Luminous hot stars represent the extreme upper mass end of normal stellar evolution. Before exploding as supernovae, they live out their lives of a few million years with prodigious outputs of radiation and stellar winds, dramatically affecting both their evolution and environments. A detailed introduction to the topic, this book connects the astrophysics of massive stars with the extremes of galaxy evolution represented by starburst phenomena. A thorough discussion of the physical and wind parameters of massive stars is presented. HII galaxies, their connection to starburst galaxies, and the contribution of starburst phenomena to galaxy evolution through superwinds, are explored. The book concludes with the wider cosmological implications, including Population III stars, Lyman break galaxies and gamma-ray bursts, for each of which massive stars are believed to play a crucial role. This book is ideal for graduate students and researchers in astrophysics interested in luminous hot stars and galaxy evolution.

Sorghum is one of the world's major cereals, cultivated in the semi-arid tropics for a growing range of uses. Like other crops it faces the need to meet rising demand whilst reducing its environmental impact and adapting to the challenges of climate change. This volume summarises the wealth of research addressing these challenges. Part 1 reviews the chemistry of sorghum and its physiology, before discussing its use as a food grain, in feed and as a forage and energy crop. The second part of the book discusses ways of improving cultivation in regions such as South America, Asia and Africa. With its distinguished editor and international team of expert authors, this will be a standard work for cereal scientists, sorghum breeders and growers as well as government and non-government agencies supporting sorghum cultivation. It is accompanied by a companion volume which reviews genetics, breeding and production techniques.

Luminous hot stars represent the extreme upper mass end of normal stellar evolution. Before exploding as supernovae, they live out their lives of a few million years with prodigious outputs of radiation and stellar winds, dramatically affecting both their evolution and environments. A detailed introduction to the topic, this book connects the astrophysics of massive stars with the extremes of galaxy evolution represented by starburst phenomena. A thorough discussion of the physical and wind parameters of massive stars is presented. HII galaxies, their connection to starburst galaxies, and the contribution of starburst phenomena to galaxy evolution through superwinds, are explored. The book concludes with the wider cosmological implications, including Population III stars, Lyman break galaxies and gamma-ray bursts, for each of which massive stars are believed to play a crucial role. This book is ideal for graduate students and researchers in astrophysics interested in luminous hot stars and galaxy evolution.

This diary gives a vivid picture of life in a Yorkshire village between the Napoleonic Wars and the Victorian era. Robert Sharp, schoolmaster, village constable, shopkeeper, and tax collector, was in a unique position to observe the affairs of the village and the lives of his fellow-villagers, whom he describes with wry humour and affection, often quoting their conversations verbatim. He also took a keen interest in what was happening outside the village, both nationally and internationally, giving the reader a valuable insight into how these events were reflected at the local level and how they were viewed by contemporaries.