Cosmological Inflation and Large-Scale Structure
Enormous progress has been made in inflationary cosmology in the past few years and this book is the first to provide a modern and unified overview of the subject. Coverage examines every aspect of inflationary cosmology and carefully compares predictions with the latest observations, including those of the cosmic microwave background, the clustering and velocities of galaxies and the epoch of structure formation. Problems are included throughout to help the student develop a thorough understanding. An ideal introduction to what promises to be one of the most fruitful topics of research in science in the next decade, this volume will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers in astrophysics, cosmology, particle physics, theoretical physics and applied mathematics.
- The first book to provide a unified and accessible introduction to an area of research that has exploded in the last 6 years
- An ideal introduction for graduate students to what promises to be one of the most exciting and fruitful topics of research in science in the next decade
- Includes problems at the end of each chapter, and numerical answers and helpful hints at the end of the book
Reviews & endorsements
"[Liddle's and Lyth's] depth knowledge and expertise provide a rock-solid foundation for this book, which is carefully constructed, well-written, well-organized, and crystal clear in its presentaton of what can appear to be a complex and broad range of topics. The narrow, deep focus of the book allows the reader to study the main topics in careful detail...Liddle and Lyth have produced a highly focused, fantastically useful book...should be useful to students and practitioners in the field for many years to come." Physics Today
"...a detailed and well-written description of inflationary theory and its implications for the theory of formation of the large scale structure of the universe...a must for those who want to study modern cosmology." Professor Andrei Linde, Stanford University
"...clearly written and will be very useful to students, providing a very valuable entry to the literature [in this] fast-developing field." Professor Neil Turok, University of Cambridge
"Both Liddle and Lyth have been active contributors to important developments in the fields of inflation and large-scale structure for well over a decade. Their depth of knowledge and expertise provide a rock-solid foundation for this book, which is carefully constructed, well-written, well-organized, and crysta; clear in its presentation.... The book is ideal for an advanced undergraduate course in cosmology that focuses on inflation and large-scale structure. ....In sum, Liddle and Lyth have produced a highly focused, fantastically useful book....Inflation and large-scale structure are fast-moving, rapidly developing fields, yet the basics are unlikely to change in the near future." Ruth A. Daly, Pennsylvania State University; Physics Today
Product details
April 2000Paperback
9780521575980
416 pages
249 × 175 × 23 mm
0.7kg
66 b/w illus. 10 tables
Available
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. The hot Big Bang cosmology
- 3. Inflation
- 4. The simplest model for the origin of structure I
- 5. The simplest model for the origin of structure II
- 6. Extensions to the smplest model
- 7. Scalar fields and the vacuum fluctuation
- 8. Building and testing models of inflation
- 9. The cosmic microwave background
- 10. Galaxy motions and clustering
- 11. The Quasi-Linear regime
- 12. Putting observations together
- 13. Outlook for the future
- 14. Advanced topic: cosmological Perturbation theory
- 15. Advanced topic: diffusion and free streaming
- Index.