Astrophysical Concepts - Rilegato

Harwit, Martin

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 0387329439 ISBN 13: 9780387329437

Casa editrice: Springer-Verlag GmbH, 2006

Riassunto

Thirty-threeyears have passed since the ?rst edition of Astrophysical Concepts - peared. During this time astrophysics has undergone major revolutions. We have gained new perspectives on the Universe with the aid of powerful gamma-ray,- ray, and infrared telescopes, whose sensitivitiescould not have been imagined three decades earlier. We have become expert at snaring neutrinos to gain insight on - clear processes at work in the Sun and supernovae. We have direct evidence for the existence of neutron stars and gravitationalwaves, and persuasive arguments for the detection of black holes on scales of individual stars as well as galactic nuclei. Primordial ?uctuations, remnants from the ?rst moments in the expansion of the Universe have revealed themselves in the faint ripples marking the microwave sky. These ripples also document the ?rst appearance of dark matter now known to have dominatedthe formationand evolutionof all cosmic structure. And dark energy has gradually had to be acknowledged to be the dominant factor driving the expansion of the Universe today.

Su questo libro

Dalla quarta di copertina

This classic text, aimed at senior undergraduates and beginning graduate students in physics and astronomy, presents a wide range of astrophysical concepts in sufficient depth to give the reader a quantitative understanding of the subject. Emphasizing physical concepts, the book outlines cosmic events but does not portray them in detail: it provides a series of astrophysical sketches. For this fourth edition, nearly every part of the text has been reconsidered and rewritten, new sections have been added to cover recent developments, and others have been extensively revised and brought up to date.

The book begins with an outline of the scope of modern astrophysics and enumerates some of the outstanding problems faced in the field today. The basic physics needed to tackle these questions are developed in the next few chapters using specific astronomical processes as examples. The second half of the book enlarges on these topics and shows how we can obtain quantitative insight into the structure and evolution of stars, the dynamics of cosmic gases, the large-scale behavior of the Universe, and the origins of life.

A major aim of Astrophysical Concepts, 4E is to help the reader gain physical insight. While mathematics provides an essential basis for any quantitative treatment of astrophysics, the book consistently emphasizes the physical meaning of equations and mathematical terms. With this approach, individual astronomical objects (white dwarfs, supernovae, comets, quasars) are mentioned wherever physical processes relevant to them are discussed, rather than in specifically dedicated sections. To balance this approach, an appendix presents a coherent outline of astronomy for students unfamiliar with astronomical terminology, and a comprehensive index provides the means for selectively concentrating on specific phenomena of interest. The extensive bibliography refers interested readers to additional sources that treat individual topics in greater detail.

Dettagli dell'edizione

• Editore: Springer-Verlag GmbH
• Data di pubblicazione: 2006
• Lingua: Inglese
• ISBN 10: 0387329439
• ISBN 13: 9780387329437
• Rilegatura: Copertina rigida
• Numero edizione: 4
• Numero di pagine: 736
• Contatto del produttore: non disponibile
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