SINGULAR NULL HYPERSURFACES IN GENERAL RELATIVITY
Light-Like Signals from Violent Astrophysical Events
by C Barrabès (University of Tours, France) & P A Hogan (University College Dublin, Ireland)
This book presents a comprehensive and self-contained exposition of the mathematical theory of impulsive light-like signals in general relativity. Applications are provided in relativistic astrophysics, cosmology and alternative theories of gravity deduced from string theory. Cataclysmic astrophysical events give rise to impulsive light-like signals which can generally be decomposed into a thin shell of null matter and an impulsive gravitational wave. Several examples are considered in black hole physics, wave collisions and light-like boosts of compact gravitating sources.
Graduate students and researchers in relativistic astrophysics, cosmology and string theory will find this book very useful.
Contents:
- General Description of an Impulsive Light-Like Signal
- Illustrations
and Implications of the Bianchi Identities
- Light-Like Boosts of Gravitating Bodies
- Spherically Symmetric Null Shells
- Collisions of Plane Impulsive Light-Like Signals
- Impulsive Light-Like Signals in Alternative Theories of Gravity
Readership: Researchers, graduate students and upper-level undergraduates
interested in general relativity.
"For many years Barrabes and Hogan have been at the forefront of research on the physics and mathematics of singular lightlike hypersurfaces in general relativity. In this fine book they present their accumulated wisdom, for the benefit of students and researchers in this field. The book is dense with insight and beautiful results, and there is no doubt that the interested reader will indeed benefit greatly from this careful exposition."
Eric Poisson
University of Guelph |
"... this book will stimulate the further development of models of impulsive and shock waves that are more closely related to cosmological and astrophysical processes."
"This book is a very carefully prepared presentation about singular null hypersurfaces within General Relativity theory."
"The book is clearly written and all details of the calculations are supplied. To read it with profit requires a first course in general relativity at the final undergraduate or first year graduate student level, but is otherwise rather accessible. It can be recommended without reservation to anyone seriously interested in General Relativity and should be on the shelves of any physics or mathematics library. It is a major contribution to the subject and is likely to become a classic reference."
"The three fundamental papers which started this area of research all appeared at essentially the same time, 35 years ago; it is high time there was a unified presentation of the entire field. This book fills that need admirably, and could serve as the core of a graduate seminar for students having already taken a course in general relativity, or as a reference. My copy will have a treasured place in my library."
| Classical and Quantum Gravity |
"I believe that the book is really useful both as an introduction to the field and as a reference for researchers ... I think that 'Singular Null Hypersurfaces' is a really interesting book."
| General Relativity and Gravitation |
"I believe that the book is really useful both as an introduction to the field and as a reference for researchers ... it is a really interesting book."
| 204pp |
Pub. date: Feb 2004 |
