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Title: An Introduction to Cosmology by J. V. Narlikar ISBN: 0-521-79376-9 Publisher: Cambridge University Press Pub. Date: 10 January, 2002 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $60.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 5 (1 review)
Rating: 5
Summary: Be prepared to think...
Comment: Jayant Narlikar's 'Introduction to Cosmology' has a simple enough title, but do not be deceived. This is a graduate-level textbook on one of the most difficult subjects around--mathematical, theoretical explorations of large-scale universal structures.
If, as Stephen Hawking once said, for every equation in the book, you lose half your readership, I would calculate (just off the top of my head) that only a dozen people have read this book! Actually, to be serious, this book presupposes a knowledge of calculus (differential equations, vector analysis, Fourier series, etc.) and assumes a fairly extensive knowledge of physics (thermodynamics, electromagnetic theory, atomic structure, fluid dynamics).
This is intended as a text book for the advanced undergraduate or graduate level student, and to that end, it has problems, most of which are computational in nature.
'It is usual to find cosmology appearing at the end of a text on general relativity, introduced more as an appendage than as a subject in its own right. Perhaps this is one reason why cosmology still stands apart from the rest of astronomy, where it really belongs. The astronomer tends to regard cosmology as a playground for general relativists rather than a logical extension of extragalactic astronomy.'
Narlikar introduces general relativistic theory as a tool rather than a subject, for use in understanding the geometrical principles applied to cosmology. He continues forward to use standard models (Friedmann) of cosmology as solutions to Einstein's equations, before progressing to discussing the physical properties of cosmology, including galactic evolution (structure, kinematics and dynamics--one could refer here then to Milhaus and Binney's work on the same), particle physics and early universe issues.
From here, Narlikar progresses to some non-standard cosmological constructions, including anisotropic cosmologies, steady state theories and cosmologies that might correspond to the Mach principle (although, as the name non-standard would indicate, these are fringe, or sometimes, older theories, which are largely discredited, but science must look to them as they occasionally give insight into observations). This, as an introduction, is not exhaustive, and does not get into cosmological models such as Alfven & Klein's matter-antimatter symmetry, the Einstein-Cartan cosmologies, or Milne's kinematic relativity, or the ideas of Segal or McCrea.
From here Narlikar ends the book with discussion of observational cosmology, exploring the implications of local observations (such as background microwave radiation that permeates the universe, a discovery of Penzias and Wilson at Bell Telephone Laboratories), the Hubble Constant and redshift issues, and quasars (do they or do they not fit standard models of cosmology and scientific principles currently known?).
'By claiming to describe the universe as a whole, cosmology transcends the realms of all other branches of science. Any conclusions about the universe are bound to be profound and hence must be drawn with caution. This caution is often missing in statements about cosmology. All too often the investigator (whether a theoretician or an observer) is tempted to mistake the model of the universe for the real thing. Categorical remarks about the state of the universe are often found upon closer examination to be model-dependent. Firm claims about observations of the universe have had to be withdrawn later when a better assessment of the observational error became possible.'
In conclusion, Narlikar gives an brief summary of the cases for and against standard cosmological models, and a glimpse into future research, which will be aided as observational tools become more sensitive.
This is a science text book, and thus is rather dry and straightforward in presentation. But as a tool for the high-end astronomer/astrophysicist, it is a valuable work.
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Title: Principles of Physical Cosmology by Phillip James Edwin Peebles ISBN: 0691019339 Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr Pub. Date: 19 April, 1993 List Price(USD): $35.68 |
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Title: Modern Cosmology by Scott Dodelson ISBN: 0122191412 Publisher: Academic Press Pub. Date: 07 March, 2003 List Price(USD): $70.00 |
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Title: Cosmological Inflation and Large-Scale Structure by Andrew R. Liddle, David H. Lyth ISBN: 0521575982 Publisher: Cambridge University Press Pub. Date: 13 April, 2000 List Price(USD): $40.00 |
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Title: Cosmological Physics by John A. Peacock ISBN: 0521422701 Publisher: Cambridge University Press Pub. Date: 28 December, 1998 List Price(USD): $55.00 |
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Title: An Introduction to Modern Cosmology by Andrew Liddle ISBN: 0470848359 Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Pub. Date: 09 May, 2003 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
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