Book Description
Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity leads to two remarkable predictions: first, that the ultimate destiny of many massive stars is to undergo gravitational collapse and to disappear from view, leaving behind a ‘black hole’ in space; and secondly, that there will exist singularities in space-time itself. These singularities are places where space-time begins or ends, and the presently known laws of physics break down. They will occur inside black holes, and in the past are what might be construed as the beginning of the universe. To show how these predictions arise, the authors discuss the General Theory of Relativity in the large. Starting with a precise formulation of the theory and an account of the necessary background of differential geometry, the significance of space-time curvature is discussed and the global properties of a number of exact solutions of Einstein’s field equations are examined. The theory of the causal structure of a general space-time is developed, and is used to study black holes and to prove a number of theorems establishing the inevitability of singualarities under certain conditions. These conditions are shown to be satisfied in the vicinity of stars of more than twice the solar mass near the endpoint of their nuclear evolution, and in a time-reversed sense for the universe as a whole. In the first case, the singularity in our past. A discussion of the Cauchy problem for General Relativity is also included in the book.
Customer Reviews:
The Large Scale structure of good science books (& spacetime.......2002-02-21
I think that this book has great depth, and is one of the best Stephen Hawking books I have read. My favourite remains 'A Brief History of Time', but still this book is extremely excellent. My compliments to the chef.
A classic in mathematical general relativity.......2002-01-18
This book is now a classic and is written by two giants in mathematics and physics. It wil be used for many years to come and is certainly one of the most widely quoted in the subject.
The authors begin the book by a discussion of the role of gravity in physics and its role as determining the causal structure of the universe. They introduce the idea of a closed trapped surface, setting the stage for the goal of the book, namely the study of the conditions under which a space-time singularity must occur. Black holes and the beginning of the universe are cited as examples of these singularities. The authors also outline briefly the content of each chapter. A neat argument is given for the significance of focal points via the use of Raychaudhari's equation.
The second chapter is an overview of the background in differential geometry needed in the rest of the book. Although complete from an axiomatic point of view, the approach is much too formal for readers who do not have a knowledge of differential geometry. Such a reader should gain the necessary background elsewhere.
General relativity as a theory of gravitation is discussed in chapter 3. Spacetime is assumed to be a connected 4-dimensional smooth manifold on which is defined a Lorentz metric. The topology is assumed to be Hausdorff. Some of the more interesting or well-written parts of this chapter include the example of a spacetime that is not inextendible, the determination of the conformal factor for the spacetime metric, and the discussion of alternative field equations.
The authors discuss the physicial significance of curvature in chapter 4, namely its effect on families of timelike and null curves. The most important part of this chapter is the discussion on certain inequalities tht the energy-momentum tensor should satisfy from a physical viewpoint. These inequalities, called the weak energy condition and the dominant energy condition, allow the authors to prove the existence of singularities in a later chapter. The reader can see clearly the role of the Jacobi equation, and its solution, the Jacobi field, in measuring the separation of nearby geodesics. The existence of conjugate points is proven, and shown to imply the existence of self-intersections in families of geodesics. As a warm-up to showing the non-existence of geodesics of maximal length, the authors employ variational calculus to study how to vary non-spacelike curves connecting points in convex normal neighborhoods in spacetime, and between points and hypersurfaces. In particular, it is shown that a timelike geodesic curve from a hypersurface to a point is maximal iff there is no conjugate point to the hypersurface along the curve. In addition, the authors prove that two points joined by a non-spacelike curve which is not a null geodesic can be joined by a timelike curve.
The authors consider the exact solutions of the Einstein field equations in chapter 5. Most of the "usual" spacetimes are considered, including Minkowski, De Sitter, Anti-de-Sitter, Robertson-Walker, Schwarzschild, Reissner-Nordstrom, Kerr, Taub-Nut, and Godel. The emphasis in on the global properties of the spacetimes and the existence of singularities in them. The famous Penrose diagrams are used to "compactify" spacetimes in order to study their behavior at infinity and their conformal properties. The authors first introduce the concept of a future (past) Cauchy development here, so important in later developments in the book. The reader can see the tools developed in chapter 4 in play here; for example, the existence of a singularity in a spatially homogeneous cosmology is shown to follow directly from the Raychaudhuri equation. The existence of the singularity is proved to be independent of any acceleration or rotation of matter in such cosmologies.
In chapter 5, the authors consider the causal structure of spacetime, namely the study of its conformal geometry. The consideration of the set of all metrics conformal to the physical metric allows one to discuss "geodesic completeness" of spacetime, this concept forming the basis of a later definition of a singularity in spacetime. The more interesting topics discussed in this chapter include the causality conditions (there are no closed non-spacelike curves), and the Alexandrov topology and its connection with the strong causality condition (every neighborhood of a point contains a neighborhood of the point no non-separable curve of which intersects it more than once). When strong causality does hold, the Alexandrov topology is equivalent to the usual manifold topology, and thus the topology of spacetime can be determined by the observation of causal relationships. The discussion on the role of global hyperbolicity in showing the existence of a maximal geodesic is also very well-written.
The next chapter is pretty much independent of the rest, and was put in no doubt for the mathematician who desires to understand the Einstein equations as a set of nonlinear second-order hyperbolic partial differential equations with initial data on a 3-dimensional manifold, the famous Cauchy problem in general relativity.
Chapter 8 is the most important in the book, for its uses the constructions of earlier chapters to define the notion of a singularity in spacetime. The authors argue that singularities are points where physical laws break down and thus to characterize them one attempts to find out whether any such points have been removed, making spacetime "incomplete" in some sense. Such a notion of incompleteness is very meaningful in topological spaces with a positive definite metric, since in that case one can define completeness in terms of the convergence of Cauchy sequences. In spacetimes with a Lorentz metric, the authors discuss the notion of geodesic completeness for null and timelike geodesics. A very detailed treatment of the now famous singularity theorems is given, these theorems involving an inequality of the Ricci tensor. The last two chapters of the book are more physical in nature wherein the singularity problem is shown to have physical relevance via the occurence of black holes at the endpoint of evolution of massive stars.
A wonderful, foundational work of mathematical physics........2000-04-26
The early seventies saw a revolution in cosmology; for the first time, modern mathematical methods were applied to the discipline, with intriguing results. This book was (along with Penrose's articles) the seminal work in global general relativity. Often overlooked is that the first half of Hawking & Ellis is devoted to traditional GR via the tensor calculus, and the q-form conception. However, trying to learn GR with this volume is not recommended (instead, cf. D'Inverno). The meat-and-potatoes of the book is the discussion of gravitational collapse, and the singularity theorems. They provide us with intuitively good reasons for believing in some very strange phenomenon. If you're interested in the frontiers of modern science, and have the appropriate mathematical background, this book cannot be recommended too highly. The little yellow book stands supreme in the hierarchy of works of modern physics.
Suitable only for mathematicians.......1999-10-21
Don't be mislead by Hawking's popular works, this is a book by a mathematician written for mathematicians. Unless you studied mathematics to at least graduate level (you need to understand vector calculus, vector spaces and tensors to get anywhere) you are unlikely to get much from this book. Even then to read it at anything other than the most superficial level is very hard work. However even at the superficial level it gives one insights into some interesting aspects of general relativity.
The best book on modern General Relativity.......1998-07-18
This book of Stephen Hawking is the more elegant one on modern General Relativity and is my favorite book. It covers in brilliant form the gravitational collapse of a star, the theory of black holes, the space-time singularities, the causal structure of space-time, and in its end the initial singularity of the universe, popularly known as the Big Bang. The book is highly mathematical, and is pressuposed that the reader have studied basic abstract algebra and point set topology. But, for the readers highly interested in these subjects(as I am), this is not a obstacle. All theoretical physicists interested in modern General Relativity should have this book, a testimony of the Genius of Stephen Hawking. Definitively, a magnific book.
Book Description
MRI has become the preferred noninvasive imaging modality for the heart and great vessels. The substantial technological progress achieved in recent years has provided the user with state-of-the-art MRI systems, but their optimal use can be limited by restricted awareness of the potential patient benefit and the necessity for teaching. This extensively illustrated volume, together with the accompanying CD-ROM, has been specifically compiled to meet these needs. Essential theoretical background information is provided, and imaging acquisition and potential pitfalls are considered in detail. Most importantly, structured guidelines are provided on the interpretation of clinical data in the wide range of cardiac pathology that can be encountered. Throughout, the emphasis is on the implementation of cardiac MRI in clinical practice.
Customer Reviews:
good idea to buy it!.......2007-01-10
very useful not only for cardiac mri but also for the mri as modality
The best cardiac MRI book.......2006-01-24
I have looked at several cardiac MRI books and this is the best I have seen. Still a little wordy, but more practical than the other books out there.
Amazon.com
Nan Kempner knows her parties. As part of the Park Avenue haut monde, she has entertained, and been entertained, by a heady mixture of the social and talented (and those who are both). In R.S.V.P. she introduces readers to more than two dozen of her favorite hosts, who provide menus and entertaining strategies for a range of choice events. These run the gamut from dockside breakfasts to candlelit dinners deluxe. The 120 or so recipes included produce elegant yet uncomplicated fare that should delight anyone's guests without taxing the cook. Glimpses into the homes (or in one case, the yacht) of the likes of Oscar and Annette de la Renta, designer Valentino Garavani, and artist Ross Bleckner, via words and pictures, entice the voyeur in us all, while graceful notes provide an idea of who the party givers are.
Divided into sections that feature lunches, informal dinners, buffets, and galas, the book offers, for example, the Corn and Feta Soufflé of Princess Marie Chantal of Greece, served at a light lunch, and the savory Mushroom Tart of vineyard patrons Carole and François Rochas, prepared for a "perfect" fall repast. Desserts aren't neglected and include the likes of Orange Floating Island and Fig Sorbet with "Queen of Sheba" Chocolate Cookies. A final section, "Me and More Friends," brings Kempner herself onstage with her recipe for beignet-like Pet de Nonnes, as well as offering formulas for Bill Blass's Sour Cream Soufflé and Nancy Reagan's Currant Cookies, among others. With 300 color photos, the large-format book reveals a world that readers can enjoy visiting, and includes dishes for their own R.S.V.P. occasions. --Arthur Boehm
Book Description
What defines a truly great host? Is it the quality of her surroundings, her china and linens, the savory surprises at her table, the diversity of the people she gathers around her, or simply her ability to put guests at ease? As Nan Kempner shows in
R.S.V.P., it is all this and much more.
New York hostess extraordinaire and inveterate guest of some of the world's most accomplished, Nan Kempner offers a tantalizing glimpse into the homes -- and entertaining philosophies -- of more than two dozen of her favorite hosts and hostesses. With twenty complete menus,
R.S.V.P. divulges tried-and-true strategies for a large range of events, from a dockside breakfast to a gala sit-down dinner. Here is a casual city luncheon hosted by Crown Princess Pavlos of Greece; cocktails on the Grand Canal in Venice with Larry Lovett; Anne Bass's fall-inspired country menu; the raucous Texas-sized cookout served by Lynn Wyatt; and a full-scale boar hunt on the Loire Valley estate of Count Hubert and Countess Isabelle d'Ornano.
For each event, Nan recollects the mood at the table and the individual elements that made each gathering so exceptional. She has also convinced her friends to share their most closely guarded recipes, most of them simple to replicate and all certain to please even the most discerning partygoer.
R.S.V.P. also gives an enticing tour of some of the world's most brilliant houses, with an insider's view of Oscar and Annette de la Renta's Santo Domingo villa; Ross Bleckner's art-filled New York City loft; and designer Valentino's sumptuously appointed yacht. Stunning color photographs showcase each house and vividly re-create these events.
Customer Reviews:
Menus for Entertaining from People Who Really Know How.......2006-03-21
It was a gift for my wife and she loved it. We like to entertain and the book has many good ideas.
Nan Rocks.......2005-05-18
Ya gotta love the pictures, try some of the recipes, and laugh a bunch. Its a nice cook book if you are into cookbooks, but mostly get it for the fun of it.
I like this book!.......2005-01-20
I really liked this book and enjoyed very much reading it. The recipes are quiet easy to prepare and taste very good. I find some of the other reviews very inappropriate and not quiet fair. So she said something in an interview about fat people - maybe it was quoted out of context - whatever, it has nothing to do with the book she wrote. This book is about people from the "society" who entertain and that's what you get. The photos are excellent and I like the way Nan describes her friends and the places they live in. Why not just enjoy it and image how it would be to live in beautiful houses and give such lovely luncheons and parties...
Nan could have afforded better writer and editor!.......2002-04-24
Beautifully photographed and a great idea, this book could have been much better if Nan used a better writer. I laughed so much reading the titles of the photos--they are hilarious! I thought she would be much more original and sophisticated than that. However it contains some good recipes.
GREAT BOOK.......2001-05-31
Nan; your book is excellent !!! I really enjoy it. Quentin Bacon photographs are also really great !!!! This is the best book on cooking I've ever seen.
Download Description
Elle Grayson is a woman with a taste for bondage and handsome men who know how to wield a paddle. Using the name Ms. Scarlet, she attends a B&D party with the intention of finding a man to satisfy her dark, sensual nature for a one-night stand. Remy 'Blue' DeLaughter is a Cajun with a taste for the dangerous and an eye for sexy, curvaceous women. While attending his business partner's party, he finds the woman of his bondage dreams only to have her slip away in the night. He wants her for a lifetime. Finding her is the problem. Love and Kinks By Madeleine Oh Jane knows Alan is offering much, much more than a weekend in the country. Her choices are to play it safe and decline, or accept and agree to his conditions. In her heart, she longs to step out of her safe, predictable existence and satisfy her secret desires with a lover who knows her better than she knows herself. She only hopes she has the courage to live her fantasies. South Beach Submissive By Jennifer Dunne Alexandra Davidovitch finagles an invitation to an exclusive BDSM party, but doesn't let on that she's really club reviewer Sassy D on assignment to get the goods on how the South Beach elite party in private. Then she meets fashion photographer Michael Jackman, a drop-dead gorgeous dominant who makes her forget everything but the way she feels under his control. She'd do anything and everything for her new Master.except tell him who she is. Because the only way out of exposing him in the pages of her paper is to expose herself, and either way, one of their careers will be over.
Customer Reviews:
Two Out of Three Ain't Bad.......2006-01-30
This short story collection starts off great. The first story by Dominique Adair has it all -- it's hot, sexy, great characters (Blue - sigh), sensual, realistic plot obstacle and credible reactions to the obstacle. The second story, "Love and Kinks" by Madeline Oh, didn't fare as well in my opinion. It's the first story I've read by Ms. Oh so I can't tell if the writing style for this story is her usual one or if it was part of the overall package. It makes a difference because the story felt too oh-so-polite-but-naughty British mannered. If that's the style she's going for in this particular story, that's fine, though the characters felt more like a naughty parody of sexy Brits than real people. If this is her normal writing style, it's not my cup of tea. The third story, South Beach Submissive, was much better than I initially anticipated. I can't quite tell you why I thought the story was going to be a disappointment -- the premise was perfectly fine and there were no warning bells in the characters -- but I was very happy just the same to find that the story held together well, the sex was great and the hero is yummy. I'm definitely putting their other compilations on my Amazon wish list. I only hope I like Oh's stories better next time.
Book Description
Authored by members of the American Heart Association's Clinical Cardiology Council, The AHA Clinical Cardiac Consult, Second Edition is the perfect source of fast, reliable guidance on diagnosis and management of both common and rare cardiovascular problems. It covers more than 160 problems, diseases, syndromes, and chief complaints in the popular, easy-to-read, two-page 5-Minute Consult format. This thoroughly updated edition incorporates current American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology guidelines. New topics covered include cardiovascular preventive care (primary and secondary prevention); metabolic syndrome; sexual dysfunction and the heart; and stem cells and the heart. A revised appendix contains relevant Web addresses.
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Cancer Informatics
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0387953280 |
Book Description
Cancer Informatics: Essential Technologies for Clinical Trials describes the National Cancer Institute¿s vision of a Cancer Informatics Infrastructure (CII). By exploiting the best that the Internet and information technology have to offer, the CII will facilitate clinical trials, for all who are involved, including the patient along with the myriad of health professionals involved in cancer trials. To bridge the chasm between discoveries and best clinical practices, the editors describe the CII and how it can function to expedite the clinical trial life cycle, facilitate faster and safer drug development, and make more appropriate treatment choices available to cancer patients. Presented in four comprehensive sections edited by leading experts, the book highlights: ¿ E-commerce ¿ Digital libraries ¿ Standards development ¿ Public health informatics ¿ Common data elements (CDEs) ¿ Clinical trials information systems ¿ Consumer education and support Cancer Informatics: Essential Technologies for Clinical Trials is an indispensable guide to clinical trials. Its contributors speak to oncologists and primary care physicians, as well as researchers, trial managers, administrators, informaticians, and consumers. Today, science is extending our knowledge of genes, proteins, and pathways, and pharmaceutical companies are developing more and more new therapies. In this rapidly changing world, the technologies that cancer informatics provides are essential to efforts to translate cancer research into cancer care, control, and, ultimately, prevention. John S. Silva, M.D., Center for Bioinformatics, National Cancer Institute Marion J. Ball, Ed.D., Vice President, Clinical Solutions, Healthlink, Inc.; Adjunct Professor, The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing Christopher G. Chute, M.D., Dr.P.H., Professor of Medical Informatics, Head, Section of Medical Information Resources, Mayo Clinic Judith V. Douglas, M.A., M.H.S., formerly Associate, First Consulting Group Curtis P. Langlotz, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Radiology, Epidemiology, and Computer and Information Science, University of Pennsylvannia Joyce. C. Niland, Ph.D., Chair, Division of Information Sciences, Director, Department of Biostatistics, City of Hope National Medical Center William L. Scherlis, Ph.D., Principal Research Scientist, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University
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The Analytic S-Matrix
R. J. Eden ,
P. V. Landshoff ,
D. I. Olive , and
J. C. Polkinghorne
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0521523362 |
Book Description
Certain interactions, such as nuclear forces and the forces of ‘high-energy’ physics, which arise in the theory of elementary particles, cannot be described successfully by quantum field theory. Considerable interest has therefore centred on attempts to formulate interactions between elementary particles in terms of the S-Matrix, an operator introduced by Heisenberg which connects the input and output of a scattering experiment without seeking to give a localized description of the intervening events. In this book four authors, who are together responsible for many of these developments, set out a theory of the S-Matrix starting, as far as possible, from physically plausible assumptions and investigate the mathematical consequences. The least understood of these assumptions is the vital postulate of analyticity; much insight can however be gained into its working by a study of the Feyman integrals and the book describes what is known about their analytic and high energy properties. Originally published in hardback in 1966.
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Intensive Cropping: Efficient Use of Water, Nutrients, and Tillage
P. R. Gajri ,
Dinesh K. Benbi , and
V. K. Arora
Manufacturer: Food Products Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1560228997 |
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Tillage for Sustainable Cropping
P. R. Gajri ,
V. K. Arora , and
S. S. Prihar
Manufacturer: Haworth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1560229039 |
Books:
- The Lightkeeper
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- The Perfect Rake (Berkley Sensation)
- The Red Hat Society Cookbook
- Thick Face, Black Heart: The Warrior Philosophy for Conquering the Challenges of Business and Life
- Ultrasound of the Eye and Orbit
- Until Forever
- Where We Lived: Discovering the Places We Once Called Home
- Why a Son Needs a Mom: 100 Reasons
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Geometry, Topology and Physics, Second Edition (Graduate Student Series in Physics)
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