An Introduction to Twistor Theory

ISBN-13: 9780521456890 / Angielski / Miękka / 1994 / 192 str.

S. A. Huggett; K. P. Tod;None

Opis

This book is an introduction to twistor theory and modern geometrical approaches to space-time structure at the graduate or advanced undergraduate level. It will be valuable also to the physicist as an introduction to some of the mathematics that has proved useful in these areas, and to the mathematician as an example of where sheaf cohomology and complex manifold theory can be used in physics.

Recenzje

'In all, the book provides a pleasant starting point for the study of this fascinating subject.' Dr F. E. Burstall, Contemporary Physics

Spis treści

1. Introduction; 2. Review of tensor algebra; 3. Lorentzian spinors at a point; 4. Spinor fields; 5. Compactified Minkowski space; 6. The geometry of null congruences; 7. The geometry of twistor space; 8. Solving the zero rest mass equations I; 9. Sheaf cohomology; 10. Solving the zero rest mass equations II; 11. The twisted photon and Yang–Mills constructions; 12. The non-linear graviton; 13. Penrose's quasi-local momentum; 14. Cohomological functionals; 15. Further developments and conclusion; Appendix: The GHP equations.