Bücher der Reihe Graduate Texts in Physics

This textbook gradually introduces the reader to several topics related to black hole physics with a didactic approach. It starts with the most basic black hole solution, the Schwarzschild metric, and discusses the basic classical properties of black hole solutions as seen by different probes. Then it reviews various theorems about black hole properties as solutions to Einstein gravity coupled to matter fields, conserved charges associated with black holes, and laws of black hole thermodynamics. Next, it elucidates semiclassical and quantum aspects of black holes, which are relevant in ongoing and future research. The book is enriched with many exercises and solutions to assist in the learning.The textbook is designed for physics graduate students who want to start their research career in the field of black holes; postdocs who recently changed their research focus towards black holes and want to get up-to-date on recent and current research topics; advanced researchers intending to teach (or learn) basic and advanced aspects of black hole physics and the associated mathematical tools. Besides general relativity, the reader needs to be familiar with standard undergraduate physics, like thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics. Moreover, familiarity with basic quantum field theory in Minkowski space is assumed. The book covers the rest of the needed background material in the main text or the appendices.

This book, the first in a three-volume set, explains general relativity using the mathematical tool of differential geometry. The book consists of ten chapters, the first five of which introduce differential geometry, which is widely applicable even outside the field of relativity. Chapter 6 analyzes special relativity using geometric language. In turn, the last four chapters introduce readers to the fundamentals of general relativity. Intended for beginners, this volume includes numerous exercises and worked-out example in each chapter to facilitate the learning experience. Chiefly written for graduate-level courses, the book¿s content will also benefit upper-level undergraduate students, and can be used as a reference guide for practicing theoretical physicists.

This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to the physics of laser-plasma interactions (LPI), based on a graduate course taught by the author. The emphasis is on high-energy-density physics (HEDP) and inertial confinement fusion (ICF), with a comprehensive description of the propagation, absorption, nonlinear effects and parametric instabilities of high energy lasers in plasmas.The recent demonstration of a burning plasma on the verge of nuclear fusion ignition at the National Ignition Facility in Livermore, California, has marked the beginning of a new era of ICF and fusion research. These new developments make LPI more relevant than ever, and the resulting influx of new scientists necessitates new pedagogical material on the subject. In contrast to the classical textbooks on LPI, this book provides a complete description of all wave-coupling instabilities in unmagnetized plasmas in the kinetic as well as fluid pictures, and includes a comprehensive description of the optical smoothing techniques used on high-power lasers and their impact on laser-plasma instabilities. It summarizes all the key developments from the 1970s to the present day in view of the current state of LPI and ICF research; it provides a derivation of the key LPI metrics and formulas from first principles, and connects the theory to experimental observables.With exercises and plenty of illustrations, this book is ideal as a textbook for a course on laser-plasma interactions or as a supplementary text for graduate introductory plasma physics course. Students and researchers will also find it to be an invaluable reference and self-study resource.

This book systematically develops the mathematical foundations of the theory of relativity and links them to physical relations. For this purpose, differential geometry on manifolds is introduced first, including differentiation and integration, and special relativity is presented as tensor calculus on tangential spaces. Using Einstein's field equations relating curvature to matter, the relativistic effects in the solar system including black holes are discussed in detail. The text is aimed at students of physics and mathematics and assumes only basic knowledge of classical differential and integral calculus and linear algebra.

This book is a pedagogical introduction to quantum field theory, suitable for a students¿ first exposure to the subject. It assumes a minimal amount of technical background and it is intended to be accessible to a wide audience including students of theoretical and experimental high energy physics, condensed matter, optical, atomic, nuclear and gravitational physics and astrophysics. It includes a thorough development of second quantization and the field theoretic approach to nonrelativistic many-body physics as a step in developing a broad-based working knowledge of the basic aspects of quantum field theory. It presents a logical and systematic first principles development of relativistic field theory and of functional techniques and perturbation theory with Feynman diagrams, renormalization, and basic computations in quantum electrodynamics.

This is a graduate-level introduction to quantitative concepts and methods in the science of living systems. It relies on a systems approach for understanding the physical principles operating in biology. Physical phenomena are treated at the appropriate spatio-temporal scale and phenomenological equations are used in order to reflect the system of interest. Biological details enter to the degree necessary for understanding specific processes, but in many cases the approach is not reductionist. This is in line with the approach taken by physics to many other complex systems.The book bridges the gap between graduate students¿ general physics courses and research papers published in professional journals. It gives students the foundations needed for independent research in biological physics and for working in collaborations aimed at quantitative biology and biomedical research. Also included are modern mathematical and theoretical physics methods, giving the student a broad knowledge of tools that can shed light on the sophisticated mechanisms brought forth by evolution in biological systems. The content covers many aspects that have been the focus of active research over the past twenty years, reflecting the authors' experience as leading researchers and teachers in this field.