The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next

The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
Average customer rating:

Scientific progress is never cut and dried

physics from many angles

A mixed bag

The Endless Quest Continues

Outstanding piece of writing, A must-read for any science enthusiast.

The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
Lee Smolin
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

20th Century | World | History | Subjects | Books
General | Science | Subjects | Books
History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Physics | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Look Inside History Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Look Inside Science Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory And the Search for Unity in Physical Law

The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe

Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions

The Cosmic Landscape: String Theory and the Illusion of Intelligent Design

Many Worlds in One: The Search for Other Universes

ASIN: 0618551050

Book Description

In this groundbreaking book, the renowned theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that physics—the basis for all other science—has lost its way. The problem is string theory, an ambitious attempt to formulate "a theory of everything" that explains all the forces and particles of nature and how the universe came to be. With its exotic new particles and parallel universes, string theory has captured the public"s imagination and seduced many physicists. But as Smolin reveals, there"s a deep flaw in the theory: no part of it has been proven, and no one knows how to prove it. As a scientific theory, it has been a colossal failure. And because it has soaked up the lion's share of funding, attracted some of the best minds, and penalized young physicists for pursuing other avenues, it is dragging the rest of physics down with it. With clarity, passion, and authority, Smolin charts the rise and fall of string theory and takes a fascinating look at what will replace it. A group of young theorists has begun to develop exciting new ideas that are, unlike string theory, testable. Smolin tells us who and what to watch for in the coming years and how we can find the next Einstein. This is a wake-up call, and Lee Smolin—a former string theorist himself— is the perfect person to deliver it.

Customer Reviews:

Scientific progress is never cut and dried.......2007-10-08

Lee Smolin presents a harsh critique of the last 30 years in theoretical physics, written by one of its practitioners. He makes the excellent point that science is a human activity like anything else. Progress is always hard to predict; scientists can and do get caught up in dead ends. Smolin thinks string theory is one such dead end, and makes a good case for it.

I think that, if anything, Smolin is a little too gentle on the field. The development of the atomic and hydrogen bombs left a tremendous impression that big money put into physics would bring big results. In recent years that hasn't happened. There are so many unanswered questions out there in science, so many important fields where solutions are desperately needed. When I consider the construction and operation of particle accelerators and other high-tech equipment, I can't help but think of the huge cost. The same amount of cash invested elsewhere might have brought much more in the way of useful results.

I am the mother of a 10-year-old boy attending public school. His instruction sometimes seems to me like a mishmash of well-meaning educational reforms that have been implemented with little or no testing to see if they worked or not. I am frankly disgusted by the quality of most research in the area of education--sample sizes too small, no proper controls, subjects followed for too short a time, etc. The cost of operating a single particle accelerator for six weeks probably exceeds all the funding for educational research around the world for the entire year. Yet which has the most potential for making major progress? Maybe it's time to back off on funding big physics projects for a while.

I would also like to point out that the building and use of instrumentation for high-energy physics is highly dependent on cheap fossil fuels. The future supply of such fuels is by no means guaranteed. The peak oil problem appears to be largely ignored by high-energy physicists today, but has the potential to significantly affect their ability to conduct experiments.

I really enjoyed Smolin's chapters on looking for seers rather than technicians in science. I especially liked his description of how unconventional scientists have built a career without a university job. Smolin points out that a typical professor spends a majority of his week on teaching, grant proposals, administrative tasks, and the like, leaving a surprisingly small amount of time available for actual research. Having a day job outside the field is not as big a hurdle as it might seem.

I tend to agree with Smolin that the big advances of the future are likely to come from completely unexpected directions. I can't wait to see what they are.

physics from many angles.......2007-10-05

This book provided several discussions pf physics and quantum theory. its good because the author speaks of the history the the originators of physics theory and the current champions of thought.

A mixed bag.......2007-10-04

At the moment, string theory appears to have many (possibly an infinite number) of "metastable vacua", each of which would allow for a universe with its own laws of physics. (For a brief, comic, yet essentially correct summary of the history of this idea, see Peter Shor's review here. For those who don't know, Shor is a celebrated quantum-information theorist.) According to the (far from established) inflationary model of cosmology, there is a vast collection of universes (the "multiverse") with diverse laws of physics. Which universe we find ourselves in is a matter of random selection, but of course we must be in a "biofriendly" universe, one whose laws of physics allow for the appearance of intelligent life.

The core argument of this book is presented on page 164-165 (US hardcover edition), where Smolin writes, "when it comes to the biofriendliness of our universe, we have at least three possibilities:

"1. Ours is one of a vast collection of universes with random laws.

"2. There was an intelligent designer.

"3. There is a so-far-unknown mechanism that will both explain the biofriendliness of our universe and make testable predictions by which it can be confirmed or falsified.

"Given that the first two possibilities are untestable in principle, it is most rational to hold out for the third possibility. Indeed, that is the only possibility we should consider as scientists, because accepting either of the first two would mean the end of our field."

I find this to be an astonishing argument. First of all, I don't know what "most rational" is supposed to mean. More importantly, to reject a scientific hypothesis for purely personal reasons (it "would mean the end of our field") is at best novel, and at worst absurd.

Very few string theorists are happy that #1 seems, at this point, to be the most likely outcome of string theory, and many hope that #3 will somehow eventually emerge. But to throw out the whole framework, simply because we don't like the result, cannot be said to be a scientific attitude.

One thing you won't learn in this book (unless you read it very carefully, and between the lines) is that the other approaches to quantum gravity advocated by Smolin have not come any closer to predicting specific experimental results than string theory has. Smolin talks about possible violations of special relativity, but these are not (as he admits on page 237) a definite prediction of loop quantum gravity. He has said (on Peter Woit's blog) that any quantum field theory in any number of dimensions is compatible with loop quantum gravity. If true, this would make loop quantum gravity even less capable than string theory of picking out our particular laws of physics.

Smolin also discusses issues of sociology in physics. On page 335-336, he asserts that the all the truly negative characterizations of job candidates that he has ever heard have had a component of racism and/or sexism. I am on the faculty of the physics department of a research university, and I can only say that my experience has been entirely different. I have simply never heard a racist or sexist denigration of one scientist by another, nor have I ever felt that anyone was being evaluated by criteria other than merit. I think that there are definitely issues of culture and how we can construct scientific communities that have broader appeal, and that there are physicists who are not as sensitive to these issues as they might be, but I cannot accept Smolin's claim that the relatively small percentage of women and blacks in physics is due to "blatant prejudice".

Finally, Smolin discusses the issues of "seers" vs "craftspeople" in science, and argues that we should be supporting more "seers". Among the existing seers, he lists some (such as Roger Penrose and Gerard 't Hooft) who made their reputations primarily as craftspeople ('t Hooft received the Nobel Prize for his work on the renormalization of gauge theories, and Penrose did celebrated work on the singularity theorems of general relativity). Their record as seers has been less successful; none of their recent ideas on modifications of quantum mechanics have panned out as yet. Smolin laments the fact that more attention is not paid to these forays into alternatives to quantum mechanics. But 't Hooft and Penrose do not agree on what modifications are needed. Other seers identified by Smolin propose violations of special relativity, rather than (or in addition to) violations of quantum mechanics. Perhaps this is all deep thought, but there is little to decide, at this point, which if any of these avenues should be pursued. Most physicists have therefore sensibly adopted a "wait and see" attitude.

Even if we accept Smolin's argument that we need new seers, how are we to find them? Smolin writes (page 353) that in order to discover "the visionaries who ignore the mainstream and follow their own ambitious programs", we should "find at least one accomplished person in the candidate's field who is deeply excited about what the candidate is trying to do". So, the candidate's program had better not be *too* far off the mainstream; there has to be at least one "accomplished person" who is "deeply excited" about it. But if one deeply excited professional is good, wouldn't more be better? Wouldn't that up the odds that the program was, indeed, worthwhile? Oh wait, that would be just what we have now ... a system where there is constant debate, emergent consensus on the most promising approaches, and distribution of research funds primarily (but by no means exclusively!) to those approaches that appear, in the consensus view, to be most promising. To paraphrase Winston Churchill on democracy, this system for distributing funds for science may be the worst ever devised, except for all the others.

So, should you buy the book? I feel that it gives a distorted picture, by emphasizing the weak points of string theory while ignoring the (many more, in my view) weak points of the alternatives. It seems to me that the essence of the book's argument against string theory is captured by the excerpts above, and by Shor's review. Then there is a lot of discussion of groupthink in scientific culture. For me, it doesn't add up to an appealing package, but your mileage may vary.

The Endless Quest Continues .......2007-10-04

I like Lee Smolin and this is a good exposition of the current quandary in Physics. When the mathematicians "hijacked" physics in the 1920's, they created ever-so elegant formulas and abstraction upon abstraction upon abstraction. "Just give me a formula!" was their mantra, and what it all really "means" was not their concern. This is the essence of Bohr's position (no pun intended), and Einstein was not able to answer, even though he knew something was missing.

String theory has many intriguing ideas, and it's supporters should not be easily dismissed. Again and again, we come back to the basic question...particle or wave? Wavicle? Partiwave? String?

Outstanding piece of writing, A must-read for any science enthusiast........2007-09-22

I found this book to be superbly written and full of fascinating insights. I really loved reading it. Many of the longer reviews here do a great job of reviewing the content of the book, so I'll stick to offering my opinion.

I will no doubt read this book again in the future as much of the content was way over my head. However, as with any great book on any subject, this did not prevent me from thoroughly enjoying it and learning a lot. What makes it so great is that each time I read it I will learn more.

I want to thank Lee Smolin for putting the current state of his field in some perspective. I highly, highly recommend this book!

From SU(3) to Gravity: Festschrift in Honor of Yuval Ne'eman (3 to Gravity : Papers in Honor of Yuval Ne'eman)

Average customer rating:

From SU(3) to Gravity: Festschrift in Honor of Yuval Ne'eman (3 to Gravity : Papers in Honor of Yuval Ne'eman)

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Mathematical Physics | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Science Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 0521307848

Book Description

This collection of specially written essays and articles celebrates the sixtieth birthday of Professor Yuval Ne’eman. Professor Ne’eman has been active at the forefront of many areas of modern physics; this book pays tribute to him by reporting and reflecting on the recent developments in these areas. The contributions have been grouped under five main headings: Groups and Gauges; Particles; Science Policy; Astronomy and Astrophysics; Gravity and Supergravity. Within each group are accounts of new work, developments and extensions of established approaches and discussions of current problems and future prospects. The resulting book will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in cosmology and astrophysics, particle theory and relativity, and to all who wish to keep up to date with the interactions and interrelations between these subject areas.

Average customer rating:

Gravity, Particles and Space-Time

Manufacturer: World Scientific Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Science Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 9810226683

Book Description

This volume comprises original and review articles on the frontier problems of the gravitation theory, theoretical and mathematical physics. The volume is dedicated to the memory of Professor Dmitri Ivanenko who made the great contribution to the physical science of the twentieth century.

Astrophysical Formulae: Volume I & Volume II: Radiation, Gas Processes and High Energy Astrophysics / Space, Time, Matter and Cosmology (Astronomy and Astrophysics Library)

Average customer rating:

Astrophysical Formulae: Volume I & Volume II: Radiation, Gas Processes and High Energy Astrophysics / Space, Time, Matter and Cosmology (Astronomy and Astrophysics Library)
Kenneth R. Lang
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Mechanics | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Computer Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Computers & Internet | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Professional & Technical | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Reference | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Science | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Astrophysical Quantities
Astrophysics Of Gaseous Nebulae And Active Galactic Nuclei
Practical Statistics for Astronomers (Cambridge Observing Handbooks for Research Astronomers)
Radiative Processes in Astrophysics
Cosmological Inflation and Large-Scale Structure

Accessories:

In Search of Dark Matter (Springer Praxis Books / Space Exploration)
Comet/Asteroid Impacts and Human Society: An Interdisciplinary Approach
A Companion to Astronomy and Astrophysics: Chronology and Glossary with Data Tables

ASIN: 3540296921

Book Description

Kenneth Lang's classic work Astrophysical Formulae. (Vol. I and II) is now available as soft cover edition in a set. This volume is a reference source of fundamental formulae in physics and astrophysics. In contrast to most of the usual compendia it carefully explains the physical assumptions entering the formulae. All the important results of physical theories are covered: electrodynamics, hydrodynamics, general relativity, atomic and nuclear physics, and so on. Over 2100 formulae are included, and the original papers for the formulae are cited together with papers on modern applications in a bibliography of over 1900 entries. For the third edition (first published in 1999), a chapter on space, time, matter and cosmology had been included and the other chapters carefully revised.

Average customer rating:

First Principles of Cosmology
Eric V. Linder
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Universe | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0201403951

Book Description

A concise, exciting introduction to cosmology with an emphasis on the basic principles. It is unique from the standpoint of clarity and simplicity of explanations using the application of mechanics, thermodynamics and particle physics to questions on the universe as a whole. It advances to include an emphasis on general equations of state, unifying the treatment of dust, radiation, cosmological constant, or exotic components, the treatment of inhomogeneities ("clumpy universe") and their important effects on observations.

The Mathematical Theory of Cosmic Strings (Series in High Energy Physics, Cosmology and Gravitation)

Average customer rating:

The Mathematical Theory of Cosmic Strings (Series in High Energy Physics, Cosmology and Gravitation)
M.R. Anderson
Manufacturer: Taylor & Francis
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Universe | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Mathematics | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Mathematical Physics | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Relativity | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0750301600

Book Description

This book is a comprehensive survey of the current state of knowledge about the dynamics and gravitational properties of cosmic strings treated in the idealized classical approximation as line singularities described by the Nambu-Goto action. The author's purpose is to provide a standard reference to all work that has been published since the mid-1970s and to link this work together in a single conceptual framework and a single notational formalism. A working knowledge of basic general relativity is assumed. The book will be essential reading for researchers and postgraduate students in mathematics, theoretical physics, and astronomy interested in cosmic strings.

Gravitation: From the Hubble Length to the Planck Length (Studies in High Energy Physics, Cosmology and Gravitation)

Average customer rating:

Gravitation: From the Hubble Length to the Planck Length (Studies in High Energy Physics, Cosmology and Gravitation)

Manufacturer: Taylor & Francis
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Gravity | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0750309482

Book Description

Although gravity is the dominant force of nature at large distances (from intermediate scales to the Hubble length), it is the weakest of forces in particle physics, though it is believed to become important again at very short scales (the Planck length). The conditions created in particle accelerators are similar to those at the time of the early universe. While particle physics offers insight to early universe physics, there is a need to understand gravity at extremes of large and short distances to further understand cosmology and the development of the universe. Gravitation: From the Hubble Length to the Planck Length fulfills this need by providing an overview of relativistic astrophysics, early universe physics, cosmology, and their interface with particle physics. Written by international experts, this reference presents up-to-date information on classical relativity, astrophysics, and theoretical and experimental particle physics. The introduction sets the scene and provides a context for the remaining chapters. Chapters cover an extensive array of topics, from refined experimental techniques in gravitational physics to cosmology and the quantum frontier. The book concludes with a discussion of the connection among particles, fields, strings, and branes. This compilation shows how gravity plays a fundamental role in astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology by exploring domains from the microscopic, such as black holes, to superclusters of galaxies that form the large-scale texture of the present-day cosmos. Moreover, with its theoretical and experimental focus on the foundations of gravity, Gravitation proves to be an invaluable resource for current and future research.

Once Upon a Universe: Not-so-Grimm tales of Cosmology

Average customer rating:

Once Upon a Universe
Once Upon a Mediocre Book
Once Upon a Universe

Once Upon a Universe: Not-so-Grimm tales of Cosmology
Robert Gilmore
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Universe | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Quantum Theory | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Professional & Technical | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Science | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Scrooge's Cryptic Carol: Visions of Energy, Time, and Quantum Nature
The Wizard of Quarks: A Fantasy of Particle Physics
Alice in Quantumland: An Allegory of Quantum Physics
Mr Tompkins in Paperback (Canto)
Flatterland: Like Flatland, Only More So

ASIN: 0387955666

Book Description

"Once upon a time there was no Universe," began the Storyteller. . . ."

First Snow White encounters one of the Little People, then one of the Even Smaller People, and finally one of the Truly Infinitesimal People. And no matter how diligently she searches, the only dwarves she can find are collapsed stars! Clearly, she’s not at home in her well-known Brothers Grimm fairy tale, but instead in a strange new landscape that features quantum behavior, the wavelike properties of particles, and the Uncertainty Principle. She (and we) must have entered, in short, one of the worlds created by Robert Gilmore, the physicist and fabulist who brought us the classic "Alice in Quantumland."

Whether he’s recasting such classic tales as "Jack and the Quarkstalk," "Waking Beauty," or "Cinderenda and the Death of Stars," Gilmore shows us that there’s more than one way to shed light on the strange profundities of modern physics and cosmology, and what they have to tell us about the nature of time and space and motion. Black holes, dying stars, traveling backward through time to the Big Bang - they’re all here in accessible, instructive, and charmingly illustrated retellings.

Robert Gilmore has published three previous books with Copernicus, "Alice in Quantumland," "Scrooge’s Cryptic Carol," and "The Wizard of Quarks." He is a Visiting Research Fellow, with a special focus on the public understanding of science, at Bristol University in England. He has also worked in particle physics at Brookhaven, Stanford, and CERN in Geneva.

Customer Reviews:

Once Upon a Universe.......2007-02-14

This is a must read book for all college students with a passion for
the study of Physics and scientific writings. The author has the
gift of using famous children's classic to convey the physics concepts
in a skilful and humourous way in helping readers to conceptualise the
laws of Physics.

Once Upon a Mediocre Book.......2005-01-03

Once Upon a Universe, although it uses a creative way to teach its readers high level science theories, was not a very interesting book. Its flawed adaptations of fairy tales made it a difficult book to enjoy and really get into. Such adaptations include "Snow White and the Particularly Little People", which teaches the reader about particles and atoms. The less-than-captivating adaptations became nearly monotonous, as Gilmore occasionally went into excessive details concerning each subject. In conclusion, although it was a failed attempt at twisting fairy tales, it did teach me interesting scientific information. I would not recommend this book to any except those people who are excessively into science.

Once Upon a Universe.......2005-01-02

Once Upon a Universe, by Robert Gilmore, was a creative and interesting way to explain complex scientific ideas. This book is a mix of fairy tales that includes well-known characters with interesting names. Some of the tales include "Snow White and the particularly little people", "Waking Beauty", and "Cinderenda and the Death of Stars". Each story begins with a well-known fairy tale and sends its protagonist on a journey to achieve knowledge. Then the story ends with the character learning something extravagant about the Universe or the things inside it. This book did include some ideas that are difficult to grasp and is not an easy read, so do not be fooled by its length. It may be a short book, but it took a long time to actually understand what was being taught.

Overall, this was not my favorite book but it was interesting and worth the effort. Its creative ideas made it in a strange way fun to read. It will certainly help students trying to understand quantum physics and such, so if your looking for a book as a teacher then this is the book for you.

Neutrino Physics (High Energy Physics, Cosmology and Gravitation)

Average customer rating:

Neutrino Physics (High Energy Physics, Cosmology and Gravitation)
Kai Zuber
Manufacturer: Taylor & Francis
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0750307501

Book Description

Neutrino physics remains one of the most exciting fields of fundamental physics today. The neutrino's position at the intersection of particle physics, astrophysics, and nuclear physics ensures continuing interest in the subject. Major activities at accelerators like Fermilab, KEK and CERN, in addition to underground facilities like Gran Sasso, Kamioka and Sudbury, continue to enhance our understanding of the origins and properties of neutrinos, and their implications for the Standard Model and cosmology. Neutrino Physics provides an up to date and comprehensive introduction to the subject as well as an invaluable resource for researchers in physics and astrophysics. Starting with a brief historical overview the author proceeds to review fundamental neutrino properties, the neutrino mass question, and their place within and beyond the Standard Model. The final chapters examine the role of neutrinos in modern astroparticle physics, cosmology and the dark matter problem. The book concludes with a summary of the current status of neutrino physics and the implications of recent results. Written to be accessible to readers from different backgrounds in nuclear, particle or astrophysics and with a detailed reference list, this title will be essential for any researcher or advanced student who needs to understand modern neutrino physics.

Pulsars as Astrophysical Laboratories for Nuclear and Particle Physics (Studies in High Energy Physics, Cosmology, and Gravitation)

Average customer rating:

Pulsars as Astrophysical Laboratories for Nuclear and Particle Physics (Studies in High Energy Physics, Cosmology, and Gravitation)
Fridolin Weber
Manufacturer: Taylor & Francis
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Solar System | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Star-Gazing | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0750303328

Book Description

Pulsars, generally accepted to be rotating neutron stars, are dense, neutron-packed remnants of massive stars that blew apart in supernova explosions. They are typically about 10 kilometers across and spin rapidly, often making several hundred rotations per second. Depending on star mass, gravity compresses the matter in the cores of pulsars up to more than ten times the density of ordinary atomic nuclei, thus providing a high-pressure environment in which numerous particle processes, from hyperon population to quark deconfinement to the formation of Boson condensates, may compete with each other. There are theoretical suggestions of even more "exotic" processes inside pulsars, such as the formation of absolutely stable strange quark matter, a configuration of matter even more stable than the most stable atomic nucleus, ^T56Fe. In the latter event, pulsars would be largely composed of pure quark matter, eventually enveloped in nuclear crust matter. These features combined with the tremendous recent progress in observational radio and x-ray astronomy make pulsars nearly ideal probes for a wide range of physical studies, complementing the quest of the behavior of superdense matter in terrestrial collider experiments. Written by an eminent author, Pulsars as Astrophysical Laboratories for Nuclear and Particle Physics gives a reliable account of the present status of such research, which naturally is to be performed at the interface between nuclear physics, particle physics, and Einstein's theory of relativity.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books