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The Relativists and Cosmologists in India organized an
international conference in Goa, India, in 1987, known as the
International Conference on Gravitation and Cosmology (ICGC-87).
Encouraged by the success of this conference it was decided to have
such a meeting periodically, once in every four years. Accordingly,
ICGC- 91 was held at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL),
Ahmedabad, India. The third International Conference on Gravitation
and Cosmology, (ICGC-95) was held at the Inter-University centre
for Astronomy and Astrophysics, IUCAA, Pune, India during December
13 - 19, 1995. This series of conferences is co-sponsored by the
Indian Association for General Relativity and Gravitation (lAGRG).
The Conference had 16 plenary lectures and five workshops
altogether. There were three plenary lectures per day and two
workshops running parallel each day. We were fortunate in getting
plenary speakers who are leading experts in their respective fields
drawn from all over the world. The conference was attended by about
105 persons from India and 55 from abroad. We thank all the
contributors who have taken time to write up their lectures amidst
their busy schedule. We regret we could not get the contributions
of a few plenary speakers. We would also like to thank the members
of Organizing Committees who have worked hard to make this
conference a success.
For several decades since its inception, Einstein's general theory
of relativity stood somewhat aloof from the rest of physics.
Paradoxically, the attributes which normally boost a physical
theory - namely, its perfection as a theoreti cal framework and the
extraordinary intellectual achievement underlying i- prevented the
general theory from being assimilated in the mainstream of physics.
It was as if theoreticians hesitated to tamper with something that
is manifestly so beautiful. Happily, two developments in the 1970s
have narrowed the gap. In 1974 Stephen Hawking arrived at the
remarkable result that black holes radiate after all. And in the
second half of the decade, particle physicists discovered that the
only scenario for applying their grand unified theories was offered
by the very early phase in the history of the Big Bang universe. In
both cases, it was necessary to discuss the ideas of quantum field
theory in the background of curved spacetime that is basic to
general relativity. This is, however, only half the total story. If
gravity is to be brought into the general fold of theoretical
physics we have to know how to quantize it. To date this has proved
a formidable task although most physicists would agree that, as in
the case of grand unified theories, quantum gravity will have
applications to cosmology, in the very early stages of the Big Bang
universe. In fact, the present picture of the Big Bang universe
necessarily forces us to think of quantum cosmology."
This timely volume provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of cosmology and extragalactic astronomy at an advanced level. Beginning with an overview of the key observational results and necessary terminology, it covers important topics: the theory of galactic structure and galactic dynamics, structure formation, cosmic microwave background radiation, formation of luminous galaxies in the universe, intergalactic medium and active galactic nuclei. This self-contained text has a modular structure, and contains over one hundred worked exercises. It can be used alone, or in conjunction with the previous two accompanying volumes (Volume I: Astrophysical Processes, and Volume II: Stars and Stellar Systems).
Covering all aspects of gravitation in a contemporary style, this
advanced textbook is ideal for graduate students and researchers in
all areas of theoretical physics. The 'Foundation' section develops
the formalism in six chapters, and uses it in the next four
chapters to discuss four key applications - spherical spacetimes,
black holes, gravitational waves and cosmology. The six chapters in
the 'Frontier' section describe cosmological perturbation theory,
quantum fields in curved spacetime, and the Hamiltonian structure
of general relativity, among several other advanced topics, some of
which are covered in-depth for the first time in a textbook. The
modular structure of the book allows different sections to be
combined to suit a variety of courses. Over 200 exercises are
included to test and develop the reader's understanding. There are
also over 30 projects, which help readers make the transition from
the book to their own original research.
The Relativists and Cosmologists in India organized an
international conference in Goa, India, in 1987, known as the
International Conference on Gravitation and Cosmology (ICGC-87).
Encouraged by the success of this conference it was decided to have
such a meeting periodically, once in every four years. Accordingly,
ICGC- 91 was held at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL),
Ahmedabad, India. The third International Conference on Gravitation
and Cosmology, (ICGC-95) was held at the Inter-University centre
for Astronomy and Astrophysics, IUCAA, Pune, India during December
13 - 19, 1995. This series of conferences is co-sponsored by the
Indian Association for General Relativity and Gravitation (lAGRG).
The Conference had 16 plenary lectures and five workshops
altogether. There were three plenary lectures per day and two
workshops running parallel each day. We were fortunate in getting
plenary speakers who are leading experts in their respective fields
drawn from all over the world. The conference was attended by about
105 persons from India and 55 from abroad. We thank all the
contributors who have taken time to write up their lectures amidst
their busy schedule. We regret we could not get the contributions
of a few plenary speakers. We would also like to thank the members
of Organizing Committees who have worked hard to make this
conference a success.
For several decades since its inception, Einstein's general theory
of relativity stood somewhat aloof from the rest of physics.
Paradoxically, the attributes which normally boost a physical
theory - namely, its perfection as a theoreti cal framework and the
extraordinary intellectual achievement underlying i- prevented the
general theory from being assimilated in the mainstream of physics.
It was as if theoreticians hesitated to tamper with something that
is manifestly so beautiful. Happily, two developments in the 1970s
have narrowed the gap. In 1974 Stephen Hawking arrived at the
remarkable result that black holes radiate after all. And in the
second half of the decade, particle physicists discovered that the
only scenario for applying their grand unified theories was offered
by the very early phase in the history of the Big Bang universe. In
both cases, it was necessary to discuss the ideas of quantum field
theory in the background of curved spacetime that is basic to
general relativity. This is, however, only half the total story. If
gravity is to be brought into the general fold of theoretical
physics we have to know how to quantize it. To date this has proved
a formidable task although most physicists would agree that, as in
the case of grand unified theories, quantum gravity will have
applications to cosmology, in the very early stages of the Big Bang
universe. In fact, the present picture of the Big Bang universe
necessarily forces us to think of quantum cosmology.
This second volume of a comprehensive three-volume work on theoretical astrophysics deals with stellar physics. After reviewing the key observational results and nomenclature used in stellar astronomy, the book develops a solid understanding of central concepts including stellar structure and evolution, the physics of stellar remnants, pulsars, binary stars, the sun and planetary systems, interstellar medium and globular clusters. Throughout, the reader's comprehension is developed and tested with more than seventy-five exercises. This indispensable volume will allow graduate students to master the material sufficiently to read and engage in research with heightened understanding. It can be used alone or in conjunction with Volume 1, which covers a wide range of astrophysical processes, and the forthcoming Volume 3, on galaxies and cosmology.
This second volume of a comprehensive three-volume work on theoretical astrophysics deals with stellar physics. After reviewing the key observational results and nomenclature used in stellar astronomy, the book develops a solid understanding of central concepts including stellar structure and evolution, the physics of stellar remnants, pulsars, binary stars, the sun and planetary systems, interstellar medium and globular clusters. Throughout, the reader's comprehension is developed and tested with more than seventy-five exercises. This indispensable volume will allow graduate students to master the material sufficiently to read and engage in research with heightened understanding. It can be used alone or in conjunction with Volume 1, which covers a wide range of astrophysical processes, and the forthcoming Volume 3, on galaxies and cosmology.
This timely volume provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of cosmology and extragalactic astronomy at an advanced level. Beginning with an overview of the key observational results and necessary terminology, it covers important topics: the theory of galactic structure and galactic dynamics, structure formation, cosmic microwave background radiation, formation of luminous galaxies in the universe, intergalactic medium and active galactic nuclei. This self-contained text has a modular structure, and contains over one hundred worked exercises. It can be used alone, or in conjunction with the previous two accompanying volumes (Volume I: Astrophysical Processes, and Volume II: Stars and Stellar Systems).
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).
The evolution of our Universe and the formation of stars and galaxies are mysteries that have long puzzled scientists. Recent years have brought new scientific understanding of these profound and fundamental issues. In lively prose, Professor Padmanabhan paints a picture of contemporary cosmology for the general reader. Unlike other popular books on cosmology, After the First Three Minutes does not gloss over details, or shy away from explaining the underlying concepts. Instead, with a lucid and informal style, the author introduces all the relevant background and then carefully pieces together an engaging story of the evolution of our Universe. Padmanabhan leaves the reader with a state-of-the-art picture of scientists' current understanding in cosmology and a keen taste of the excitement of this fast-moving science. Throughout, no mathematics is used and all technical jargon is clearly introduced and reinforced in a handy glossary at the end of the book. For general readers who want to come to grips with what we really do and don't know about our Universe, this book provides an exciting and uncompromising read. Thanu Padmanabhan is a Professor at Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics in Pune, India. He is the recipient of numerous awards and author of three books, Structure Formation in the Universe (Cambridge, 1994), Cosmology and Astrophysics Through Problems (Cambridge, 1996), and, together with J.V. Narlikar, Gravity, Gauge Theories and Quantum Cosmology. He is also the author of more than one hundred popular science articles, a comic strip serial and several regular columns on astronomy, recreational mathematics, and the history of science.
This innovative book provides a clear and pedagogical introduction to research through a series of problems and answers. The author has designed the problems to develop each core topic in a simple and coherent way, and he provides full solutions to make this book completely self-contained. The first half of the book covers the core subjects of astrophysical processes, gravitational dynamics, radiative processes, fluid mechanics and general relativity. The second half uses these concepts to develop modern cosmology; topics include the Friedmann model and thermal history, the dynamics of dark matter and baryons in an expanding universe, the physics of high-redshift objects and the very early universe. This unique self-study textbook will be of key interest to graduate students and researchers in cosmology, astrophysics, relativity and theoretical physics. It is particularly well suited to graduate-level courses.
Understanding the way in which large-scale structures such as galaxies form remains the most challenging problem in cosmology today. This text provides an up-to-date and pedagogical introduction to this exciting area of research. Part 1 deals with the Friedmann model, the thermal history of the universe, and includes a description of observed structures in the universe. Part 2 describes the theory of gravitational instability in both the linear and nonlinear regimes. This part also includes chapters on the microwave background radiation, Large-scale velocity fields, quasars, and high redshift objects. Part 3 of the book covers inflation, cosmic strings, and dark matter. Each chapter is accompanied by a comprehensive set of exercises to help the reader in self-study.
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