Foundations of Modern Cosmology [Hardcover]

John F. Hawley (Author), Katherine A. Holcomb (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 019853096X | ISBN-13: 978-0198530961 | Publication Date: August 25, 2005 | Edition: 2

Recent discoveries in astronomy, especially those made with data collected by satellites such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe, have revolutionized the science of cosmology. These new observations offer the possibility that some long-standing mysteries in cosmology might be answered, including such fundamental questions as the ultimate fate of the universe. Foundations of modern cosmology provides an accessible, thorough and descriptive introduction to the physical basis for modern cosmological theory, from the big bang to a distant future dominated by dark energy. This second edition includes the latest observational results and provides the detailed background material necessary to understand their implications, with a focus on the specific model supported by these observations, the concordance model. Consistent with the book's title, emphasis is given to the scientific framework for cosmology, particularly the basics concepts of physics that underlie modern theories of relativity and cosmology; the importance of data and observations is stressed throughout.The book sketches the historical background of cosmology, and provides a review of the relevant basic physics and astronomy. After this introduction, both special and general relativity are treated, before proceeding to an in-depth discussion of the big bang theory and physics of the early universe. The book includes current research areas, including dark matter and structure formation, dark energy, the inflationary universe, and quantum cosmology. The authors' website (http://www.astro.virginia.edu/~jh8h/Foundations) offers a wealth of supplemental information, including questions and answers, references to other sources, and updates on the latest discoveries.

Editorial Reviews

Review

`Review from previous edition "Foundations of Modern Cosmology" by John F. Hawley and Katherine A. Holcomb is a welcome addition to the list of college-level astronomy textbooks for nonscience majors. [...] Hawley and Holcomb bring to their writing valuable first-hand knowledge and accomplishment in relativistic astrophysics research. Their book reflects the careful development that occurs only when a textbook is written after years of teaching the material.' Paul Shapiro, Physics Today, Vol 52, No. 5, May 1999 pg 70-73

About the Author

John F. Hawley is Professor of Astronomy at the University of Virginia. His research interests include black holes, accretion disks, and large-scale numerical modeling of astrophysical systems. He was the 1993 recipient of the Helen B. Warner Prize from the American Astronomical Society for his contributions to accretion disk theory and numerical simulations. He has taught an introductory course in cosmology for undergraduates at the University of Virginia since 1989.

Katherine A. Holcomb received a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Texas at Austin. She has worked on numerical simulations of a variety of physical systems, including cosmology, relativistic plasma theory, and climate. She is currently employed at the University of Virginia in research computing support.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 568 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition (August 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 019853096X
• ISBN-13: 978-0198530961
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #136,239 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #19 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Physics > Nuclear Physics > Particle Physics

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars foundation s of modern cosmology, September 20, 2000

By 

"pookcheeyin" (kuala lumpur, malaysia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Foundations of Modern Cosmology (Hardcover)

I got this book from my university library. Pretty easy reading considering I'm an engineering student. But then, this book isn't just for physics/astronomy students, as the authors have mentioned. It starts by giving a brief history of cosmology, continuing to current understanding before going to the current problems. The book is not math intensive as it emphasize on understanding the concepts. That's why it is something like a popular-science book. For those who have an interest in cosmology, consept-wise, I recommend this title. Those requiring intensive math, look elsewhere. The other cosmology book I've read is by Martin Roos.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A serious yet easy to read book, July 17, 2003

By 

"jayjina" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Foundations of Modern Cosmology (Hardcover)

This is a serious yet easy to read book on a facinating and popular subject and its main commendation is its accessibility and rigour. It is an excellent antidote to some of the glossy and expensively packeged books by "pop" writers and TV programmes.

As the introduction of the book makes clear, the authors aim for a wide audience for whom Cosmology is not a core discipline. Not only do they do a good job in meeting this goal, but they also present the physical concepts and experimental results in a way that provides new and deep insights to those whose main interest is Physics. For instance, the discussion of the Big Bang and the cosmic models provides an excellent complement to the mathematical presentation of authors like M.V. Berry. Equally, there is a plethora of material that describes experimental results like those for General Relativity: bending of light under the infulence of the sun's gravity, the Eotovos experiment to demonstrate the Equivalence Principle, etc.

The book covers a broad field: Some historical aspects, Special and General Relativity, the Big Bang and various cosmic models, dark matter, and large scale structure.

The glossary and the authors' web site provide further information on the subject.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Terribly written textbook, October 23, 2010

By 

Michael Selby (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Foundations of Modern Cosmology (Hardcover)

I dearly love the subjects of astronomy and cosmology, and was very much looking forward to updating my knowledge in this area with this text book. In particular, there has been so much new knowledge gained in the last decade, that I really wanted to get up to date. Hence my disappointment to discover what a poorly written piece of work this book is. The explanations are unclear. Sentences ramble from one topic to another in the same paragraph, so much that you have no idea where the author is going. In areas where I already know what he is talking about, I marvel at how unclear he is in explaining fairly simple ideas. And in areas where I am new to what he is describing, I get hopelessly lost, having no idea what he's trying to say. He's very long-winded on astronomy-history, telling us for chapters about Aristotle, Ptolemy and Copernicus. I'm not interested in a history of cosmology, nor in the quirks of various astronomers' personalities. I want to learn cosmology. And this book does a rambling, poorly organized, and unclear job of it.