Physical foundations of cosmology
By: Viatcheslav Mukhanov
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 2005
Place of publication: Cambridge, UK; New York
Language: eng
Format: [electronic resource] /
Number of pages: 421
ISBN-13: 9780511136795
Subjects: Inflationary universe; Quantum theory; Cosmology; SCIENCE
Description: Inflationary cosmology has been developed over the last twenty years to remedy serious shortcomings in the standard hot big bang model of the universe. Taking an original approach, this textbook explains the basis of modern cosmology and shows where the theoretical results come from. The book is divided into two parts; the first deals with the homogeneous and isotropic model of the Universe, the second part discusses how inhomogeneities can explain its structure. Established material such as the inflation and quantum cosmological perturbation are presented in great detail, however the reader is brought to the frontiers of current cosmological research by the discussion of more speculative ideas. An ideal textbook for both advanced students of physics and astrophysics, all of the necessary background material is included in every chapter and no prior knowledge of general relativity and quantum field theory is assumed.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 410-417) and index.

Description based on print version record.
Table of contents: title: Cover; title: Half-title; title: Title; title: Copyright; title: Contents; title: Foreword by Professor Andrei Linde; title: Preface; title: Acknowledgements; title: Units and conventions; title: Part I Homogeneous isotropic universe; title: 1 Kinematics and dynamics of an expanding universe; title: 1.1 Hubble law; title: 1.2 Dynamics of dust in Newtonian cosmology; title: 1.3 From Newtonian to relativistic cosmology; title: 2 Propagation of light and horizons; title: 2.1 Light geodesics; title: 2.2 Horizons; title: 2.3 Conformal diagrams; title: 2.4 Redshift; title: 2.5 Kinematic tests; title: 3 The hot universe; title: 3.1 The composition of the universe; title: 3.2 Brief thermal history; title: 3.3 Rudiments of thermodynamics; title: 3.4 Lepton era; title: 3.5 Nucleosynthesis; title: 3.6 Recombination; title: 4 The very early universe; title: 4.1 Basics; title: 4.2 Quantum chromodynamics and quarkgluon plasma; title: 4.3 Electroweak theory; title: 4.4 8220;Symmetry restoration8221; and phase transitions; title: 4.5 Instantons, sphalerons and the early universe; title: 4.6 Beyond the Standard Model; title: 5 Inflation I: homogeneous limit; title: 5.1 Problem of initial conditions; title: 5.2 Inflation: main idea; title: 5.3 How can gravity become 8220;repulsive8221;?; title: 5.4 How to realize the equation of state p8230;; title: 5.5 Preheating and reheating; title: 5.6 8220;Menu8221; of scenarios; title: Part II Inhomogeneous universe; title: 6 Gravitational instability in Newtonian theory; title: 6.1 Basic equations; title: 6.2 Jeans theory; title: 6.3 Instability in an expanding universe; title: 6.4 Beyond linear approximation; title: 7 Gravitational instability in General Relativity; title: 7.1 Perturbations and gauge-invariant variables; title: 7.2 Equations for cosmological perturbations; title: 7.3 Hydrodynamical perturbations; title: 7.4 Baryonradiation plasma and cold dark matter; title: 8 Inflation II: origin of the primordial inhomogeneities; title: 8.1 Characterizing perturbations; title: 8.2 Perturbations on inflation (slow-roll approximation); title: 8.3 Quantum cosmological perturbations; title: 8.4 Gravitational waves from inflation; title: 8.5 Self-reproduction of the universe; title: 8.6 Inflation as a theory with predictive power; title: 9 Cosmic microwave background anisotropies; title: 9.1 Basics; title: 9.2 SachsWolfe effect; title: 9.3 Initial conditions; title: 9.4 Correlation function and multipoles; title: 9.5 Anisotropies on large angular scales; title: 9.6 Delayed recombination and the finite thickness effect; title: 9.7 Anisotropies on small angular scales; title: 9.8 Determining cosmic parameters; title: 9.9 Gravitational waves; title: 9.10 Polarization of the cosmic microwave background; title: 9.11 Reionization; title: Bibliography; title: Expanding universe (Chapters 1 and 2); title: Hot universe and nucleosynthesis (Chapter 3); title: Particle physics and early universe (Chapter 4); title: Inflation (Chapters 5 and 8); title: Gravitational instability (Chapters 6 and 7); title: CMB fluctuations (Chapter 9); title: Index.