Synopses & Reviews
'The third edition of this successful textbook is fully updated and includes important recent developments in cosmology. It begins with an introduction to cosmology and general relativity, and goes on to cover the mathematical models of standard cosmology. The physical aspects of cosmology, including primordial nucleosynthesis, the astroparticle physics of inflation, and the current ideas on structure formation are discussed. Alternative models of cosmology are reviewed, including the model of Quasi-Steady State Cosmology, which has recently been proposed as an alternative to Big Bang Cosmology. The final chapters discuss observational cosmology, and debate theory versus observational methods. The book includes 400 problems and numerous worked examples. This introductory textbook describes modern cosmology at a level suitable for advanced undergraduates and graduates who are familiar with mathematical methods and basic theoretical physics. It is intended for use on courses in theoretical physics, astrophysics or applied mathematics that include modern cosmology.'
Review
"This valuable graduate-student text is comprehensible and has many problems for students to solve." Sky and Telescope
Review
'... the quality of the text is at the high level the author's reputation would suggest ≥'. Astronomy & Geophysics
Review
'... a really excellent set of lecture notes which add up to a very accessible text on what is often misrepresented as an extremely esoteric subject ... due to its clarity, straight-forward style, and scope, this book has long been a favourite of students.' Dominic Clancy, The Observatory
Review
'The student can gain some early practice by looking at the examples presented here. They will also obtain a rigorous overview of the present observational data that will need to be incorporated into any model that wishes to displace present big bang cosmology.' Contemporary Physics
Synopsis
The third edition of this successful textbook is fully updated and includes important recent developments in cosmology. The book begins with an introduction to cosmology and general relativity, and then goes on to cover the mathematical models of standard cosmology. The physical aspects of cosmology are discussed, and alternative models of cosmology are reviewed. The book includes 400 problems and numerous worked examples. This textbook is suitable for advanced undergraduates and graduates. It is intended for use on courses in theoretical physics, astrophysics or applied mathematics that include moder n cosmology.
Synopsis
This introductory textbook describes modern cosmology at a level suitable for advanced undergraduates who are familiar with mathematical methods and basic theoretical physics. An introductory survey of the large scale structure of the universe is followed by an outline of general relativity. This is then used to construct the standard models of the universe. The very early and early stages of the Big Bang are described, and this includes primordial nucleosynthesis, grand unified theories, primordial black holes, and the era of quantum cosmology. The problem of the formation of structure in the universe is then addressed. This textbook concludes with brief outlines of alternative cosmologies. It includes 400 problems for students to solve, and is accompanied by numerous worked examples.
Synopsis
Provides a comprehensive introduction to the origin and evolution of the universe.
Synopsis
The third edition of this successful textbook is fully updated and includes important recent developments in cosmology. It begins with an introduction to cosmology and general relativity, and goes on to cover the mathematical models of standard cosmology. The physical aspects of cosmology, including primordial nucleosynthesis, the astroparticle physics of inflation, and the current ideas on structure formation are discussed. Alternative models of cosmology are reviewed, including the model of Quasi-Steady State Cosmology, which has recently been proposed as an alternative to Big Bang Cosmology.
Table of Contents
Foreword Sir Fred Hoyle; Preface to the first edition; Preface to the second edition; 1. The large-scale structure of the universe; 2. The general theory of relativity; 3. From relativity to cosmology; 4. The Friedman models; 5. Relics of the Big Bang; 6. The very early universe; 7. The formation of large scale structure of the universe; 8. Alternative cosmologies; 9. Cosmologies with creation of matter; 10. Observational tests of cosmological significance; 11. Observations of distant parts of the universe; 12. A critical overview of cosmology; Table of constants; Glossary.