An Introduction to General Relativity and Cosmology

Description

General relativity is a cornerstone of modern physics, and is of major importance in its applications to cosmology. Plebanski and Krasinski are experts in the field and in this book they provide a thorough introduction to general relativity, guiding the reader through complete derivations of the most important results. Providing coverage from a unique viewpoint, geometrical, physical and astrophysical properties of inhomogeneous cosmological models are all systematically and clearly presented, allowing the reader to follow and verify all derivations. For advanced undergraduates and graduates in physics and astronomy, this textbook will enable students to develop expertise in the mathematical techniques necessary to study general relativity.

'In the time-honoured tradition of many books from CUP, An Introduction to General Relativity and Cosmology cannot really be described as an introduction at all. ... an excellent high-level textbook that includes a number of topics that are not readily to be found elsewhere. I recommend it very highly for students who have studied General Relativity already (perhaps having read a real 'introductory' book), and who would like to gain a deeper mathematical insight into the subject. One of the very nice features of the book is the inclusion of extended derivations, which are set out very clearly and which guide the reader helpfully through advanced topics. ... there are some more unusual topics, such as in-depth discussion of Lemaitre-Tolman(-Bondi) solutions and a rather thorough treatment of the Kerr metric, at a depth which would not be found in most textbooks. For anyone looking for a thorough mathematical treatment of General Relativity, or for a supplement to existing books, this is highly recommended. It is not a standard text by any means, but I would be surprised if there was anyone who didn't find in it something new, interesting, and enlightening.' The Observatory