General Relativity: An Introduction for Physicists

ISBN-13: 9780521829519 / Angielski / Twarda / 2006 / 592 str.

M. P. Hobson (University of Cambridge);G. P. Efstathiou (University of Cambridge);A. N. Lasenby (University of Cambridge)

Opis

After reviewing the basic concept of general relativity, this introduction discusses its mathematical background, including the necessary tools of tensor calculus and differential geometry. These tools are used to develop the topic of special relativity and to discuss electromagnetism in Minkowski spacetime. Gravitation as spacetime curvature is introduced and the field equations of general relativity derived. After applying the theory to a wide range of physical situations, the book concludes with a brief discussion of classical field theory and the derivation of general relativity from a variational principle.

Recenzje

'The book is well-written and easy to follow because it is essentially self-contained and every new concept is carefully motivated and justified. Exercises are given at the end of every chapter and numerous examples appear throughout the text.' General Relativity and Gravitation

Spis treści

1. The spacetime of special relativity; 2. Manifolds and coordinates; 3. Vector calculus on manifolds; 4. Tensor calculus on manifolds; 5. Special relativity revisited; 6. Electromagnetism; 7. The equivalence principle and spacetime curvature; 8. The gravitational field equations; 9. The Schwarzschild geometry; 10. Experimental tests of general relativity; 11. Schwarzschild black holes; 12. Further spherically-symmetric geometries; 13. The Kerr geometry; 14. The Friedmann–Robertson–Walker geometry; 15. Cosmological models; 16. Inflationary cosmology; 17. Linearised general relativity; 18. Gravitational waves; 19. A variational approach to general relativity.