Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime: Quantized Fields and Gravity (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics) [Hardcover]

Leonard Parker (Author), David Toms (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521877873 | ISBN-13: 978-0521877879 | Publication Date: September 21, 2009 | Edition: 1

This book develops quantum field theory in curved spacetime in a pedagogical style, suitable for graduate students. The authors present detailed, physically motivated, derivations of cosmological and black hole processes in which curved spacetime plays a key role. They explain how such processes in the rapidly expanding early universe leave observable consequences today, and how in the context of evaporating black holes, these processes uncover deep connections between gravitation and elementary particles. The authors also lucidly describe many other aspects of free and interacting quantized fields in curved spacetime.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"While readers of Birrel and Davies will certainly like this new book, newcomers and students will appreciate the breadth and the style of a treatise written by two well known scientists who have dedicated their lives to the understanding of the treatment of quantum fields in a fixed gravitational background."
Massimo Giovannini, CERN Courier

"This is an interesting book which contains a lot of material about an important topic of theoretical physics."
Michael Keyl, Mathematical Reviews

Book Description

Suitable for graduate students, this book presents detailed derivations of cosmological and black hole processes in which curved spacetime plays a key role. It explains how such processes in the early universe leave observable consequences today, and how these processes uncover deep connections between gravitation and elementary particles.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 472 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1 edition (September 21, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521877873
• ISBN-13: 978-0521877879
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,129,838 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive & comprehensible, November 28, 2009

By 

Babis (WI, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime: Quantized Fields and Gravity (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics) (Hardcover)

Having tried to work through Birrell & Davies a few years ago,
I remember that the text was well written and insightful, but
just seemed too dense on certain subjects, such as the Dirac
equation in curved space.

Knowing that Parker is one of the pioneers in the field, I was
excited when the book was announced. Once I got it in my hands,
I jumped right ahead to the spinor/Dirac equation chapter and
happily found a thorough account of it, with no details omitted.

The text does of course require a background in QFT in flat space and
of classical general relativity, although a brief account of the former
is given in Chapter 1. To me, it's main advantage is the thorough
and detailed presentation of calculations.

If I had to point out a flaw - and this may sound strange -
I would say that the main advantage is also its disadvantage:
you may be lost in all the details and miss the big picture, i.e.
the calculations are clear but sometimes their motivation is not as clear.
However, this does not prevent me from appreciating the
detailed calculations, which is what a beginner needs.

In conclusion, if you need a good pedagogical introduction
to QFT in curved space, the book by Mukhanov is an excellent starter.
If you want a good overall picture of the subject, then the
monograph by Birrel & Davies is a very good resource.
If you want a text that is thorough, pedagogical and detailed,
then I think Parker & Toms will become a new standard reference.

2 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Graduate level, mathematically rigorous, February 10, 2010

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime: Quantized Fields and Gravity (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics) (Hardcover)

Leonard Parker is a Distinguished Professor of physics and director of the Center for Gravitation and Cosmology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is basically the founder of the study of quantum field theory in curved space-time. His has work formed the basis of research by hundreds of physicists worldwide including being cited by Stephen Hawking in his discover the creation of particles by black holes.

David Toms (Ph.D. University of Toronto) is a member of the faculty in Mathematical Physics at the University of Newcastle. He has published numerous papers in Quantum field theory, General relativity, Quantum gravity, Bose-Einstein condensation, and Statistical mechanics.

This book, positioned at the graduate level requires considerable background in classical general relativity, basic quantum field theory, and the associated mathematics. It is mathematically rigorous and could be used for a one or two semester course or by the individual researcher.