Astrophysical Concepts

By: Martin Harwit

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Hardcover | 6 September 2006 | Edition Number 4

At a Glance

Hardcover
736 Pages

Edition Type
Revised

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24.13 x 15.88 x 3.18

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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 third edition, nearly every part of the text has been reconsidered and rewritten; new sections have been added to cover recent developments, and most of the rest has been revised and brought up to date.

The book begins with an outline of the scope of modern astrophysics and the elementary problems concerning the scale of cosmic objects and events. The basic physics needed to answer these questions is developed in the next chapters, using specific astronomical processes as examples. The second half of the book enlarges on the topics introduced at the beginning and shows how we can obtain quantitative insights into the structure and evolution of stars, the dynamics of cosmic gases, the large-scale behavior of the universe, and the origins of life.

The emphasis is on astrophysics, so astronomical objects (white dwarfs, supernovae, comets, quasars) are mentioned throughout the text whenever the relevant physics is discussed rather than in individual sections. To compensate, there is an appendix that gives a brief background of astronomical concepts for students unfamiliar with astronomical terminology, as well as a comprehensive index. The extensive bibliography refers to other sources that treat individual topics in detail.

Industry Reviews

FROM REVIEWS OF THE PREVIOUS EDITION
"a clear, solid introduction to astrophysics ... that shows how physics can be applied to astronomical objects ... One of the strong points is the problems (that) give students a real feel for the sort of calculations astronomers must do ... were I teaching a junior/senior astrophysics course, this is the book I would use."
AM.J.PHYS.

"This is a popular book among professional astrophysicists, produced with that meticulous detail and completeness of the house of Springer ... This is indeed a theoretician's book [and] Harwit has made a prodigious effort in organizing all this information in a logical sequence ... A masterly mathematical exposition of a galaxy of astrophysical processes." Astronomy

The great strength of the book lies in the lucidity and elegance with which chosen topics are quantitatively developed using elementary and clever arguments, instructive problems being distributed throughout, and in the skeptical spirit of inquiry that pervades the writing." NATURE

"Astronomer Harwit has finally updated his classic textbook to encompass the exciting developments of the decade since its last edition. It is ideal for those Scientific American readers who are mathematically literate and who want to pursue topics covered in the magazine to greater depth. Harwit takes a thematic approach to the subject, oriented around the guiding physical principles rather than the conventional sequence of planet, star, galaxy and cosmos. The approach rewards readers who just want to flip through the book as well as students who want to derive for themselves some of the basic equations in astronomy." SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN

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Non-Fiction Science Physics Applied Physics Astrophysics Astronomy, Space & Time Cosmology & The Universe

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Published: 29th November 2010

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Preface to the Fourth Edition	p. v
An Approach to Astrophysics	p. 1
Channels for Astronomical Information	p. 3
X-Ray Astronomy: Development of a New Field	p. 5
The Appropriate Set of Physical Laws	p. 9
The Formation of Stars	p. 10
The Hertzsprung-Russell and Color-Magnitude Diagrams	p. 12
The Birth of Low-Mass Stars	p. 15
Massive Stars	p. 18
The Late Stages of Stellar Evolution	p. 18
Abundance of the Chemical Elements in Stars and the Solar System	p. 24
Origin of the Solar System	p. 29
The Galaxy and the Local Group	p. 36
The Formation of Large-Scale Structures	p. 38
Black Holes	p. 42
Magnetohydrodynamics and Turbulence	p. 43
Problems of Life	p. 44
Unobserved Astronomical Objects	p. 45
The Cosmic Distance Scale	p. 53
Size of the Solar System	p. 53
Trigonometric Parallax	p. 54
Spectroscopic Parallax	p. 54
Superposition of Main Sequences	p. 54
RR Lyrae Variables	p. 56
Cepheid Variables	p. 56
Novae and HII Regions	p. 57
Supernovae	p. 57
The Tully-Fisher and Faber-Jackson Relations	p. 57
Distance-Red-Shift Relation	p. 58
Distances and Velocities	p. 60
Seeliger's Theorem and Number Counts in Cosmology	p. 60
Problems Dealing with the Size of Astronomical Objects	p. 63
Answers to Selected Problems	p. 64
Dynamics and Masses of Astronomical Bodies	p. 67
Universal Gravitational Attraction	p. 67
Ellipses and Conic Sections	p. 70
Central Force	p. 71
Two-Body Problem with Attractive Force	p. 72
Kepler's Laws	p. 73
Determination of the Gravitational Constant	p. 77
The Concept of Mass	p. 80
Inertial Frames of Reference - The Equivalence Principle	p. 82
Gravitational Red Shift and Time Dilation	p. 83
Measures of Time	p. 84
Uses of Pulsar Time	p. 86
Galactic Rotation	p. 86
Scattering in an Inverse Square Law Field	p. 88
Stellar Drag	p. 90
Virial Theorem	p. 92
Stability Against Tidal Disruption	p. 94
Lagrangian Equations	p. 96
Answers to Selected Problems	p. 102
Random Processes	p. 105
Random Events	p. 105
Random Walk	p. 106
Distribution Functions, Probabilities, and Mean Values	p. 111
Projected Length of Randomly Oriented Rods	p. 112
The Motion of Molecules	p. 115
Ideal Gas Law	p. 118
Radiation Kinetics	p. 120
Isothermal Distributions	p. 121
Atmospheric Density	p. 122
Particle Energy Distribution in an Atmosphere	p. 123
Phase Space	p. 126
Angular Diameters of Stars	p. 128
The Spectrum of Light Inside and Outside a Hot Body	p. 129
Boltzmann Equation and Liouville's Theorem	p. 136
Fermi-Dirac Statistics	p. 138
The Saha Equation	p. 141
Mean Values	p. 142
Fluctuations	p. 143
The First Law of Thermodynamics	p. 144
Isothermal and Adiabatic Processes	p. 146
Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics	p. 147
Formation of Condensations and the Stability of the Interstellar Medium	p. 148
Ionized Gases and Clusters of Stars and Galaxies	p. 150
Answers to Selected Problems	p. 154
Photons and Fast Particles	p. 157
The Relativity Principle	p. 157
Relativistic Terminology	p. 158
Relative Motion	p. 162
Four-Vectors	p. 167
Aberration of Light	p. 169
Momentum, Mass, and Energy	p. 170
The Doppler Effect	p. 173
Poynting-Robertson Drag on a Grain	p. 174
Motion Through the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation	p. 175
Particles at High Energies	p. 178
High-Energy Collisions	p. 179
Superluminal Motions and Tachyons	p. 181
Strong Gravitational Fields	p. 183
Gravitational Time Delay; Deflection of Light	p. 187
Gravitational Lenses	p. 189
An Independent Measure of the Hubble Constant	p. 190
Orbital Motion Around a Black Hole	p. 191
Advance of the Perihelion of Mercury	p. 195
Accretion Disks Around X-ray Binaries	p. 196
The Smallest Conceivable Volume	p. 198
The Zeroth Law of Black Hole Dynamics	p. 199
Entropy and Temperature of a Black Hole	p. 199
The Third Law of Black Hole Thermodynamics	p. 200
Radiating Black Holes	p. 201
Answers to Selected Problems	p. 203
Electromagnetic Processes in Space	p. 205
Coulomb's Law and Dielectric Displacement	p. 205
Cosmic Magnetic Fields	p. 207
Ohm's Law and Dissipation	p. 209
Magnetic Acceleration of Particles	p. 209
Ampere's Law and the Relation Between Cosmic Currents and Magnetic Fields	p. 211
Magnetic Mirrors, Magnetic Bottles, and Cosmic-Ray Particles	p. 211
Maxwell's Equations	p. 214
The Wave Equation	p. 215
Phase and Group Velocity	p. 217
Energy Density, Pressure, and the Poynting Vector	p. 218
Propagation of Waves Through a Tenuous Ionized Medium	p. 220
Faraday Rotation	p. 223
Light Emission by Slowly Moving Charges	p. 226
Gravitational Radiation	p. 231
Light Scattering by Unbound Charges	p. 232
Scattering by Bound Charges	p. 234
Extinction by Interstellar Grains	p. 236
Absorption and Emission of Radiation by a Plasma	p. 237
Radiation from Thermal Radio Sources	p. 241
Synchrotron Radiation	p. 244
The Synchrotron Radiation Spectrum	p. 246
The Compton Effect and Inverse Compton Effect	p. 250
The Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect	p. 254
The Cherenkov Effect	p. 255
The Angular Distribution of Light from the Sky	p. 257
Answers to Selected Problems	p. 260
Quantum Processes in Astrophysics	p. 265
Absorption and Emission of Radiation by Atomic Systems	p. 265
Quantization of Atomic Systems	p. 266
Atomic Hydrogen and Hydrogenlike Spectra	p. 269
Spectra of Ionized Hydrogen	p. 277
Hydrogen Molecules	p. 278
Selection Rules	p. 281
The Information Contained in Spectral Lines	p. 285
Absorption and Emission Line Profile	p. 288
Quantum Mechanical Transition Probabilities	p. 290
Blackbody Radiation	p. 296
Stimulated Emission and Cosmic Masers	p. 299
Stellar Opacity	p. 301
Chemical Composition of Stellar Atmospheres - The Radiative Transfer Problem	p. 304
A Gravitational Quantum Effect	p. 308
Answers to Selected Problems	p. 309
Stars	p. 313
Observations	p. 313
Sources of Stellar Energy	p. 316
Requirements Imposed on Stellar Models	p. 318
Mathematical Formulation of the Theory	p. 319
Relaxation Times	p. 321
Equation of State	p. 324
Luminosity	p. 327
Opacity Inside a Star	p. 328
Convective Transfer	p. 333
Nuclear Reaction Rates	p. 335
Particles and Basic Particle Interactions	p. 339
Energy-Generating Processes in Stars	p. 341
Compact Stars	p. 351
White Dwarf Stars	p. 351
Stellar Evolution and The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram	p. 355
Supernovae, Neutron Stars, and Black Holes	p. 358
Pulsars, Magnetars, and Plerions	p. 364
Hypernovae and Gamma-Ray Bursts	p. 365
Microquasars	p. 367
Vibration and Rotation of Stars	p. 367
Solar Neutrino Observations	p. 369
Additional Problems	p. 371
Answers to Selected Problems	p. 373
Cosmic Gas and Dust	p. 379
Observations	p. 379
Stromgren Spheres	p. 390
Pressure Propagation and the Speed of Sound	p. 395
Shock Fronts and Ionization Fronts	p. 397
Gamma-Ray Bursts, GRB	p. 404
Origin of Cosmic Magnetic Fields	p. 405
Dynamo Amplification of Magnetic Fields	p. 409
Cosmic-Ray Particles in the Interstellar Medium	p. 410
Formation of Molecules and Grains	p. 415
Formation of Molecular Hydrogen, H[subscript 2]	p. 419
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons	p. 420
Infrared Emission from Galactic Sources	p. 421
Orientation of Interstellar Grains	p. 425
Acoustic Damping and The Barnett Effect	p. 429
Stability of Isothermal Gas Spheres	p. 430
Polytropes	p. 433
The Nature of Dark Matter	p. 435
Additional Problems	p. 438
Answers to Selected Problems	p. 438
Formation of Stars and Planetary Systems	p. 441
Star Formation	p. 441
Gravitational Condensation of Matter	p. 443
Jeans Criterion	p. 444
Hydrostatics of Gaseous Clouds	p. 446
Magnetic Reconnection	p. 446
Ambipolar Diffusion	p. 449
Triggered Collapse	p. 450
Energy Dissipation	p. 451
Cooling of Dense Clouds by Grain Radiation	p. 455
Condensation in the Early Solar Nebula	p. 458
The Evidence Provided by Meteorites	p. 462
Nascent Planetary Disks	p. 467
Formation of Primitive Condensates in the Early Solar Nebula	p. 469
Formation of Planetesimals	p. 469
Condensation in the Primeval Solar Nebula	p. 471
Answers to Selected Problems	p. 473
The Universe We Inhabit	p. 477
Questions About the Universe	p. 477
Isotropy and Homogeneity of the Universe	p. 477
Cosmological Principle	p. 480
Homogeneous Isotropic Models of the Universe	p. 481
Olbers's Paradox	p. 485
Measuring the Geometric Properties of the Universe	p. 487
Angular Diameters and Number Counts	p. 490
The Flux from Distant Supernovae	p. 492
Magnitudes and Angular Diameters of Galaxies	p. 495
Dynamics on a Cosmic Scale	p. 496
Einstein's Field Equations	p. 497
The Density Parameter[Omega]	p. 497
Some Simple Models of the Universe	p. 500
Self-Regenerating Universes	p. 505
Horizon of a Universe	p. 506
Topology of the Universe	p. 511
Do the Fundamental Constants of Nature Change with Time?	p. 513
The Flow of Time	p. 515
Branes and Compact Dimensions	p. 517
Answers to Selected Problems	p. 519
An Astrophysical History of the Universe	p. 525
The Isotropy Problem	p. 525
The Flatness Problem	p. 527
Where Did the Microwave Background Radiation Originate	p. 528
Looking Back in Time	p. 530
The Planck Era	p. 531
Inflationary Cosmological Models	p. 532
The Post-Inflationary Stage	p. 536
The Riemann Curvature Constant	p. 537
Quark-Gluon Plasma	p. 539
The Origin of Baryonic Mass	p. 541
Leptons and Antileptons	p. 543
The Matter-Antimatter Asymmetry	p. 543
Early Element Formation	p. 544
The Entropy of the Universe	p. 546
A More Precise Extrapolation Back in Time	p. 548
The First 400,000 Years	p. 549
Last Impact and Decoupling of Matter from Radiation	p. 551
Observational Evidence	p. 551
Answers to Selected Problems	p. 552
The Formation of Cosmic Structures	p. 555
The Inhomogeneous Universe	p. 555
Primordial Seeds	p. 556
The Seeds of Structure	p. 556
Evolution of Inhomogeneities	p. 558
The Coupling of Radiation and Matter	p. 561
Cooling of Gas After Decoupling	p. 562
Photon Drag	p. 563
Oscillations Around the Decoupling Era	p. 565
The Jeans Criterion	p. 569
Condensation on Superhorizon Scales	p. 571
A Swiss-Cheese Model	p. 572
Birkhoff's Theorem and "Why Galaxies Don't Expand"	p. 577
Curvature Fluctuations	p. 578
Primordial Collapse and the Density Parameter[Omega subscript 0]	p. 581
Inhomogeneities in the Microwave Background Radiation	p. 583
The Microwave Background Temperature Fluctuations	p. 584
The Three-Dimensional Power Spectrum of Galaxies and Clusters	p. 587
The Observed Imprint of Oscillations	p. 587
Oscillations and Fundamental Cosmological Parameters	p. 589
The Rees-Sciama Effect	p. 591
Formation of the Largest Structures	p. 592
Press-Schechter Condensation	p. 593
The Internal Structure of Dark Matter haloes	p. 597
Protogalactic Cooling	p. 597
Formation of the First Stars	p. 598
Population III Stars	p. 600
Reionization	p. 602
The Gunn-Peterson Effect	p. 604
Quasar Stromgren Spheres	p. 606
Formation of Supermassive Black Holes	p. 607
Accretion Disks Around Supermassive Black Holes	p. 607
The Masses of Galaxy Bulges and Central Black Holes	p. 608
Growth Through Merging	p. 609
Chemical Evolution of Galaxies and the Intracluster Medium	p. 610
Formation of Our Own Galaxy	p. 611
Radioactive Dating	p. 613
Answers to Selected Problems	p. 613
Life in the Universe	p. 617
Introduction	p. 617
Thermodynamics of Biological Systems	p. 617
Organic Molecules in Nature and in the Laboratory	p. 619
Origins of Life on Earth	p. 622
The Chemical Basis of Terrestrial Life	p. 624
Laboratory Syntheses	p. 626
Panspermia	p. 627
Higher Organisms and Intelligence	p. 627
Communication and Space Travel	p. 627
Answer to a Selected Problem	p. 630
Astronomical Terminology	p. 633
Astrophysical Constants	p. 665
Index	p. 695
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Astrophysical Concepts

At a Glance

Hardcover

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

Other Editions and Formats

Paperback

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