, liability and insurance, this book provides a comprehensive introduction to the subject helping the reader to grasp the whole picture of the current space debris remediation challenges. This book will be of interest to the scientific communities, policy makers, business developers, (re)insurers and international standards developers for space operations and orbital debris mitigation. Also, it should appeal to a broader audience among non-specialists in various sectors and the general public. Key features: Brings together interdisciplinary perspectives on the topic in one, cohesive book Chapter contributions from specialists in this interdisciplinary field from around the globe Up-to-date information with the latest developments
Cosmic inflation and dark energy hold the key to the origin and the eventual fate of the Universe. Despite the increasing prominence of these subjects in research and teaching over the past decade or more, no introductory textbook dedicated to these topics has been previously published. Dr. Konstantinos Dimopoulos is a highly regarded expert in the field, and an experienced communicator of the subject to students. In this book, he provides advanced undergraduate and early graduate students with an accessible introduction and equips them with the tools they need to understand the cosmology of cosmic inflation and dark energy. Features: Provides a concise, pedagogical "crash course" in big bang cosmology, focusing on the dynamics and the history of the Universe, with an emphasis on the role of dark energy Chapters contain questions and problems for readers to test their understanding The first book to make cosmic inflation and dark energy accessible to students
Regularized equations of motion can improve numerical integration for the propagation of orbits, and simplify the treatment of mission design problems. This monograph discusses standard techniques and recent research in the area. While each scheme is derived analytically, its accuracy is investigated numerically. Algebraic and topological aspects of the formulations are studied, as well as their application to practical scenarios such as spacecraft relative motion and new low-thrust trajectories.
This graduate textbook on optimal spacecraft trajectories demonstrates the theory and applications of using the minimum amount of propellant possible to reach a target destination. The author aims to produce the only comprehensive treatment of various aspects of this topic. It includes problems at the ends of the chapters and some of the appendices. But it is also suitable as a scholarly reference book as it includes recent research from the author and his colleagues.
This book grew out of the need to provide students with a solid introduction to modern fluid dynamics. It offers a broad grounding in the underlying principles and techniques used, with some emphasis on applications in astrophysics and planetary science. The book comprehensively covers recent developments, methods and techniques, including, for example, new ideas on transitions to turbulence (via transiently growing stable linear modes), new approaches to turbulence (which remains the enigma of fluid dynamics), and the use of asymptotic approximation methods, which can give analytical or semi-analytical results and complement fully numerical treatments. The authors also briefly discuss some important considerations to be taken into account when developing a numerical code for computer simulation of fluid flows. Although the text is populated throughout with examples and problems from the field of astrophysics and planetary science, the text is eminently suitable as a general introduction to fluid dynamics. It is assumed that the readers are mathematically equipped with a reasonable knowledge in analysis, including basics of ordinary and partial differential equations and a good command of vector calculus and linear algebra. Each chapter concludes with bibliographical notes in which the authors briefly discuss the chapter's essential literature and give recommendations for further, deeper reading. Included in each chapter are a number of problems, some of them relevant to astrophysics and planetary science. The book is written for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, but will also prove a valuable source of reference for established researchers. |
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