The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) represents one of the most significant crossroads at which the assumptions and methods of scientific inquiry come into direct contact with—and in many cases conflict with—those of religion. Indeed, at the core of SETI is the same question that motivates many interested in religion: What is the place of humanity in the universe? Both scient…
Rhodri Evans tells the story of what we know about the universe, from Jacobus Kapteyn’s Island universe at the turn of the 20th Century, and the discovery by Hubble that the nebulae were external to our own galaxy, through Gamow’s early work on the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and its subsequent discovery by Penzias and Wilson, to modern day satellite-lead CMB research. Research result…
This book presents the basics and advanced topics of research of gamma ray physics. It describes measuring of Fermi surfaces with gamma resonance spectroscopy and the theory of angular distributions of resonantly scattered gamma rays. The dependence of excited-nuclei average lifetime on the shape of the exciting-radiation spectrum and electron binding energies in the spectra of scattered gamma …
As with the author’s recent books Extreme Explosions and Under a Crimson Sun, the complex topic of star clusters is broken down and made accessible with clear links to other areas of astronomy in a language which the non-specialist can easily read and enjoy. The full range of topics are addressed regarding how star clusters are formed. Why is it some are dense conglomerates of stars while oth…
This second edition has been updated and substantially expanded. Starting with the description of our home galaxy, the Milky Way, this cogently written textbook introduces the reader to the astronomy of galaxies, their structure, active galactic nuclei, evolution and large scale distribution in the Universe. After an extensive and thorough introduction to modern observational and theoretical co…
Tjonnie Li's thesis covers two applications of Gravitational Wave astronomy: tests of General Relativity in the strong-field regime and cosmological measurements. The first part of the thesis focuses on the so-called TIGER, i.e. Test Infrastructure for General Relativity, an innovative Bayesian framework for performing hypothesis tests of modified gravity using ground-based GW data. After devel…
This work investigates gravitational wave production in the early universe and identifies potentially observable features, thereby paving the way for future gravitational wave experiments. It focuses on gravitational wave production in two scenarios: inflation in a model inspired by loop quantum gravity, and preheating at the end of inflation. In the first part, it is demonstrated that gravitat…
Our understanding of galaxy formation comes mostly from two sources: sensitive observations at high angular resolution of the high-redshift Universe, where galaxies are observed to be forming, and detailed observations of individual stars and clouds in the Local Group, where telltale remnants from its formative time remain and similar processes operate at a low level today. The current conferen…
This volume gathers the content of the courses held at the Third IDPASC School, which took place in San Martiño Pinario, Hospederia and Seminario Maior, in the city of Santiago de Compostela, Galiza, Spain, from January 21st to February 2nd, 2013. This school is the annual joint program of the International Doctorate Network in Particle Physics, Astrophysics, and Cosmology (IDPASC). Th…
This monograph tackles three challenges. First, show a mathematics-based meta-model that matches known elementary particles. Second, apply models, based on the meta-model, to match other known physics data. Third, predict future physics data. The math features solutions to isotropic pairs of isotropic quantum harmonic oscillators. This monograph matches some solutions to known elementary partic…