What Are Gamma-Ray Bursts? (eBook)

Joshua S. Bloom (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2011
280 Seiten
Princeton University Press (Verlag)
978-1-4008-3700-7 (ISBN)

Infos

A brief, cutting-edge introduction to the brightest cosmic phenomena known to scienceGamma-ray bursts are the brightest-and, until recently, among the least understood-cosmic events in the universe. Discovered by chance during the cold war, these evanescent high-energy explosions confounded astronomers for decades. But a rapid series of startling breakthroughs beginning in 1997 revealed that the majority of gamma-ray bursts are caused by the explosions of young and massive stars in the vast star-forming cauldrons of distant galaxies. New findings also point to very different origins for some events, serving to complicate but enrich our understanding of the exotic and violent universe. What Are Gamma-Ray Bursts? is a succinct introduction to this fast-growing subject, written by an astrophysicist who is at the forefront of today's research into these incredible cosmic phenomena.Joshua Bloom gives readers a concise and accessible overview of gamma-ray bursts and the theoretical framework that physicists have developed to make sense of complex observations across the electromagnetic spectrum. He traces the history of remarkable discoveries that led to our current understanding of gamma-ray bursts, and reveals the decisive role these phenomena could play in the grand pursuits of twenty-first century astrophysics, from studying gravity waves and unveiling the growth of stars and galaxies after the big bang to surmising the ultimate fate of the universe itself.What Are Gamma-Ray Bursts? is an essential primer to this exciting frontier of scientific inquiry, and a must-read for anyone seeking to keep pace with cutting-edge developments in physics today.

Autor

Joshua S. Bloom is associate professor of astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley.

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 10.1.2011
• Reihe/Serie: Princeton Frontiers in Physics
• Reihe/Serie: Princeton Frontiers in Physics
• Zusatzinfo: 25 line illus.
• Verlagsort: Princeton
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Astronomie / Astrophysik
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Thermodynamik
• Themenwelt: Technik
• Schlagworte: Absorber • acceleration • accretion disk • Afterglow • afterglow emission • afterglows • afterglow theory • age of the universe • Angular diameter • anomalous X-ray pulsars • Apparent magnitude • Astronomer • Astronomers • Astronomical Unit • Astronomy • astrophysics • Atmosphere of Earth • Background radiation • BeppoSAX • Big Bang • brightness • Calculation • celestial sphere • central engine behavior • Chronology of the universe • Compact Star • Cosmic distance ladder • cosmic phenomena • Cosmic Ray • cosmic rays • Degenerate matter • Doppler Effect • Dust • ejecta • Electromagnetic Spectrum • Electronvolt • elementary particle • Energy • excited state • explosion propertie • Extrapolation • Galactic Center • Galaxies • Gamma ray • gamma-ray burst • Gamma-Ray Bursts • Gas • General relativity • Globular Cluster • Gravitational redshift • Gravitational Wave • gravitational waves • Gravity waves • GRB • GRB 090423 • GRB 970508 • GRB 980425 • GRB afterglows • GRBs • ground state • high-energy emission • Hubble's law • Hubble space telescope • hydrogen atom • Interstellar Medium • Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array • kinetic energy • light • light curve • light-year • LIGO • Lorentz factor • Luminosity distance • magnetar • Magnetic field • Mass flow • Measurement • Metallicity • Minute and second of arc • Molecule • NASA GRB satellite • Neutrino • Neutrinos • Neutron • neutron star • Neutron Stars • nuclear fusion • Nuclear testing • Nucleosynthesis • number density • Optical depth • Order of magnitude • pair production • panchromatic observations • parsec • Partial Test Ban Treaty • Photon • plane wave • positron • power law • Progenitors • Quantity • quantum mechanics • Quasar • Radioactive decay • Radionuclide • Radio Wave • Ray Klebesadel • Redshift • Reionization • relativistic shocks • Satellite galaxy • scattering • scientific inquiry • SN 1998bw • soft Gamma-ray Repeaters • Solar mass • spectroscopy • Star • star formation • stellar evolution • Stellar population • Supernova • Supernova Remnant • Swift satellite • synchrotron • Synchrotron radiation • theoretical physics • Time dilation • Ultraviolet • Uncertainty • Vela Satellite Program • Wavelength • White Dwarf • X-ray Emission • year • Young Stars
• ISBN-10: 1-4008-3700-6 / 1400837006
• ISBN-13: 978-1-4008-3700-7 / 9781400837007