Books in the Astrophysics and Space Science Library series

Near-infrared astronomy has become one of the most rapidly developing branches in modern astrophysics. Innovative observing techniques, near-infrared detectors with quantum efficiencies in excess of 90%, highly specialised instruments as well as advanced data reduction techniques have allowed major breakthroughs in various areas like exoplanets, star-forming regions, the supermassive black hole in the Galactic center, and the high-redshift Universe.In this book, the reader will be introduced to the basic concepts of how to prepare near-infrared observations with maximized scientific return. Equal weight is given to all aspects of the data reduction for both - imaging and spectroscopy. Information is also provided on the state of the art instrumentation available and planned, on detector technology or the physics of the atmosphere, all of which influence the preparation and execution of observations and data reduction techniques. The beginner but also the expert will find a lot of information in compact form which is otherwise widely dispersed across the internet or other sources.

This book provides a detailed, state-of-the-art overview of key observational and theoretical aspects of the rapidly developing and highly interdisciplinary field of exoplanet science, as viewed through the lenses of eight world-class experts.

1. Astrophysical Constraints on Dense Matter in Neutron Stars.- 2. General Relativity Measurements from Pulsars.- 3. Magnetars: A Short Review and Some Sparse Considerations.- 4. Accreting Millisecond X-ray Pulsars.- 5. Thermonuclear X-ray Bursts.- 6. High-Frequency Variability in Neutron-Star Low-Mass X-ray Binaries.

This book is the first thorough and overdue biography of one of the giants of science in the twentieth century, Jan Hendrik Oort.

This book serves as both a primer to astronomical polarimetry and an authoritative overview of its application to various types of astronomical objects from AGN, compact stars, binary systems, stars across the HR diagram, transients, the interstellar medium and solar system bodies.

After several decades spent in astronomical semi-obscurity, the Moon has of late suddenly emerged as an object of considerable interest to students of astronomy as well as of other branches of natural science and technology;

Over the years, various maps of Mars have emerged from the special course "Mapping of extraterrestrial objects" in the MSU Geography Department, including the hypsometric map of Mars at a scale of 1:26,000,000, compiled by J.A.

A brief exposition on dust in the diffuse interstellar medium is followed by a discussion of molecular clouds in general and high-latitude molecular clouds in particular. Ways of calibrating CO observations with the molecular hydrogen content of a cloud are examined along with the dark molecular gas controversy.

This volume is designed as an introductory text and reference book for graduate students, researchers and practitioners in the fields of astronomy, astrodynamics, satellite systems, space sciences and astrophysics.

Although the sky enters into much of literature through the ages, British authors offer an especially fertile connection to the heavens, and Levy links the works of seminal authors from Shakespeare on to specific celestial events and scientific advances.

This monograph traces the development of our understanding of how and where energetic particles are accelerated in the heliosphere and how they may reach the Earth.

Celestial Shadows

This book covers the development of continual models of turbulent natural media. Processes of self-organization are addressed in detail using irreversible thermodynamics and stochastic dynamics, and focusing on formation and evolution of protoplanetary discs.

This authoritative text on plasma behavior in diverse astrophysical contexts combines classical and contemporary theory to show how fundamental principles in electromagnetism, hydrodynamics, and quantum mechanics find expression in plasma physics.

This book offers a guided historical and scientific tour of our understanding of element synthesis. Beginning with generally accepted science, the book ends in today's terra incognita of nuclear physics, astrophysics and cosmology

This biography summarizes the seminal contributions to auroral and space science of Carl Stormer (1874 - 1957), the first to develop precise photographic methods to calculate heights and morphologies of diverse auroral forms during four solar cycles.

Focusing on the kinetic description of the inner magnetospheric plasma, this volume illustrates how to determine the best approach to any upper atmospheric or space physics problem. Readers will find a full theoretical description of the inner magnetospheric plasma.

The book gives an extended review of theoretical and observational aspects of neutron star physics. It describes all layers of neutron stars, from the surface to the core, with the emphasis on their structure and equation of state.

As a complete summary of the author's twenty five years of experience in telescope design, this book provides a general introduction as well as discussing the theory in depth, and covering Radio, Infrared, Optical, X-Ray and Gamma-Ray wavelengths.

Here is an account of the life and work of Thomas Gold, one of the most remarkable astrophysicists in the second half of the 20th century. Based on Gold's autobiography, this book is edited by the Cambridge astrophysicist and science historian Simon Mitton.

This development of higher quality and more sensitive equipment makes it very necessary to improve the accuracy of the measurements. This guide helps the astronomer and astronomy student to improve the quality of their photometric measurements and to extract a maximum of information from their observations.

Anyone who doubts that astronomy is enjoying a golden age has only to browse the pages of Organizations and Strategies in Astronomy, Vol.

This book presents lecture materials from the Third LOFAR Data School, transformed into a coherent and complete reference book describing the LOFAR design, along with descriptions of primary science cases, data processing techniques, and recipes for data handling.

A new chapter now provides a description of interstellar processes often called 'chemical evolution', thus linking the creation of new nuclei to their abundance observations in gas and stars.