Product Description: The contentious history of the idea of the black hole—the most fascinating and bizarre celestial object in the heavens For more than half a century, physicists and astronomers engaged in heated dispute over the possibility of black holes in the universe...read more

This book is about black holes, one of the most intriguing objects of modern Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics. For many years, black holes have been considered as interesting solutions of the theory of General Relativity with a number of amusing mathematical properties. Now after the discovery of astrophysical black holes, the Einstein gravity has become an important tool for their study. This self-contained textbook combines physical, mathematical, and astrophysical aspects of black hole theory. Pedagogically presented, it contains 'standard' material on black holes as well as relatively new subjects such as the role of hidden symmetries in black hole physics, and black holes in spacetimes with large extra dimensions. The book will appeal to students and young scientists interested in the theory of black holes.

Product Description: Provides a comprehensive summary on the physical models and current theory of black hole accretion, growth and mergers, in both the supermassive and stellar-mass cases.This title reviews in-depth research on accretion on all scales, from galactic binaries to intermediate mass and supermassive black holes...read more

One of The Barnes and Noble Review Editors' Picks: Best Nonfiction of 2012Selected by The Christian Science Monitor as one of "21 smart nonfiction titles we think you'll enjoy this summer"Selected by The New Scientist as one of 10 books to look out for in 2012We've long understood black holes to be the points at which the universe as we know it comes to an end. Often billions of times more massive than the Sun, they lurk in the inner sanctum of almost every galaxy of stars in the universe. They're mysterious chasms so destructive and unforgiving that not even light can escape their deadly wrath.Recent research, however, has led to a cascade of new discoveries that have revealed an entirely different side to black holes. As the astrophysicist Caleb Scharf reveals in Gravity's Engines, these chasms in space-time don't just vacuum up everything that comes near them; they also spit out huge beams and clouds of matter. Black holes blow bubbles.With clarity and keen intellect, Scharf masterfully explains how these bubbles profoundly rearrange the cosmos around them. Engaging with our deepest questions about the universe, he takes us on an intimate journey through the endlessly colorful place we call our galaxy and reminds us that the Milky Way sits in a special place in the cosmic zoo―a "sweet spot" of properties. Is it coincidental that we find ourselves here at this place and time? Could there be a deeper connection between the nature of black holes and their role in the universe and the phenomenon of life? We are, after all, made of the stuff of stars.

This book provides an accessible introduction to the fascinating and topical subject of black holes. It bridges the gap between popular non-mathematical expositions and advanced research texts, using simple undergraduate level calculations and the most basic knowledge of relativity to explain current research. This means the theory can be understood by a wide audience of physicists, including those who are not necessarily interested in learning higher-level mathematical techniques. The third edition links more of the current research trends to fundamental aspects of the physics of black holes. Additionally: It provides an accessible introduction to the two most useful exact solutions of Einstein's vacuum field equations describing black holes, using only basic tensor calculus Explores the geometry and physical properties of these spacetimes through the motion of particles and light Explains the use of different coordinate systems, maximal extensions and Penrose diagrams Discusses the association of the surface area of a black hole with its entropy and shows that, with the introduction of quantum mechanics, black holes cease to be black and can radiate. This allows black holes to satisfy the laws of thermodynamics and thus be consistent with the rest of physics Includes over 100 problems and solutions This new edition introduces a chapter dedicated to a selection of recent results. Existing chapters have been updated and new explanatory material has been added to aid in the understanding of the physics. This book is recommended reading for advanced undergraduate students and first-year postgraduates who will find it a useful stepping-stone to the advanced literature. Readership: Advanced undergraduate students and first-year postgraduates in fields of astrophysics, astronomy and cosmology.

Product Description: Black holes seem like the stuff of science fiction. It's incredible to think there's a mass in the universe with such a strong pull of gravity that not even light can escape it. But it's not science fiction, and there isn't just one black hole out there...read more

Product Description: The most fundamental forces at work in our world are some of the most mysterious, and people have grappled with certain questions for centuries. Mysteries of the Universe tackles eight of the astronomical and physical phenomena that have inspired and challenged scientists, chronicling the discoveries that have been made and the puzzles that remain...read more

Product Description: Black holes, once just fascinating theoretical predictions of how gravity warps space-time according to Einstein's theory, are now generally accepted as astrophysical realities, formed by post-supernova collapse, or as supermassive black holes mysteriously found at the cores of most galaxies, powering active galactic nuclei, the most powerful objects in the universe...read more

Product Description: ‘Gravity, a Geometrical Course’ presents general relativity (GR) in a systematic and exhaustive way, covering three aspects that are homogenized into a single texture: i) the mathematical, geometrical foundations, exposed in a self consistent contemporary formalism, ii) the main physical, astrophysical and cosmological applications,  updated to the issues of contemporary research and observations, with glimpses on supergravity and superstring theory, iii) the historical development of scientific ideas underlying both the birth of general relativity and its subsequent evolution...read more

Product Description: ‘Gravity, a Geometrical Course’ presents general relativity (GR) in a systematic and exhaustive way, covering three aspects that are homogenized into a single texture: i) the mathematical, geometrical foundations, exposed in a self consistent contemporary formalism, ii) the main physical, astrophysical and cosmological applications,  updated to the issues of contemporary research and observations, with glimpses on supergravity and superstring theory, iii) the historical development of scientific ideas underlying both the birth of general relativity and its subsequent evolution...read more

Product Description: In this book, the authors present current research in the study of the evolution, theory and thermodynamics of black holes. Topics discussed include the effective theory of a matter field near the event horizon of a black hole; dilatonic black holes in 4D Gauss-Bonnet gravity; the relationship between the tunnelling rate of a rotating black hole and the first law of black hole thermodynamics; alternative theories of gravity without black holes; exotic smoothness structures for the application of standard Einstein equations to black hole structures; and lower dimensional quantum black holes...read more

Product Description: Stars live for billions of years. But their deaths are just as spectacular. Get an up close look at the supernovas and black holes that stars leave behind.