Physics of Relativistic Objects in Compact Binaries: from Birth to Coalescence
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Beschreibung
This book provides a comprehensive, authoritative and timely review of the astrophysical approach to the investigation of gravity theories. Particular attention is paid to strong-field tests of general relativity and alternative theories of gravity, performed using collapsed objects (neutron stars, black holes and white dwarfs) in relativistic binaries as laboratories. The book starts with an introduction which gives the background linking experimental gravity in cosmic laboratories to astrophysics and fundamental physics. Subsequent chapters cover observational and theoretical aspects of the following topics: from binaries as test-beds of gravity theories to binary pulsars as cosmic laboratories; from binary star evolution to the formation of relativistic binaries; from short gamma-ray bursts to low mass X-ray binaries; from stellar-mass black hole binaries to coalescing super-massive black holes in galaxy mergers.
The book will be useful to researchers, PhD and graduate students in Astrophysics, Cosmology, Physics and Mathematics, who are interested in relativistic astrophysics, experimental gravity and general relativity.
A very attractive feature of the theory of general relativity is that it is a perfectexampleofa“falsi?able”theory:notunableparameterispresentinthe theory and therefore even a single experiment incompatible with a prediction of the theory would immediately lead to its inevitable rejection, at least in the physical regime of application of the aforementioned experiment. This fact provides additional scienti?c value to one of the boldest and most fascinating achievements of the human intellect ever, and motivates a wealth of e?orts in designing and implementing tests aimed at the falsi?cation of the theory. The ?rst historical test on the theory has been the de?ection of light gr- ing the solar surface (Eddington 1919): the compatibility of the theory with this ?rst experiment together with its ability to explain the magnitude of the perihelion advance of Mercury contributed strongly to boost acceptance and worldwideknowledge.However,technologicallimitations preventedphysicists from setting up more constraining tests for several decades after the formu- tion of the theory. In fact, a relevant problem with experimental general r- ativity is that the predicted deviations from the Newtonian theory of gravity areverysmallwhentheexperimentsarecarriedoutinterrestriallaboratories.
Explores the channels of formation of double pulsar/neutron star systems in the Galactic field Reviews from an observational and theoretical perspective the status of research on stellar binary evolution across its complex stages Explores the formation of double pulsar/neutron star systems and black hole neutron star binaries in globular clusters through dynamical interactions Examines relativistic effects in accreting X-ray Binaries
Autor*in
Monica Colpi
Themen in »Physics of Relativistic Objects in Compact Binaries: from Birth to Coalescence«
Canopus accreting X-ray binaries astronomy astrophysics collapsed objects compact stellar X-ray sources cosmology galaxy general relativity pulsar astronomy relativistic binaries relativistic pulsars relativity stars