Lanterna Rally

Author: Pranab Ghosh

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2007-04-17

Total Pages: 792

ISBN-13: 9814490148

This book is an introduction to pulsars, a key area in high energy astrophysics with continuing potential for fundamental discoveries. Throughout the book runs the unifying thread of the evolutionary link between rotation-powered pulsars and accretion-powered pulsars — a milestone of modern astrophysics. Early textbooks on pulsars dealt almost entirely with rotation-powered ones, while accounts of pulsars in volumes on X-ray binaries focused almost exclusively on accretion-powered ones. This is the first textbook to treat these two kinds of pulsars simultaneously with equal importance, stressing the fact that both are rotating, magnetic neutron stars, operating under different conditions during different parts of their lives. It describes the observational properties of both kinds of pulsars, summarizes our physical understanding of these properties, and pays detailed attention to the physics of superdense matter which neutron stars are composed of, as well as to the superfluidity which is expected to occur in neutron stars. Evolution from rotation-power to accretion-power, and vice versa, are carefully described. The effects of the strong magnetic fields of neutron stars on themselves, their emission properties, and their environments are discussed, as are the origin and evolution of such magnetic fields. Also treated is the superbly accurate verification of Einstein's theory of general relativity through timing studies of binary pulsars, which led to the award of the Nobel Prize to Hulse and Taylor in 1993. On each topic, the book starts with simple, basic physical concepts, and builds up the exposition to the point where the latest and most exciting developments become accessible to the reader. Contents:The Discovery of PulsarsPhysics of Neutron StarsOrigin and Evolution of Neutron StarsProperties of Rotation Powered PulsarsSuperfluidity in Neutron Stars and Glitch DiagnosticsProperties of Accretion Powered PulsarsPulsar MagnetospheresPulsar Emission MechanismsSpin Evolution of Neutron StarsNeutron Star Magnetic FieldsStrange Stars Readership: Graduate students and upper level undergraduates, researchers and teachers in astrophysics, astronomy, theoretical physics, astro-plasma physics, general relativity and related subjects. Keywords:Reviews:“Neutron stars are implicated in some of the most fascinating phenomena in the universe. This comprehensive text is unique in its authoritative and clear coverage of what we have learnt about neutron stars in different cosmic environments from observations in all wavebands.”Professor Sir M J Rees Astronomer Royal Cambridge University “Rotation and Accretion Powered Pulsars by Professor Pranab Ghosh is a masterpiece of erudition and pedagogy and can be recommended without hesitation to both beginners and specialists in this fascinating field of modern astrophysics.”Professor Jean-Pierre Lasota Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris “This book is an excellent and up to date basic reference source for all theoretical and observational aspects of neutron stars and will be very much welcomed by everyone working in high-energy astrophysics, stellar evolution and the studies of pulsars. For those teaching courses in these fields of astrophysics it also is highly recommended.”Space Science Reviews “The book is written in a very readable style, with clear explanations of the subtleties of the various topics and occasional anecdotal notes on points of historical interest. It would be a valuable addition to the library of anyone interested in the physics of compact stellar objects.”Australian Physics