New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics

New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics PDF

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2011-02-04

Total Pages: 324

ISBN-13: 0309157994

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Driven by discoveries, and enabled by leaps in technology and imagination, our understanding of the universe has changed dramatically during the course of the last few decades. The fields of astronomy and astrophysics are making new connections to physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science. Based on a broad and comprehensive survey of scientific opportunities, infrastructure, and organization in a national and international context, New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics outlines a plan for ground- and space- based astronomy and astrophysics for the decade of the 2010's. Realizing these scientific opportunities is contingent upon maintaining and strengthening the foundations of the research enterprise including technological development, theory, computation and data handling, laboratory experiments, and human resources. New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics proposes enhancing innovative but moderate-cost programs in space and on the ground that will enable the community to respond rapidly and flexibly to new scientific discoveries. The book recommends beginning construction on survey telescopes in space and on the ground to investigate the nature of dark energy, as well as the next generation of large ground-based giant optical telescopes and a new class of space-based gravitational observatory to observe the merging of distant black holes and precisely test theories of gravity. New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics recommends a balanced and executable program that will support research surrounding the most profound questions about the cosmos. The discoveries ahead will facilitate the search for habitable planets, shed light on dark energy and dark matter, and aid our understanding of the history of the universe and how the earliest stars and galaxies formed. The book is a useful resource for agencies supporting the field of astronomy and astrophysics, the Congressional committees with jurisdiction over those agencies, the scientific community, and the public.

Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millennium

Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millennium PDF

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2002-01-07

Total Pages: 400

ISBN-13: 0309183073

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In preparing the report, Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millenium , the AASC made use of a series of panel reports that address various aspects of ground- and space-based astronomy and astrophysics. These reports provide in-depth technical detail. Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millenium: An Overview summarizes the science goals and recommended initiatives in a short, richly illustrated, non-technical booklet.

The Decade of Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics

The Decade of Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics PDF

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1991-02-01

Total Pages: 221

ISBN-13: 0309043816

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Astronomers and astrophysicists are making revolutionary advances in our understanding of planets, stars, galaxies, and even the structure of the universe itself. The Decade of Discovery presents a survey of this exciting field of science and offers a prioritized agenda for space- and ground-based research into the twenty-first century. The book presents specific recommendations, programs, and expenditure levels to meet the needs of the astronomy and astrophysics communities. Accessible to the interested lay reader, the book explores: The technological investments needed for instruments that will be built in the next century. The importance of the computer revolution to all aspects of astronomical research. The potential usefulness of the moon as an observatory site. Policy issues relevant to the funding of astronomy and the execution of astronomical projects. The Decade of Discovery will prove valuable to science policymakers, research administrators, scientists, and students in the physical sciences, and interested lay readers.

Advanced Astrophysics

Advanced Astrophysics PDF

Author: Nebojsa Duric

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 326

ISBN-13: 9780521525718

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This 2003 book develops the basic underlying physics required for a fuller, richer understanding of the science of astrophysics and the important astronomical phenomena it describes. The cosmos manifests phenomena in which physics can appear in its most extreme, and therefore more insightful, forms. A proper understanding of phenomena like black holes, quasars and extrasolar planets requires that we understand the physics that underlies all of astrophysics. Consequently, developing astrophysical concepts from fundamental physics has the potential to achieve two goals: to derive a better understanding of astrophysical phenomena from first principles and to illuminate the physics from which the astrophysics is developed. To that end, astrophysical topics are grouped according to the relevant areas of physics. The book is ideal as a text for graduate and advanced undergraduate students as well as a reference for established researchers.

Advances in Astronomy

Advances in Astronomy PDF

Author: J. M. T. Thompson

Publisher: Imperial College Press

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 434

ISBN-13: 1860947131

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In this highly accessible book, leading scientists from around the world give a general overview of research advances in their subject areas within the field of Astronomy. They describe some of their own cutting-edge research and give their visions of the future. Re-written in a popular and well-illustrated style, the articles are mainly derived from scholarly and authoritative papers published in special issues of the Royal SocietyOCOs Philosophical Transactions, the worldOCOs longest running scientific journal. Carefully selected by the journalOCOs editor, topics include the Big Bang creation of the universe, the formation and evolution of the stars and galaxies, cold dark matter, explosive sun-spot events, and humankindOCOs exploration of the solar system. The book conveys the excitement and enthusiasm of the authors for their work at the frontiers of astronomy. All are definitive reviews for people with a general interest in the future directions of science."

Essential Astrophysics

Essential Astrophysics PDF

Author: Kenneth R. Lang

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-05-24

Total Pages: 651

ISBN-13: 3642359639

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Essential Astrophysics is a book to learn or teach from, as well as a fundamental reference volume for anyone interested in astronomy and astrophysics. It presents astrophysics from basic principles without requiring any previous study of astronomy or astrophysics. It serves as a comprehensive introductory text, which takes the student through the field of astrophysics in lecture-sized chapters of basic physical principles applied to the cosmos. This one-semester overview will be enjoyed by undergraduate students with an interest in the physical sciences, such as astronomy, chemistry, engineering or physics, as well as by any curious student interested in learning about our celestial science. The mathematics required for understanding the text is on the level of simple algebra, for that is all that is needed to describe the fundamental principles. The text is of sufficient breadth and depth to prepare the interested student for more advanced specialised courses in the future. Astronomical examples are provided throughout the text, to reinforce the basic concepts and physics, and to demonstrate the use of the relevant formulae. In this way, the student learns to apply the fundamental equations and principles to cosmic objects and situations. Astronomical and physical constants and units as well as the most fundamental equations can be found in the appendix. Essential Astrophysics goes beyond the typical textbook by including references to the seminal papers in the field, with further reference to recent applications, results, or specialised literature.