The X-ray Background

The X-ray Background

Author: Xavier Barcons

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 1992-07-31

Total Pages: 328

ISBN-13: 9780521416511

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A review of the current observational knowledge and understanding of the cosmic X-ray background.


The Spectral Energy Distribution of Galaxies - SED 2011 (IAU S284)

The Spectral Energy Distribution of Galaxies - SED 2011 (IAU S284)

Author: Richard J. Tuffs

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2012-08-30

Total Pages: 533

ISBN-13: 9781107019843

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Recent observational developments are providing the first truly panchromatic view of galaxies, extending from the radio to TeV gamma-rays. This is motivating the development of new models for the interpretation of spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of galaxies in terms of the formation, evolution and emission of stellar and accretion-driven sources of photons, the interaction of the photons with the gaseous and dust components of the interstellar medium, and high-energy processes involving cosmic rays. IAU Symposium 284 details progress in the development of such models, their relation to fundamental theory, and their application to the interpretation of the panchromatic emission from the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, connecting the latter with models for the evolution of the SEDs of distant galaxies, and the extragalactic background light. IAU S284 is a useful resource for all researchers working with the copious amounts of multiwavelength data for galaxies now becoming available.


Supermassive Black Holes in the Distant Universe

Supermassive Black Holes in the Distant Universe

Author: A.J. Barger

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2004-08-03

Total Pages: 322

ISBN-13: 9781402024702

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Quasars, and the menagerie of other galaxies with "unusual nuclei", now collectively known as Active Galactic Nuclei or AGN, have, in one form or another, sparked the interest of astronomers for over 60 years. The only known mechanism that can explain the staggering amounts of energy emitted by the innermost regions of these systems is gravitational energy release by matter falling towards a supermassive black hole --- a black hole whose mass is millions to billions of times the mass of our Sun. AGN emit radiation at all wavelengths. X-rays originating at a distance of a few times the event horizon of the black hole are the emissions closest to the black hole that we can detect; thus, X-rays directly reveal the presence of active supermassive black holes. Oftentimes, however, the supermassive black holes that lie at the centers of AGN are cocooned in gas and dust that absorb the emitted low energy X-rays and the optical and ultraviolet light, hiding the black hole from view at these wavelengths. Until recently, this low-energy absorption presented a major obstacle in observational efforts to map the accretion history of the universe. In 1999 and 2000, the launches of the Chandra and XMM-Newton X-ray Observatories finally broke the impasse. The impact of these observatories on X-ray astronomy is similar to the impact that the Hubble Space Telescope had on optical astronomy. The astounding new data from these observatories have enabled astronomers to make enormous advances in their understanding of when accretion occurs.


The Tenth Marcel Grossmann Meeting

The Tenth Marcel Grossmann Meeting

Author: M. Novello

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 844

ISBN-13: 9812569790

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The Marcel Grossmann meetings were conceived to promote theoretical understanding in the fields of physics, mathematics, astronomy and astrophysics and to direct future technological, observational, and experimental efforts. They review recent developments in gravitation and general relativity, with major emphasis on mathematical foundations and physical predictions. Their main objective is to bring together scientists from diverse backgrounds and their range of topics is broad, from more abstract classical theory and quantum gravity and strings to more concrete relativistic astrophysics observations and modeling. This Tenth Marcel Grossmann Meeting was organized by an international committee composed of D Blair, Y Choquet-Bruhat, D Christodoulou, T Damour, J Ehlers, F Everitt, Fang Li Zhi, S Hawking, Y Ne'eman, R Ruffini (chair), H Sato, R Sunyaev, and S Weinberg and backed by an international coordinating committee of about 135 members from scientific institutions representing 54 countries. The scientific program included 29 morning plenary talks during 6 days, and 57 parallel sessions over five afternoons, during which roughly 500 papers were presented. These three volumes of the proceedings of MG10 give a broad view of all aspects of gravitation, from mathematical issues to recent observations and experiments. Sample Chapter(s) Part A: Plenary and Review Talks The Initial Value Problem Using Metric and Extrinsic Curvature (566k) Part B: Plenary and Review Talks The Largest Optical Telescopes: Today VLT; Tomorrow Owl. (951k) Part C: Parallel Sessions Numerical Simulation of General Relativistic Stellar Collapse (1,337k) Contents: The Initial Value Problem Using Metric and Extrinsic Curvature "(J W York Jr)"Mathematics, Physics and Ping-Pong "(Y Ne'eman)"Thermal Decay of the Cosmological Constant into Black Holes "(C Teitelboim)"Structure Formation in the Universe by Exact Methods "(A Krasinski & C Hellaby)"Overview of D-brane Worlds in String Theory "(A M Uranga)"Tachyons, D-brane Decay, and Closed Strings "(B Zwiebach)"String Compactifications -- Old and New "(A Dabholkar)"Covariant Quantization of the Superstring "(N Berkovits)"Limiting Braneworlds with the Binary Pulsar "(R Durrer & P Kocian)"Cosmological Instabilities from Vector Perturbations in Braneworlds "(R Durrer et al.)"Principles of Affine Quantum Gravity "(J R Klauder)"Developments in GRworkbench "(A Moylan et al.)"Constants of Nature? "(H B Sandvik)"Gravitational Wave Detection: A Survey of the Worldwide Program "(J Degallaix & D Blair)"Evidence for Coincident Events Between the Gravitational Wave Detectors EXPLORER and NAUTILUS "(G Pizzella)"The LIGO Gravitational Wave Observatories: Recent Results and Future Plans "(G M Harry et al.)"General Relativity in Space and Sensitive Tests of the Equivalence Principle "(C Lammerzahl)"Multiwavelength Afterglows of Gamma-Ray Bursts "(E Pian)"Black Hole Physics and Astrophysics: The GRB-Supernova Connection and URCA-1 -- URCA-2 "(R Ruffini et al.)"Black Holes from the Dark Ages: Exploring the Reionization Era and Early Structure Formation with Quasars and Gamma-Ray Bursts "(S G Djorgovski)"The Diagnostic Power of X-Ray Emission Lines in GRBs "(M Bottcher)"


Cosmic Evolution

Cosmic Evolution

Author: Eric J. Chaisson

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2001-02-16

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 0674009878

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Chaisson addresses some of the most basic issues we can contemplate: the origin of matter and the origin of life, and the ways matter, life, and radiation interact and change with time. He designs for us an expansive yet intricate model depicting the origin and evolution of all material structures.


Active Galactic Nuclei

Active Galactic Nuclei

Author: Volker Beckmann

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2012-09-24

Total Pages: 390

ISBN-13: 3527410783

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Active Galactic Nuclei This AGN textbook gives an overview on the current knowledge of the Active Galacitc Nuclei phenomenon. The spectral energy distribution will be discussed, pointing out what can be observed in different wavebands. The different physical models are presented together with formula important for the understanding of AGN physics. Furthermore, the authors discuss the AGN with respect to its environment, host galaxy, feedback in galaxies and in clusters of galaxies, variability, etc. and finally the cosmological evolution of the AGN phenomenon. This book includes phenomena based on new results in the X-Ray and gamma-ray domain from new telescopes such as Chandra, XMM-Newton, the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope, and the VHE regime not mentioned so far in AGN books. Those and other new developments as well as simulations of AGN merging events and formations, enabled through latest super-computing capabilities. From the contents: The observational picture of AGN Radiative processes The central engine AGN types and unification AGN through the electromagnetic spectrum AGN variability Environment Quasars and cosmology Formation, evolution and the ultimate fate of AGN What we do not know (yet)


High Energy Astrophysics

High Energy Astrophysics

Author: Malcolm S. Longair

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2011-02-03

Total Pages: 885

ISBN-13: 1139494546

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Providing students with an in-depth account of the astrophysics of high energy phenomena in the Universe, the third edition of this well-established textbook is ideal for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate courses in high energy astrophysics. Building on the concepts and techniques taught in standard undergraduate courses, this textbook provides the astronomical and astrophysical background for students to explore more advanced topics. Special emphasis is given to the underlying physical principles of high energy astrophysics, helping students understand the essential physics. The third edition has been completely rewritten, consolidating the previous editions into one volume. It covers the most recent discoveries in areas such as gamma-ray bursts, ultra-high energy cosmic rays and ultra-high energy gamma rays. The topics have been rearranged and streamlined to make them more applicable to a wide range of different astrophysical problems.