This book deals with diffraction radiation, which implies the boundary problems of electromagnetic radiation theory. Diffraction radiation is generated when a charged particle moves near a target edge at a distance ( - Lorentz factor, - wave length). Diffraction radiation of non-relativistic particles is widely used to design intense emitters in the cm wavelength range. Diffraction radiation from relativistic charged particles is important for noninvasive beam diagnostics and design of free electron lasers based on Smith-Purcell radiation which is diffraction radiation from periodic structures. Different analytical models of diffraction radiation and results of recent experimental studies are presented in this book. The book may also serve as guide to classical electrodynamics applications in beam physics and electrodynamics. It can be of great use for young researchers to develop skills and for experienced scientists to obtain new results.

This thesis covers several theoretical aspects of WIMP (weakly interacting massive particles) dark matter searches, with a particular emphasis on colliders. It mainly focuses on the use of effective field theories as a tool for Large Hadron Collider (LHC) searches, discussing in detail the issue of their validity, and on simplified dark matter models, which are receiving a growing attention from the physics community. It highlights the theoretical consistency of simplified models, which is essential in order to correctly exploit their potential and for them to be a common reference when comparing results from different experiments. This thesis is of interest to researchers (both theorists and experimentalists) in the field of dark matter searches, and offers a comprehensive introduction to dark matter and to WIMP searches for students and non-experts.

This book offers a comprehensive and complete description of a new scheme to stabilize the power of a laser on a level needed for high precision metrology experiments. The novel aspect of the scheme is sensing power fluctuations via the radiation pressure driven motion they induce on a micro-oscillator mirror. It is shown that the proposed technique can result in higher signals for power fluctuations than what is achieved by a direct power detection, and also that it enables the generation of a strong bright squeezed beam. The book starts with the basics of power stabilization and an overview on the current state of art. Then, detailed theoretical calculations are performed, and the advantages of the new scheme are highlighted. Finally, a proof-of-principle experiment is described and its results are analyzed in details. The success of the work presented here paves a way for achieving high power stability in future experiments and is of interest for high precision metrology experiments, like gravitational wave detectors, and optomechanical experiments. Nominated as an outstanding PhD thesis by the Gravitational Wave International Committee.

Divided into four parts, this book covers recent developments in topics pertaining to gravity theories, including discussions on the presence of scalar fields. Part One is devoted to exact solutions in general relativity, and is mainly concerned with the results of rotating null dust beams and fluids. Also included is a panoramic vision of new research directions in this area, which would require revising certain theorems and their possible extensions within gravity theories, new aspects concerning the Ernst potentials, double Kerr spacetimes, and rotating configurations. In particular, there is a detailed discussion of totally symmetric and totally geodesic spaces, in which a method for generating (2+1)-dimensional solutions from (3+1)-dimensional solutions is given. Part Two deals with alternative theories of gravity, all of which include scalar fields and gauge fields. Here, quantum and cosmological effects, which arise from both gravity theories in four and higher dimensions and from metric-affine theories, are investigated. Part Three is devoted to cosmological and inflationary scenarios. Local effects, such as the influence of scalar fields in protogalactic interactions, numerical studies of the collapse of molecular cores, as well as the inverse inflationary problem and the blue eigenvalue spectrum of it, are considered. Moreover, the role of scalar fields as dark matter and quantum cosmology in the Bergman-Wagoner and Gowdy theories, together with the relation of the conformal symmetry and deflationary gas universe, are likewise presented. The last part of the book includes some mixed topics which are still in the experimental stage. Among them are the foundation of the Maxwell theory, a discussion on electromagnetic Thirring problems, a note on the staticity of black holes with non-minimally coupled scalar fields, and a study of the Lorentz force free charged fluids in general relativity. Thus, this book is the most up-to-date, comprehensive collection of papers on the subject of exact solutions and scalar fields in gravity and is a valuable tool for researchers in the area.

This book discusses the notion that quantum gravity may represent the "breakdown" of spacetime at extremely high energy scales. If spacetime does not exist at the fundamental level, then it has to be considered "emergent", in other words an effective structure, valid at low energy scales. The author develops a conception of emergence appropriate to effective theories in physics, and shows how it applies (or could apply) in various approaches to quantum gravity, including condensed matter approaches, discrete approaches, and loop quantum gravity.

Three eminent scientists, each well known for the clarity of their writing, present for students and researchers what is known about the internal structure, origin and evolution of White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars and Black Holes, all objects at the final stage of stellar evolution. They cover fascinating topics such as pulsation of white dwarfs, millisecond pulsars or the dynamics around black holes. The book is written for graduate students in astrophysics, but is also of interest to professional astronomers and physicists.

This book provides a completely revised and expanded version of the previous classic edition 'General Relativity and Relativistic Astrophysics'. In Part I the foundations of general relativity are thoroughly developed, while Part II is devoted to tests of general relativity and many of its applications. Binary pulsars - our best laboratories for general relativity - are studied in considerable detail. An introduction to gravitational lensing theory is included as well, so as to make the current literature on the subject accessible to readers. Considerable attention is devoted to the study of compact objects, especially to black holes. This includes a detailed derivation of the Kerr solution, Israel's proof of his uniqueness theorem, and a derivation of the basic laws of black hole physics. Part II ends with Witten's proof of the positive energy theorem, which is presented in detail, together with the required tools on spin structures and spinor analysis. In Part III, all of the differential geometric tools required are developed in detail. A great deal of effort went into refining and improving the text for the new edition. New material has been added, including a chapter on cosmology. The book addresses undergraduate and graduate students in physics, astrophysics and mathematics. It utilizes a very well structured approach, which should help it continue to be a standard work for a modern treatment of gravitational physics. The clear presentation of differential geometry also makes it useful for work on string theory and other fields of physics, classical as well as quantum.

This concise textbook introduces the reader to advanced mathematical aspects of general relativity, covering topics like Penrose diagrams, causality theory, singularity theorems, the Cauchy problem for the Einstein equations, the positive mass theorem, and the laws of black hole thermodynamics. It emerged from lecture notes originally conceived for a one-semester course in Mathematical Relativity which has been taught at the Instituto Superior Tecnico (University of Lisbon, Portugal) since 2010 to Masters and Doctorate students in Mathematics and Physics. Mostly self-contained, and mathematically rigorous, this book can be appealing to graduate students in Mathematics or Physics seeking specialization in general relativity, geometry or partial differential equations. Prerequisites include proficiency in differential geometry and the basic principles of relativity. Readers who are familiar with special relativity and have taken a course either in Riemannian geometry (for students of Mathematics) or in general relativity (for those in Physics) can benefit from this book.

A host of astrophysical measurements suggest that most of the matter in the Universe is an invisible, nonluminous substance that physicists call "dark matter." Understanding the nature of dark matter is one of the greatest challenges of modern physics and is of paramount importance to our theories of cosmology and particle physics. This text explores one of the leading hypotheses to explain dark matter: that it consists of ultralight bosons forming an oscillating field that feebly interacts with light and matter. Many new experiments have emerged over the last decade to test this hypothesis, involving state-of-the-art microwave cavities, precision nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements, dark matter "radios," and synchronized global networks of atomic clocks, magnetometers, and interferometers. The editors have gathered leading experts from around the world to present the theories motivating these searches, evidence about dark matter from astrophysics, and the diverse experimental techniques employed in searches for ultralight bosonic dark matter. The text provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to this blossoming field of research for advanced undergraduates, beginning graduate students, or anyone new to the field, with tutorials and solved problems in every chapter. The multifaceted nature of the research - combining ideas and methods from atomic, molecular, and optical physics, nuclear physics, condensed matter physics, electrical engineering, particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology - makes this introductory approach attractive for beginning researchers as well as members of the broader scientific community. This is an open access book.

Iconoclastic physics professor and artist Andrzej Dragan presents a unique feast of knowledge on special relativity in a straightforward, progressive manner that even a savvy high school student could follow. Encompassing the derivation of Lorentz transformations to Wigner rotations and Thomas precession; from non-inertial accelerated reference frames to event horizons, curved spacetime, and static black holes; and from the Doppler effect to relativistic structure of electromagnetism, Dragan peels back the enigmatic layers of modern physics to enable a deeper understanding of Einstein's groundbreaking theory.Comprehensive and elegantly written, full of insightful apparent paradoxes and riddles, but without any complicated math, Dragan's unique overview takes the reader well beyond the orthodox verses of standard Special Relativity to the bleeding edge of 'new-fangled' superluminal apocrypha and their relation to Quantum Theory. The book is based on a course on Special Relativity and acclaimed by students taught by Dragan who is a leader of a research group on Relativistic Quantum Information theory at the University of Warsaw and the National University of Singapore.Scan the QR code to access the author's collection of Youtube videos that explain the fundamental concepts of physics described in Unusually Special Relativity.

"If a child wants proof, we can think of 10 different ways to show that we are surrounded by air, but we are, of course, normally unaware that we live at the bottom of an 'ocean" of air. It is claimed, in this book, that we are unaware, similarly, that we are surrounded by an atmosphere of aether. There is one major difference, however: We have not been able to detect the aether.Nevertheless, the aether provides a solution to the following mystery: How can light, or any electromagnetic wave, travel for billions of years across the vastness of the Universe, without losing any energy? The answer is that the Universe is filled with a light-transmitting medium, The Aether. The proof that there is an aether is the subject of the present book."

The wealth of recent cosmic microwave background and large-scale structure data has transformed the field of cosmology. These observations have not only become precise enough to answer questions about the universe on the largest scales, but also to address puzzles in the microscopic description of Nature. This thesis investigates new ways of probing the early universe, the properties of neutrinos and the possible existence of other light particles. In particular, based on detailed theoretical insights and novel analyses, new evidence for the cosmic neutrino background is found in the distribution of galaxies and in cosmic microwave background data. This tests the Standard Model of particle physics and the universe back to a time when it was about one second old. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that future observations will be capable of probing physics beyond the Standard Model since they can achieve a particular target which would either allow the detection of any light particles that have ever been in thermal equilibrium or imply strong bounds on their properties.

The ultimate proofs that black holes exist have been obtained very recently thanks to the detection of gravitational waves from their coalescence and due to material orbiting at a distance of some gravitational radii imaged by optical interferometry or X-ray reverberation mapping. This book provides three comprehensive and up-to-date reviews covering the gravitational wave breakthrough, our understanding of accretion and feedback in supermassive black holes and the relevance of black holes for the Universe since the Big Bang. Neil J. Cornish presents gravitational wave emission from black hole mergers and the physics of detection. Andrew King reviews the physics of accretion on to supermassive black holes and their feedback on host galaxies. Tiziana Di Matteo addresses our understanding of black hole formation at cosmic dawn, the emergence of the first quasars, black hole merging and structure formation. The topics covered by the 48th Saas-Fee Course provide a broad overview of the importance of black holes in modern astrophysics.

This textbook is designed to serve as a link between the basic disciplines of physics and the frontier topics within high energy astrophysics, aiming at a level of difficulty congruent with that of other physics topics studied at undergraduate level. Therefore, this preparatory and introductory text serves as a gateway to a more detailed study of many of the most interesting and complex phenomena being investigated by contemporary astrophysics. Among others, these include: the evolution of stars, supernovae, neutron stars, black holes, solar neutrinos, and - importantly - the exciting new field of gravitational wave astronomy. The book is supplemented by a collection of problems with which students can test their understanding of the material presented.

This book consolidates the latest research on the Hadean Eon - the first 500 million years of Earth history - which has permitted hypotheses of early Earth evolution to be tested, including geophysical models that include the possibility of plate tectonic-like behavior. These new observations challenge the longstanding Hadean paradigm - based on no observational evidence - of a desiccated, lifeless, continent-free wasteland in which surface petrogenesis was largely due to extraterrestrial impacts. The eon was termed "Hadean" to reflect such a hellish environment. That view began to be challenged in 2001 as results of geochemical analyses of greater than 4 billion year old zircons from Australia emerged. These data were consistent with the zircons forming in a world much more similar to today than long thought and interpreted to indicate that sediment cycling was occurring in the presence of liquid water. This new view leaves open the possibility that life could have emerged shortly after Earth accretion. The epistemic limitations under which the old paradigm persisted are closely examined. The book is principally designed as a monograph but has the potential to be used as a text for advanced graduate courses on early Earth evolution.

This thesis uses the tools of quantum information science to uncover fascinating new insights about the intersection of quantum theory and relativity. It is divided into three self-contained parts, the first of which employs detector models to investigate how the information content of quantum fields depends on spacetime curvature and global spacetime topology. The behavior of Unruh-DeWitt detectors on curved spacetimes are investigated, following which these detectors are used to probe the vacuum state of a scalar field in various topologies. This leads to a generalization of the entanglement harvesting protocol involving detectors in arbitrary curved spacetimes admitting a Wightman function. The second part extends the theory of quantum reference frames to those associated with noncompact groups. Motivated by the pursuit of a relational relativistic quantum theory where the group of reference frames is the Poincare group, the author then generalizes a communication protocol between two parties lacking a common reference frame to the scenario where the group of transformations of their reference frame is a one-dimensional noncompact Lie group. Finally, the third part, inspired by theories of quantum gravity, generalizes the conditional probability interpretation of time, a proposed mechanism for time to emerge from a fundamentally timeless Universe. While the conditional probability interpretation of time is based upon conditioning a solution to the Wheeler-DeWitt equation on a subsystem of the universe that acts a clock, the author extends this approach to include an interaction between the system being used as a clock and a system whose evolution the clock is tracking.

In order to outline possible future directions in galaxy research, this book wants to be a short stopover, a moment of self-reflection of the past century of achievements in this area. Since the pioneering years of galaxy research in the early 20th century, the research on galaxies has seen a relentless advance directly connected to the parallel exponential growth of new technologies. Through a series of interviews with distinguished astronomers the editors provide a snapshot of the achievements obtained in understanding galaxies. While many initial questions about their nature have been addressed, many are still open and require new efforts to achieve a solution. The discussions may reveal paradigms worthwhile revisiting. With the help of some of those scientists who have contributed to it, the editors sketch the history of this scientific journey and ask them for inspirations for future directions of galaxy research.

The three neutrinos are ghostly elementary particles that exist all across the Universe. Though every second billions of them fly through us, they are extremely hard to detect. We used to think they had no mass, but recently discovered that in fact they have a tiny mass. The quest for the neutrino mass scale and mass ordering (specifying how the three masses are distributed) is an extremely exciting one, and will open the door towards new physics operating at energy scales we can only ever dream of reaching on Earth. This thesis explores the use of measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background (the oldest light reaching us, a snapshot of the infant Universe) and maps of millions of galaxies to go after the neutrino mass scale and mass ordering. Neutrinos might teach us something about the mysterious dark energy powering the accelerated expansion of the Universe, or about cosmic inflation, which seeded the initial conditions for the Universe. Though extremely baffling, neutrinos are also an exceptionally exciting area of research, and cosmological observations promise to reveal a great deal about these elusive particles in the coming years.

Due to steadily improving experimental accuracy, relativistic concepts - based on Einstein's theory of Special and General Relativity - are playing an increasingly important role in modern geodesy. This book offers an introduction to the emerging field of relativistic geodesy, and covers topics ranging from the description of clocks and test bodies, to time and frequency measurements, to current and future observations. Emphasis is placed on geodetically relevant definitions and fundamental methods in the context of Einstein's theory (e.g. the role of observers, use of clocks, definition of reference systems and the geoid, use of relativistic approximation schemes). Further, the applications discussed range from chronometric and gradiometric determinations of the gravitational field, to the latest (satellite) experiments. The impact of choices made at a fundamental theoretical level on the interpretation of measurements and the planning of future experiments is also highlighted. Providing an up-to-the-minute status report on the respective topics discussed, the book will not only benefit experts, but will also serve as a guide for students with a background in either geodesy or gravitational physics who are interested in entering and exploring this emerging field.

Astrophysical observations implying the existence of Dark Matter and Dark Energy, which are not described by the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics, have led to extensions of the SM predicting new particles that could be directly produced at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. Based on 2015 and 2016 ATLAS proton-proton collision data, this thesis presents searches for the supersymmetric partner of the top quark, for Dark Matter, and for DarkEnergy, in signatures with jets and missing transverse energy. Muon detection is key to some of the most important LHC physics results, including the discovery of the Higgs boson and the measurement of its properties. The efficiency with which muons can be detected with the ATLAS detector is measured using Z boson decays. The performance of high-precision Monitored Drift Tube muon chambers under background rates similar to the ones expected for the High Luminosity-LHC is studied.

This book offers an overview of the fundamental dynamical processes, which are necessary to understand astrophysical phenomena, from the viewpoint of hydrodynamics, magnetohydrodynamics, and radiation hydrodynamics. The book consists of three parts: The first discusses the fundamentals of hydrodynamics necessary to understand the dynamics of astrophysical objects such as stars, interstellar gases and accretion disks. The second part reviews the interactions between gases and magnetic fields on fluid motions - the magnetohydrodynamics - highlighting the important role of magnetic fields in dynamical phenomena under astrophysical environments. The third part focuses on radiation hydrodynamics, introducing the hydrodynamic phenomena characterized by the coupling of radiation and gas motions and further on relativistic radiation hydrodynamics. Intended as a pedagogical introduction for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, it also provides comprehensive coverage of the fundamentals of astrophysical fluid dynamics, making it an effective resource not only for graduate courses, but also for beginners wanting to learn about hydrodynamics, magnetohydrodynamics, and radiation hydrodynamics in astrophysics independently.

In this third volume of three, quantum electrodynamics is formulated in the language of physical "dressed" particles. A theory where charged particles interact via instantaneous action-at-a-distance forces is constructed - without need for renormalization. This theory describes electromagnetic phenomena in terms of directly interacting charges, but in full accord with fundamental principles of relativity and causality. Contents Three ways to look at QFT Dressing What are advantages of dressed Hamiltonian? Coulomb potential and beyond Decays RQD in higher orders Classical electrodynamics Experimental support of RQD Particles and relativity Special theory of relativity Unitary dressing transformation Integral for decay law Coulomb scattering integral in fourth order Relativistic invariance of Coulomb-Darwin-Breit electrodynamics

This second volume of three on relativistic quantum theories of interacting charged particles discusses quantum theories of systems with variable numbers of particles. Basics of the Fock space and quantum electrodynamics are covered with an emphasis on renormalization. In contrast to the usual treatment of the topic, particles (rather than fields) are chosen as basic ingredients. Contents Fock space Scattering in Fock space Quantum electrodynamics Renormalization Useful integrals Quantum fields of fermions Quantum field of photons QED interaction in terms of particle operators Relativistic invariance of QFT Loop integrals in QED Scattering matrix in (v/c)2 approximation Checks of physical dimensions

The relation between quantum theory and the theory of gravitation remains one of the most outstanding unresolved issues of modern physics. According to general expectation, general relativity as well as quantum (field) theory in a fixed background spacetime cannot be fundamentally correct. Hence there should exist a broader theory comprising both in appropriate limits, i.e., quantum gravity. This book gives readers a comprehensive introduction accessible to interested non-experts to the main issues surrounding the search for quantum gravity. These issues relate to fundamental questions concerning the various formalisms of quantization; specific questions concerning concrete processes, like gravitational collapse or black-hole evaporation; and the all important question concerning the possibility of experimental tests of quantum-gravity effects.