Der Wunsch nach einem Verstandnis von Einsteins Theorien ist unter naturwissenschaftlich Interessierten weit verbreitet - und bleibt doch meist unerfullt. Dieses Buch bietet nun eine einzigartige neue Chance: Mit anschaulichen Gedankenexperimenten, exakten Abbildungen, treffenden Analogien und mit strikt auf Mittelschulmathematik beschrankten Rechenschritten werden Sie behutsam in die immer wieder faszinierende Welt der Relativitatstheorien gefuhrt. Sachlich, grundlich und dennoch faszinierend werden die Zeitdehnung, das Zwillingsparadoxon, Schwarze Locher oder die Rotverschiebung des Lichts dargestellt, daneben viele weitere relativistische Effekte, die Ihnen hier erstmals mit ganz einfachen mathematischen Werkzeugen zuganglich gemacht werden.

..". das Buch ist sehr empfehlenswert: Der gesamte Text ist klar, ausfuhrlich und verstandlich geschrieben."

"Ein ausserst gelungenes Buch also, das halt, was es im Untertitel verspricht ..."

Stephan Edinger, Sterne und Weltraum, Mai 2008"

This book seeks to present a new way of thinking about the interaction of gravitational fields with quantum systems. Despite the massive amounts of research and experimentation, the myriad meetings, seminars and conferences, all of the articles, treatises and books, and the seemingly endless theorization, quantization and just plain speculation that have been engaged in regarding our evolving understanding of the quantum world, that world remains an enigma, even to the experts. The usefulness of general relativity in this regard has proven to be imperfect at best, but there is a new approach. We do not simply have to accept the limitations of Einstein's most celebrated theorem in regard to quantum theory; we can also embrace them, and thereby utilize them, to reveal new facts about the behavior of quantum systems within inertial and gravitational fields, and therefore about the very structure of space-time at the quantum level. By taking existing knowledge of the essential functionality of spin (along with the careful identification of the omnipresent inertial effects) and applying it to the quantum world, the book gives the reader a much clearer picture of the difference between the classical and quantum behaviors of a particle, shows that Einstein's ideas may not be as incompatible within this realm as many have come to believe, sparks new revelations of the way in which gravity affects quantum systems and brings a new level of efficiency-quantum efficiency, if you will-to the study of gravitational theory.

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.

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.

This book presents the basic fundamentals of descriptive archaeoastronomy and its application to the astronomical descriptions found in ancient Indian scriptures. Archaeoastronomy is a branch of positional astronomy that helps to determine the epochs of ancient astronomical alignments and special astronomical events. In this book, only the descriptions of special stellar alignments and events found in ancient texts can identify the antiquity of the descriptions. India possesses a large volume of ancient scriptures like Vedas and Puranas which contain many astronomical descriptions as in ancient India positional astronomy was well developed. The antiquities of these texts are determined through archaeoastronomical techniques. Major events like Mahabharata War are dated and using these dates a chronology of ancient India is determined. The astronomically determined chronology is compared with the results from various archaeological, palaeoclimatological, geological and genealogical investigations of ancient India. This introductory book interests readers interested in unveiling the mystery involved with the protohistory of this ancient civilization.

The internationally renowned physicist Harald Fritzsch deftly explains the meaning and far-flung implications of the general theory of relativity and other mysteries of modern physics by presenting an imaginary conversation among Newton, Einstein, and a fictitious contemporary particle physicist named Adrian Haller -- the same device Fritzsch employed to great acclaim in his earlier book An Equation That Changed the World, which focused on the special theory of relativity.

Einstein's theory of gravitation, his general theory of relativity, touches on basic questions of our existence. Matter, according to Einstein, has no existence independent of space and time. It is even capable of bending the structure of space and changing the course of time -- it introduces a "curvature." Gravity emerges not as an actual physical force but as a consequence of space-time geometry. Even the apple that drops from the tree follows the curvature of time and space.

In this entertaining and involving account of relativity, Newton serves as the skeptic and asks the questions a modern reader might ask. Einstein himself does the explaining, while Haller explains the new developments that have occurred since the general theory was proposed. The result is an intellectual roller-coaster ride in which concepts that have entered the vernacular become clear for the first time: the Big Bang, "black holes," elementary particles, and much more.

This engaging text takes the reader along the trail of light from Newton's particles to Einstein's relativity. Like the best detective stories, it presents clues and encourages the reader to draw conclusions before the answers are revealed. The first seven chapters cover the behavior of light, Newton's particle theory, waves and an electromagnetic wave theory of light, the photon, and wave-particle duality. Baierlein goes on to develop the special theory of relativity, showing how time dilation and length contraction are consequences of the two simple principles underlying the theory. An extensive chapter derives the equation E = mc2 clearly from first principles and then explores its consequences.

The greatest challenge in fundamental physics attempts to reconcile quantum mechanics and general relativity in a theory of "quantum gravity." The project suggests a profound revision of the notions of space, time and matter. It has become a key topic of debate and collaboration between physicists and philosophers. This volume collects classic and original contributions from leading experts in both fields for a provocative discussion of the issues. It contains accessible introductions to the main and less-well-known known approaches to quantum gravity. It includes exciting topics such as the fate of spacetime in various theories, the so-called "problem of time" in canonical quantum gravity, black hole thermodynamics, and the relationship between the interpretation of quantum theory and quantum gravity. This book will be essential reading for anyone interested in the profound implications of trying to marry the two most important theories in physics.

This book presents a collection of focused review papers on the advances in topics in modern astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology and planetary science. The chapters are written by expert members of an EU-funded ERASMUS+ program of strategic partnership between several European institutes. The 13 reviews comprise the topics: Space debris, optical measurements Meteors, light from comets and asteroids Extrasolar enigmas: from disintegrating exoplanets to exo-asteroids Physical conditions and chemical abundances in photoionized nebulae from optical spectra Observational Constraints on the Common Envelope Phase A modern guide to quantitative spectroscopy of massive OB stars Explosion mechanisms of core-collapse supernovae and their observational signatures Low-mass and substellar eclipsing binaries in stellar clusters Globular cluster systems and Galaxy Formation Hot atmospheres of galaxies, groups, and clusters of galaxies The establishment of the Standard Cosmological Model through observations Exploiting solar visible-range observations by inversion techniques: from flows in the solar subsurface to a flaring atmosphere Starburst galaxies The book is intended for the general astronomical community as well as for advanced students who could use it as a guideline, inspiration and overview for their future careers in astronomy.

Astronomy in the Inca Empire was a robust and fundamental practice. The subsequent Spanish conquest of the Andes region disrupted much of this indigenous culture and resulted in a significant loss of information about its rich history. Through modern archaeoastronomy, this book helps recover and interpret some of these elements of Inca civilization. Astronomy was intricately woven into the very fabric of Andean existence and daily life. Accordingly, the text takes a holistic approach to its research, considering first and foremost the cultural context of each astronomy-related site. The chapters necessarily start with a history of the Incas from the beginning of their empire through the completion of the conquest by Spain before diving into an astronomical and cultural analysis of many of the huacas found in the heart of the Inca Empire. Over 300 color images-original artwork and many photos captured during the author's extensive field research in Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, Cusco, and elsewhere-are included throughout the book, adding visual insight to a rigorous examination of Inca astronomical sites and history.

Graduate students and researchers in astrophysics and cosmology need a solid grasp of a wide range of physical processes. This authoritative textbook helps readers develop the necessary toolkit of theory. The book is modular in design, allowing the reader to pick and chose a selection of chapters, if necessary. After reviewing the basics of dynamics, electromagnetic theory, and statistical physics, the book carefully develops a solid understanding of radiative processes, spectra, fluid mechanics, plasma physics and MHD, dynamics of gravitating systems, general relativity, nuclear physics, and other key concepts. Throughout, the reader's understanding is developed and tested with problems and helpful hints. This welcome volume provides graduate students with an indispensable introduction to and reference on all the physical processes they will need to successfully tackle cutting-edge research in astrophysics and cosmology. It can be used alone or in conjunction with two companion volumes, which cover stars and stellar systems, and galaxies and cosmology (both forthcoming).

In this comprehensive and interdisciplinary volume, former NASA Chief Historian Steven Dick reflects on the exploration of space, astrobiology and its implications, cosmic evolution, astronomical institutions, discovering and classifying the cosmos, and the philosophy of astronomy. The unifying theme of the book is the connection between cosmos and culture, or what Carl Sagan many years ago called the "cosmic connection." As both an astronomer and historian of science, Dr. Dick has been both a witness to and a participant in many of the astronomical events of the last half century. This collection of papers presents his reflections over the last forty years in a way accessible to historians, philosophers, and scientists alike. From the search for alien life to ongoing space exploration efforts, readers will find this volume full of engaging topics relevant to science, society, and our collective future on planet Earth and beyond.

This monograph provides an introduction to deformations of Poincare symmetries focusing on models with a Lie group momentum space and associated non-commutative space-times. The emphasis is put on the emergence of such structures from quantum gravity, their mathematical features described in terms of Hopf algebras and applications to particle kinematics and field theory. Part I of this work focuses on the link between gravity and deformed symmetries in the case of 2+1 and 3+1 space-time dimensions. Part II is devoted to the description of classical particles with group valued momenta, their phase spaces and kinematics. The last part of these notes provides an introduction to the basic features of classical and quantum field theory on -Minkowski space-time, the prototypical example of non-commutative space-time exhibiting deformed Poincare symmetry. The text, being the first providing a detailed overview of these topics, is primarily intended for researchers and graduate students interested in non-commutative field theories and quantum gravity phenomenology.

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.

In this compendium of essays, some of the world's leading thinkers discuss their conceptions of space and time, as viewed through the lens of their own discipline. With an epilogue on the limits of human understanding, this volume hosts contributions from six or more diverse fields. It presumes only rudimentary background knowledge on the part of the reader. Time and again, through the prism of intellect, humans have tried to diffract reality into various distinct, yet seamless, atomic, yet holistic, independent, yet interrelated disciplines and have attempted to study it contextually. Philosophers debate the paradoxes, or engage in meditations, dialogues and reflections on the content and nature of space and time. Physicists, too, have been trying to mold space and time to fit their notions concerning micro- and macro-worlds. Mathematicians focus on the abstract aspects of space, time and measurement. While cognitive scientists ponder over the perceptual and experiential facets of our consciousness of space and time, computer scientists theoretically and practically try to optimize the space-time complexities in storing and retrieving data/information. The list is never-ending. Linguists, logicians, artists, evolutionary biologists, geographers etc., all are trying to weave a web of understanding around the same duo. However, our endeavour into a world of such endless imagination is restrained by intellectual dilemmas such as: Can humans comprehend everything? Are there any limits? Can finite thought fathom infinity? We have sought far and wide among the best minds to furnish articles that provide an overview of the above topics. We hope that, through this journey, a symphony of patterns and tapestry of intuitions will emerge, providing the reader with insights into the questions: What is Space? What is Time? Chapter [15] of this book is available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license.

This book focuses on a critical discussion of the status and prospects of current approaches in quantum mechanics and quantum field theory, in particular concerning gravity. It contains a carefully selected cross-section of lectures and discussions at the seventh conference "Progress and Visions in Quantum Theory in View of Gravity" which took place in fall 2018 at the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences in Leipzig. In contrast to usual proceeding volumes, instead of reporting on the most recent technical results, contributors were asked to discuss visions and new ideas in foundational physics, in particular concerning foundations of quantum field theory. A special focus has been put on the question of which physical principles of quantum (field) theory can be considered fundamental in view of gravity. The book is mainly addressed to mathematicians and physicists who are interested in fundamental questions of mathematical physics. It allows the reader to obtain a broad and up-to-date overview of a fascinating active research area.

This work is an introduction to the totality of the metaphysical philosophy of nature of Hedwig Conrad-Martius (1888-1966). Her own training and inclination as a realist phenomenologist enables a unique perspective on central issues in modern and contemporary (twentieth century) theoretical biology and physics. Here we find novel theories of, e.g., space and time, as well as development and evolution. This work is thus of interest to anyone studying the history of the phenomenological movement as well as religious cosmology. The philosophical basis for this cosmology is Conrad-Martius' "realontology" which is a phenomenological account of the essence of appearing reality. The full elaboration of the modes of appearing of what is real enables the unfolding of an analogical theory of "selfness" within the order of nature culminating in an account of the coming to be of humans, for whom there is an essentially distinctive world- and self-manifestation for which she reserves the term "spirit." Key to her position is the revival of ancient metaphysical themes in new transformed guises, especially potentiality and entelechy. Nature's status, as a self-actuation of world-constituting essence-entelechies, places Conrad-Martius in the middle of philosophical-theological discussions of, e.g., the hermeneutical mandate of demythologization as well as the nature of evolution. Of special interest is her insistence on both nature's self-actuating and evolving powers and a robust theory of creation.

This book introduces the phenomenology of gravitational lensing in an accessible manner and provides a thorough discussion of the related astrophysical applications. It is intended for advanced undergraduates and graduate students who want to start working in this rapidly evolving field. This includes also senior researchers who are interested in ongoing or future surveys and missions such as DES, Euclid, WFIRST, LSST. The reader is guided through many fascinating topics related to gravitational lensing like the structure of our galaxy, the searching for exoplanets, the investigation of dark matter in galaxies and galaxy clusters, and several aspects of cosmology, including dark energy and the cosmic microwave background. The author, who has gained valuable experience as academic teacher, guides the readers towards the comprehension of the theory of gravitational lensing and related observational techniques by using simple codes written in python. This approach, beyond facilitating the understanding of gravitational lensing, is preparatory for learning the python programming language which is gaining large popularity both in academia and in the private sector.

Modern research has demonstrated that many stars are surrounded by planets-some of which might contain the right conditions to harbor life. This has only reinforced a question that has been tormenting scientists, philosophers and priests since Antiquity: Are there other inhabited worlds beyond our own? This book analyzes the many ways that humans have argued for and depicted extraterrestrial life over the centuries. The first known texts about the subject date from as early as the 6th century BC. Since that time, countless well-known historical characters like Lucretius, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, Cusanus, Bruno, Kepler, Descartes, and Huygens contributed to the debate; here, their lesser known opinions on the subject are studied in detail. It is often difficult for the modern mind to follow the thinking of our ancestors, which can only be understood when placed in the relevant context. The book thus extends its scope to the evolution of ideas about cosmology in general, as well as the culture in which these great thinkers wrote. The research is presented with the author's insights and humor, making this an easy and enjoyable read.

With contributions by leading theoreticians, this book presents the discoveries of hitherto hidden connections between seemingly unrelated fields of fundamental physics. The topics range from cosmology and astrophysics to nuclear-, particle- and heavy-ion science. A current example concerns the sensitivity of gravitational wave spectra to the phase structure of dense nuclear and quark matter in binary neutron star collisions. The contributions by Hanauske and Stoecker as well as Banik and Bandyopadhyay relate the consequent insights to hot dense nuclear matter created in supernova explosions and in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. Studies of the equation of state for neutron stars are also presented, as are those for nuclear matter in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. Other reviews focus on QCD-thermodynamics, charmed mesons in the quark-gluon plasma, nuclear theory, extensions to the standard general theory of relativity, new experimental developments in heavy ion collisions and renewable energy networks. The book will appeal to advanced students and researchers seeking a broad view of current challenges in theoretical physics and their interconnections.

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.

Starting with the idea of an event and finishing with a description of the standard big-bang model of the Universe, this textbook provides a clear, concise and up-to-date introduction to the theory of general relativity, suitable for final-year undergraduate mathematics or physics students. Throughout, the emphasis is on the geometric structure of spacetime, rather than the traditional coordinate-dependent approach. This allows the theory to be pared down and presented in its simplest and most elegant form. Topics covered include flat spacetime (special relativity), Maxwell fields, the energy-momentum tensor, spacetime curvature and gravity, Schwarzschild and Kerr spacetimes, black holes and singularities, and cosmology. In developing the theory, all physical assumptions are clearly spelled out and the necessary mathematics is developed along with the physics. Exercises are provided at the end of each chapter and key ideas in the text are illustrated with worked examples. Solutions and hints to selected problems are also provided at the end of the book. This textbook will enable the student to develop a sound understanding of the theory of general relativity, and all the necessary mathematical machinery.

This book focuses on the equation of state (EoS) of compact stars, particularly the intriguing possibility of the "quark star model." The EoS of compact stars is the subject of ongoing debates among astrophysicists and particle physicists, due to the non-perturbative property of strong interaction at low energy scales. The book investigates the tidal deformability and maximum mass of rotating quark stars and triaxially rotating quark stars, and compares them with those of neutron stars to reveal significant differences. Lastly, by combining the latest observations of GW170817, the book suggests potential ways to distinguish between the neutron star and quark star models.

This book presents an alternative representation of Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity, which makes Special Relativity much more comprehensible. Moreover, one will come across a fundamental relationship between the Special Theory of Relativity and the mechanics of space lattice. In all previous formulations, the Einsteinian special principle of relativity, in one or the other form is used as the starting point for Special Relativity. In correspondence to this principle, one takes it as granted apriori, that all observers independent of their uniform motion to each other measure one and the same propagation velocity of a light signal. This book is thought of as a lecture for physicists, mathematicians and computer scientists and concentrates on the students of these fields. The book should reach a broad circle of interested readers from the fields of natural sciences and philosophy and provide and invigorating experience for engineers.

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.