Product Description
This volume on black holes can be seen as a sequel toPhysics of Black Holes, published by Kluwer AcademicPublishers in 1989. The authors are recognised experts in their field,and have many years' experience in teaching courses on generalrelativity and black holes. The present work covers practically all aspects of black hole physicsand its astrophysical applications. Among the topics treated in depthare: spacetime of stationary black holes, general theory of blackholes, black hole perturbations, black hole numerics, black holeelectrodynamics, black holes in unified theories of gravity, quantumblack holes, final states of evaporating black holes and theinformation loss puzzle. Special attention is paid to the role ofblack holes in astrophysics and observational evidence of black holeexistence. Many exotic subjects linked with black holes, such as whiteholes, wormholes, and time machines are discussed in detail. Numerousappendices cover mathematical aspects of general relativity and blackholes and quantum field theory in curved space time. This makes thebook practically self-contained. Extensive references provide thereader with a guide to the literature in this field. Audience: This book will be of interest to researchers andpostgraduate students whose work involves relativity and gravitation,statistical physics, thermodynamics, active galactic nuclei andstellar physics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Frolov and Novikov's Black Hole Physics
I referenced these authors and also Klapdor-Kleingrothaus and Zuber (see my review of their book) in my paper on Quantum Gravity delivered before Professor Kursunoglu's Orbis Scientiae Quantum Gravity conference inDecember, 1999 (see my review of Kursunoglu).The Editor has summarizedthe book in his usual excellent way, and here I should just add that thereis much material in this book not covered in others, includingrelationships with 2+1 dimensional quantum gravity (see my review ofCarlip, black holes inside monopoles, dilatons, quantum hair, etc. Everyone should buy this book and, if necessary, hire a consultant or tutorto translate it into more simple English. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is for physics students interested in the mathematics they use and for mathematics students interested in seeing how some of the ideas of their discipline find realization in an applied setting. The presentation tries to strike a balance between formalism and application, between abstract and concrete. The interconnections among the various topics are clarified both by the use of vector spaces as a central unifying theme, recurring throughout the book, and by putting ideas into their historical context. Enough of the essential formalism is included to make the presentation self-contained.The book is divided into eight parts: The first covers finite- dimensional vector spaces and the linear operators defined on them. The second is devoted to infinite-dimensional vector spaces, and includes discussions of the classical orthogonal polynomials and of Fourier series and transforms. The third part deals with complex analysis, including complex series and their convergence, the calculus of residues, multivalued functions, and analytic continuation. Part IV treats ordinary differential equations, concentrating on second-order equations and discussing both analytical and numerical methods of solution. The next part deals with operator theory, focusing on integral and Sturm--Liouville operators. Part VI is devoted to Green's functions, both for ordinary differential equations and in multidimensional spaces. Parts VII and VIII contain a thorough discussion of differential geometry and Lie groups and their applications, concluding with Noether's theorem on the relationship between symmetries and conservation laws.Intended for advanced undergraduates or beginning graduate students, this comprehensive guide should also prove useful as a refresher or reference for physicists and applied mathematicians. Over 300 worked-out examples and more than 800 problems provide valuable learning aids.

FROM THE REVIEWS:

PURE APPLIED GEOPHYSICS"This volume should be a welcome addition to any collection. The book is well written and explanations are usually clear...The typesetting standard is one of the best I have ever seen...The book should already be accessible to advanced undergraduates. It can be used both as a textbook or as a reference book (to some extent)...As a supplementary textbook I believe this book should be sufficient for most physics courses...Among all the available book treating mathematical methods of physics this one certainly stands out and assuredly it would suit the needs of many physics readers."

LIBRARY OF SCIENCE"MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS will benefit two different classes of readers: first, physics students who are interested in the mathematics they use; and second, math students who are interested in seeing abstract ideas some alive in an applied setting. Unlike many books with the same subject and scope, Hassani's text manages to strike a successful balance between formalism and application, and between the abstract and the concrete...A further notable feature of the book is its success in exhibiting the interrelations among various topics. Indeed, Hassani uses the underlying theme of a vector space, which surfaces throughout the book, to alert readers to the connection between various seemingly unrelated topics...A further benefit concerns Hassani's presentation of biographical details of the men and women of mathematics and physics. Doing so defies the current trend of 'ahistoricism' in many mathematical and physics texts, and pays fitting tribute to the life stories of the people behind the ideas...Impressive in breadth and scope, [this book] may become the definitive text in this profoundly important area." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A Unified Approach to Applied Mathematics
Students plod through Applied Math graduate courses with desk tops groaning under many supplementary texts - linear algebra, Functional Analysis and some Upper-level Physics/ Electrical Engineering books. Learning a new topic often involves frantic hunting through numerous texts to refresh one's memory of the underlying concepts. The primary strength of Hassani's book is to spare the reader of this "where is Waldo?" tedium.

Hassani first introduces the concept of a vector space and gives numerous examples including the less "intuitive" function spaces and matrix spaces. He quickly builds upon this idea to encompass linear operators, algebras and functions defined in terms of them. Hassani's sweep of basic concepts is comprehensive and thorough while seamlessly weaving in ideas from many different branches of mathematics that provide the edifice for much of modern physics. The side notes enable one to browse through the book and find a particular topic.Interspersing the text with short biographical sketches of mathematicians who made important contributions to the field within the past three centuries adds further interest to the book.

The author has devoted much of the book to those special functions that emerge as solutions to the prototype differential equations of Physics. These functions are presented at a more generalized and rigorous mathematical setting than in many Mathematical Physics books aimed at beginning graduate students while sparing the more tedious proofs all too common in books on Functional Analysis, for example. In particular, his exposition of Green functions and Operator Theory are much more comprehensive and easy to follow than comparable treatment in other texts targeting the same readership.

Hassani continues on through Lie Groups to end this tome with a look at symmetries and conservation laws. The latter are especially relevant in Quantum Field Theory and HEP. Topics given cursory treatment in texts on these subfields of Physics are presented by Hassani in greater detail, again sparing the reader the mathematics that often serve more to sidetrack that edify.

Given the subject matter, it is no easy task to produce such a user-friendly tome, but Hassani has admirably risen to the task. I look forward to more texts by the author, perhaps one with more emphasis on Measure Theoretic approaches?

First Class Graduate Level Text
I share the excitement in former reviewers` comments on the overall quality of this book. However, it is important to notice that Hassani does not try to present the material covered in exhaustive detail. This is, however, by no means a criticism given the breadth of topics pertinent to the study of mathematical physics. Therefore, it is impossible to distill such a plethora of material while retaining the full rigor.

The book structures itself around the concept of a vector space, and the author does not shy away from abstractions which involve mathematical structures such as fields, algebras, groups, etc. as well as the topological concepts like completeness, compactness, bounded operators and so on. In this respect, the view toward math is modern and stresses the mutualism between physics and math in the advancement of both.

In general, there is a noticeable trend shift in writing of mathematical physics texts, which was inaugurated by Dennery and Krzywicki`s text and Walter Thirring`s two volume classic as opposed to the Morse and Feshbach variety which mostly focuses on the detailed solutions of certain problems of interest in physics. In this respect, this book is a nice complement and update to both. The quality of writing is reflected on the references and again culling the best of two worlds. Indeed, the references span numerous important fields and approaches to math (Rudin`s Functional Analysis, Bott & Tu`s Differential Forms in Algebraic Topology, Barut & Raczka`s Group Representation Theory...), and this more than compensates the absence or truncation of any ideas/concepts.

The topics that are absent from the text include measure theory, a possible prologue to algebraic geometry, hyper-complex analysis and geometric algebra (except for a short digression on quaternions). However, this does not devalue the book owing to the reasons presented above. I highly recommend this text for anyone who has an appreciation of the strong link between the physical world and its description via mathematical constructions.

Converted to a Hassani fan...
I used this book in a graduate course I recently attended in mathematical physics.At the beginning of the course, I wrestled with this book's treatment of introductory topics such as finite-dimensional vector spaces and operator theory.I struggled with unfamiliar notation and what I felt was a lack of concrete examples.As the course progressed into infinite-dimensional vector spaces however, the unfamiliar notation began to make more sense and I started to appreciate its compactness.I began to understand that the lack of concrete examples was brevity for the sake of completeness.By the end of the course, Hassani's book had become my desktop reference for mathematical physics.The treatment of Green's functions is particularly strong, taking up three solid chapters.Compare this to Arfken's "Mathematical Methods for Physicist" where Green's functions are given only a single subsection.Not to detract from Arfken's book, I just found his coverage of this topic to be weak.

Given all of this, I highly recommend a supplementary text for those using this book to learn new material - Arfken and "Mathematics of Classic and Quantum Physics" by Byron and Fuller are both very readable.Those using it as a refresher or reference will find a thorough, compact, and consistent book.

Comprehensive and Cohesive
Excellent.The book covers almost everything you need to know in a clear, logical and most importantly for physicists, applied manner.The choice of examples used in the many, many worked problems in the main body of the text is extremely clever, particularly if you are interested in gaining a working facility with quantum mechanics.They serve to illustrate very clearly the links between seemingly (particularly if you have tacked together a similar body of knowledge from a host of smaller books aimed a mathematicians) unrelated areas, giving the book a very cohesive feel.The only let-down (which is alleviated by the many worked examples) is the lack of answers to the problem sets.However, given the amount of material the book covers, if the student were to supplement it with a Schaum's Outline or two, they would have absolutely everything they need to become (more than) competent.The layout and type-setting are also superb, and the short biographies included are a welcome addition, making the book feel slightly less formal, which I found a breath of fress air in comparison to other texts on the subject.In short, a must have.

Comparison with Cantrell's book
Has anyone looked at the difference between Hassani's and C. D. Cantrell's book (Modern Mathematical Methods for Physicists and Engineers)?They seem to cover the same topics. ... Read more

Product Description

This book deals with a selection of research topics in theoretical physics that have (almost) been proven to be a dead-end or continue at least to be highly controversial. Nevertheless, small but dedicated research communities continue to work on these issues. In a series of essays this book describes their work and struggle as well as the chances of any breakthrough in these areas. It is written as both an entertainment and serious study.

Customer Reviews (2)

Refuting on a high level
In "Lost Causes in and beyond Physics" you will find Streater's assessment of a plethora of subjects. Most of them are physical theories he considers a dead end. But there is also a very enjoyable and cogent exposition of probability and algebra in relation to (quantum)physics. This makes up the first third of the book and servers as a basis for the later discussion of hidden variables and Bohmian mechanics. On the last pages Streater writes about some theories he considers worth researching.

Being a physics student myself I found the introduction to probability most fascinating. As the author noted this is a badly thaught subject to physicists. The first part of the book is coherently written and is apart from the omitted proofs more or less like a textbook. If you know quantum mechanics and the typical undergraduate math it will give you the bigger picture. The second part consists of short essays on the lost causes, which I found quite demanding. It is also lacking the coherent structure of the first part. This might be because the essays are compiled from the author's website. If you are into mathematical physics the last few pages might give you some insight into worthwhile research but lacking the expertise I can't comment on this.

"Lost causes in and beyond Physics" shows how careful one has to be in science to avoid error. If you are a physicist it will add to your toolkit on how to construct valid models of reality.

SPURIOUS CLAIMS OF R.F. STREATER

First, I wish to thank R.F. Streater for keeping my book "Physics from Fisher Information" (PFI) in the public eye. The worst fate for any new theory is to be ignored. Streater may well be competent working within the framework of generally accepted, textbook physics. However, his book, and Sec. 5.2 in particular criticizing PFI, indicates that he is behind the times when it comes to understanding new physics. For example, PFI emphasizes the fundamental role that information plays at the foundations of physics. Streater evidently dislikes the idea, and chooses to attack it, even despite its many published successes over the past 20 years. His attack often consists of a misinterpretation of the approach, substituting for it statements that are textbook correct but irrelevent. This gives a paraphrase of the theory that (the desired end) constitutes circuitous reasoning. For example, he claims that the approach in PFI necessarily has to assume quantum mechanics in order to derive it. But Streater's manifest ignorance of the very book he is critiquing easily negates this argument (as below). Note that space limitations permit considering just one of his arguments. I'll gladly email to any reader a response to all of them. Also, readers who do not have a copy of PFI can find a paper [1] that succinctly covers the material.

"The author tentatively identifies I with the kinetic energy, and J with the potential energy"

Rebuttal. Even with the qualifier "tentatively," this statement is wrong. First, regarding Fisher information I: Streater appears to have gotten as far into the book as pgs. 13-14, where that section explicitly expresses I as a *mean* (not instantaneous) KE as he is implying. Moreover, as clearly stated there, this was a hypothesis of the old variational approach [2] of 1989, not of PFI. In fact the approach developed in PFI -- that of Extreme physical information or EPI -- does not generally 'identify' I with the KE. (Rather, it is an upper bound (2.19) to the Fisher information.) Indeed generally identifying I with the KE is ruled out by the derivation in Chap. 4 of relativistic quantum mechanics. At Eqs. (4.12),(4.13) I is derived as the mean (not instantaneous) *difference* between the squared total energy E² and the KE.

Next, regarding Fisher information J: Functional J is the source information (called 'bound' in this edition of PFI). To the contrary, J is not generally 'identified with' the potential energy in PFI. The role of J is to describe the information source for the particular problem, which varies from one to the next. For example, in a later, 2nd edition of PFI titled "Science from Fisher Information," when deriving Newton's 2nd law in Sec. D.2 it is the potential. Finally, the basic Fourier relation (4.4) that the derivation assumed to connect position and momentum spaces has recently been derived [3], again using EPI.

[1] B.R. Frieden and B.H. Soffer, "Lagrangians of physics and the game of Fisher-information transfer," Phys. Rev. E 52, 2274-2286 (1995)
[2] B.R. Frieden, "Fisher information as the basis for the Schrodinger wave equation," Am. J. Physics 57, 1004-1008 (1989)
[3] B.R. Frieden and B.H. Soffer, "de Broglie's wave hypothesis from Fisher information," Physica A 388, 1315-1330 (2009) ... Read more

Product Description
This book is a collection of problems with detailedsolutions which will prove valuable to students and research workersin mathematics, physics, engineering and other sciences. The topicsrange in difficulty from elementary to advanced level. Almost all theproblems are solved in detail and most of them are self-contained. Allrelevant definitions are given. Students can learn importantprinciples and strategies required for problem solving. Teachers willfind this text useful as a supplement, since important concepts andtechniques are developed through the problems. The material has beentested in the author's lectures given around the world.

The book is divided into two volumes. Volume I presents theintroductory problems, for undergraduate and advanced undergraduatestudents. In Volume II, the more advanced problems, together withdetailed solutions, are collected, to meet the needs of graduatestudents and researchers. The problems included cover most of the newfields in theoretical and mathematical physics, such as Laxrepresentation, Bäcklund transformation, soliton equations,Lie-algebra-valued differential forms, the Hirota technique, thePainlevé test, the Bethe ansatz, the Yang-Baxter relation, chaos,fractals, complexity, etc. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very Interesting where Math may be Applied to Physics
Table of Contents follows:

Volume 1: Introductory/Undergraduate Level
1 Complex Numbers
2 Sums and Product
3 Discrete Fourier Transform
4 Algebraic and Transcendental Equations
5 Matrix Calculations
6 Matrices and Groups
7 Matrices and Eigenvalue Problems
8 Transformations
9 L'Hospital's Rule
10 Lagrange Multiplier Method
11 Linear Difference Equations
12 Linear Differential Equations
13 Integration
14 Continuous Fourier Transform
15 Complex Analysis
16 Special Functions
17 Inequalities
18 Functional Analysis
19 Combinatorics
20 Convex Sets and Functions
21 Optimization ... Read more

Product Description
A collection of over 100 problems selected from the examination questions for a graduate course in theoretical physics. Every problem is discussed and solved in detail. A wide range of physics is covered, from potential scattering to atomic, nuclear and high energy physics. ... Read more

Product Description
The series of texts on Classical Theoretical Physics is based on the highlysuccessful series of courses given by Walter Greiner at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Intended for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students, the volumes in the series provide not only a complete survey of classical theoretical physics but also an enormous number of worked examples and problems to show students clearly how to apply the abstract principles to realistic problems. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fantastic
This is a fantastic book for the motivated physics student.
It is the best "theoretical" approach to Newtonian physics that I have found.At the University level, motivated Physics students are left with the frustration of taking their first few Physics courses with students who are majoring in Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Pre-med, etc., etc.This leaves the situation where material is presented "watered down" and entirely non-theoretical in order to allow all students to follow along.
For the motivated Physics major, this can be quite frustrating.The first thing many of them do in that situation is begin a path of self-study to go along with the dry classroom presentation of the material.However, the search for a more mathematically driven "theoretic" approach to mechanics leads almost entirely to Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalism.

This book presents Newtonian mechanics in all its theoretical "math nerd" glory.All necessary mathematical topics are covered with "physics rigor" that allows you to gain a usable knowledge of the mathematics in a minimal time.It has been the only book I've found that sticks to Newtonian mechanics, yet avoids the point and click "apply equation X here" methods that most introductory University texts give. I used it as a supplement to my assigned physics book for Mechanics and Heat and felt exceedingly more prepared than my fellow students with each succeeding chapter.

If you're a motivated student, I highly suggest picking up this book.The first year or two of a University Physics program can be uncomfortably dry....and you'll hear many times that students don't feel like they're doing "real" physics until their Junior year.This book will allow you the feel of doing "real physics" while sticking to the Newtonian mechanics that you'll use for your courses. By the end of the book, you'll feel comfortable with all the mathematical derivations and applications of Newtonian mechanics, have a solid grasp of harmonic oscillations, have a solid background in solving ordinary differential equations, feel comfortable with matrix algebra applications, and get the enjoyment that comes with doing "real physics" a good year or two before your classmates.

My only complaint is with some of the presentation of relativity.It is still well above average, but I didn't find it to be the asset of a self-study supplement that it was for freshman physics.

Excellent supplementary book
Simply stated, I don't consider this "the book" on the subject, but it is a most-have.It begins by developing some of the mathematical foundations needed to solve the problems; followed by some Newtonian mechanics (basic concepts: force, energy, motion in 1D-3D, and many examples and applications), and ends with special relativity.The topics are presented in a clear and straight-forward manner, although some of them were too simple and not as thorough as I wished.

This book corresponds to a regular 1st semester in mechanics.It should be complemented with the second book (Classical Mechanics) which deals with non-inertial reference frames, systems of particles, rigid bodies, Lagrange equ. and Hamiltonian Theory.

I give this book 4.5 stars (I'm a tough grader) ... Read more

Product Description
This volume contains the proceedings of the first Graduate Summer School on Computational Physics on ``Finite Elements in Physics'', organised by the Computational Physics Group of the European Physical Society (EPS). The main idea of these graduate courses is to present physicists with a specific numerical domain, starting from basic theory and moving to the more advanced applications. The proceedings present a basic course on the finite element method and include descriptions of all the 1 and 2 dimensional triangular and quadrangular linear quadratic and cubic conforming elements with their convergence properties. ... Read more

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There has been a long debate about whether uniformly accelerated charges should radiate electromagnetic energy and how one should describe their worldline through a flat spacetime, i.e., whether the Lorentz-Dirac equation is right. There are related questions in curved spacetimes, e.g., do different varieties of equivalence principle apply to charged particles, and can a static charge in a static spacetime radiate electromagnetic energy? The problems with the LD equation in flat spacetime are spelt out in some detail here, and its extension to curved spacetime is discussed. Different equivalence principles are compared and some vindicated. The key papers are discussed in detail and many of their conclusions are significantly revised by the present solution.

Product Description
This is an account of how quantum physics is putting forward ideas that confirm the perceived beliefs of mystics who think the world is an illusion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

This is what the teachings of a Course in Miracles is all about.
By relating Mystic teachings to the quantum physics explains how we are projecting our world from the mind of ego.If you want to know the truth about this world, look into the Course in Miracles teachings.I recommend Gary Renard.

Mysticism has come of age!
This is a GREAT book that I reccomend to anyone whom wants to take seriously in these modern days just where mysticism comes in our lives. Would find worthwhile information on where mysticism has come from and where it applies to our modern life.

(3.5) Like Quantum Foam: More Fluff, Less Stuff
My first plunge into the world of quantum physics and its religious ramifications started with the book, "God and the New Physics" by Paul Davies. Although I was thoroughly ensnared by the theoretical implications of the "new physics", I was underwhelmed with his treatment of the "God" factor. On the other hand, Micheal Talbot's book, "Mysticism and the New Physics" (which sounds eerily similar to Davies') puts the spiritual factor on overdrive while relegating science to the backseat. This prequel to "The Holographic Universe" pales in comparison to it: In the latter, it is obvious the author has had a chance to fine-tune his theories, flesh out the explanations, add newer material, and in the process, render this book as mere "reading fodder" for Talbot fans.

The book starts off with a cursory explanation of quantum physics (The Uncertainty Principle, Wave-Particle duality, etc.). It then proceeds to elaborate upon the popular paradox known as "Schrodinger's Cat", an analogy that was drawn to highlight the inexplicable behavior of quantum systems that go into superposition before "collapsing" into one of the many possibilities in the very presence of an observer. Whether it is Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle or Schrodinger's Cat, both theories seem to imply that there is no such thing as a truly "objective"non-interfering observer: Moreover, there can only be a "participator" who influences the environment he/she "observes" through the act of consciousness. The author goes on to define human consciousness as a quantum system, albeit holographic, that is capable, like all other such systems (for example, subatomic particles), of emitting electromagnetic "fields" that may interact with other such fields. Of course, all these fields find their expression in "Superspace", a sea of quantum foam (space as "measured" on sub-Planck scales) that is constantly frothing with mini blackholes and whiteholes, enabling photons to travel outside the "light cone" into other regions of space-time and back. This is the basis by which David Bohm's vision of the Holographic Universe is carried out, whereby information about the whole universe is inherent at every "point" in it(non-locality). The grand conclusion here, is the fact that subatomic particles ultimately lack "substance" and are mere essences or "ripples" in superspace, thereby making reality as we know it a hollow illusion, a giant hologram as it were. As a corollary, the paradox that is Schrodinger's Cat places human consciousness at center-stage as "directors" of the cosmic super-hologram. Importance is also placed on the existence of parallel universes (the Many-Worlds Theory or "garden of forking paths") that permeate superspace but is obscured by the illusion we call Reality, or "Maya" by the mystics.

The second part of the book is where the author dives straight into mysticism. Talbot draws comparisons between Quantum Physics and Tantric studies, especially the concept of the Akasa, that he likens to superspace, and the Nada/Bindu duality (you guessed it, the wave/particle duality of light). Taking the Many Worlds theory one step further and calling it "Interpenetrating Universes", the author paints reality as a "mass" hallucination shared by the collective consciousness and brought into being from a palette of infinite possibilities. In the words of don Juan (from Carlos Castaneda's "Journey to Ixtlan"), we see with our "tonal" eyes (that "fixes" things in space-time)when the "nagual" is the infinity that exists beyond it. As shown by the miraculous feats of Himalayan Yogis and Tamil priests (such as walking on hot coals), andmass hallucinations of the Virgin of Fatima (experienced by 70,000 people in Spain), reality is "omnijective": a middle ground between objective and subjective where the reality of an event is determined by the strength of people's belief in it. Herein lies the rub: How does one break this veil of illusion called Reality? According to Talbot, as "Reality-Structurers", we must dismantle the "metaprograms" (the sum total of all our conditionings) that permeate our nervous systems by engaging in religious disciplines. The practice of religion, despite its negative connotations in the modern world, can possibly furnish us with new sets of metaprograms that may help us un-block our energy centers (also "Chakras" or "Kundalini"). This way, our nervous systems may learn to see with "nagual" eyes (a dreamlike state of malleable possibilities)and not the "tonal". As an afterthought, the author also stresses the inadequacy of words to describe the "nagual" because language is inherently fragmentary (emphasis on duality and separation) and therefore cannot comprehend the undivided wholeness that lies beyond Maya.

The author has added appendices to the book in order to incorporate newer information that has become available since the original publication. As I said, this book is a far cry compared to his later masterpiece. Although including many interesting factoids that he omitted in "The Holographic Universe", this publication nonetheless is riddled with too many citations and quotes. It is excessively done to the point where reading one page may require the reader to switch "reading modes" several times to accommodate the rhetorical styles of the sources Talbot cites. Such chaotic juxtapositions can create a great deal of confusion and leaps of logic especially for those who have not read his follow-up masterpiece. I know people have given this book five stars, but in my opinion, it is more a reflection of the author's reputation than the actual book itself, which, while engaging and engrossing, I still found to be quite patchy and disorganized. There's just too much quantum foam in this cup of coffee!

Every page is mind expanding
I love this book, and am very surprised its not a lot more popular. Talbot doesn't dance around the subject like more other authors and books do! He gets straight to the point with very informed and powerful concepts. I often find it burdensome to have to deal with an authors "filler" material, and if I can speak for myself, I want to get to the point, and then relate that point to different perspectives. Excellent book and probably one of the top 5 books I've read out of about 30 or so. If your at all interested in the topic, pick it up!

Another great book by Michael Talbot!
First read the Holographic Universe and was entralled because I see or have worked with wierd things before and after Reiki. His examples made sense, all getting back to quantum physics. Now comes a book to refine the info in the Holographic Universe as related to the unexplained in mysticism. Well done, both are must reads for some leads to explanations of how it all works, which is not at all like we were told!Peggy Griffin ... Read more

Product Description
Like its predecessor, this book by the renowned physicist Sir Rudolf Peierls draws from many diverse fields of theoretical physics to present problems in which the answer differs from what our intuition had led us to expect. In some cases an apparently convincing approximation turns out to be misleading; in others a seemingly unmanageable problem turns out to have a simple answer. Peierls's intention, however, is not to treat theoretical physics as an unpredictable game in which such surprises happen at random. Instead he shows how in each case careful thought could have prepared us for the outcome. Peierls has chosen mainly problems from his own experience or that of his collaborators, often showing how classic problems can lend themselves to new insights. His book is aimed at both graduate students and their teachers. Praise for Surprises in Theoretical Physics: "A beautiful piece of stimulating scholarship and a delight to read. Physicists of all kinds will learn a great deal from it."--R. J. Blin-Stoyle, Contemporary Physics ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Delightful little book
I am surprised this book and it's predecessor have no reviews.They are like a delightful collection of short stories,to be enjoyed lying on the beach on a summer day, except that those stories cover random odd topics in theoretical physics. It's a bit pricey for the content, but if you find a cheap used copy for sale then it's well worth it. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume covers recent developments in the major areas of theoretical physics. The scope of the book ranges from small length scale (High Energy Physics, Neutrinos …) through medium scale (Nuclear Physics) to large length scale (Condensed Matter Physics) up to classical and quantum Black Hole Physics. It also deals with topics in nonlinear physics, econophysics, new ideas in quantum mechanics, quantum information and quantum computation.

• Relativity, Gravitation and Astro-Particle Physics
• High Energy Physics, Nuclear Physics and Quantum Mechanics
• Condensed Matter Phenomena
• Nonlinear Dynamics
• Quantum Information

Product Description
The Dirac Equation is a modern presentation of the relativistic quantum mechanics of electrons intended to make new mathematical results accessible to a wider audience. It treats in some depth the relativistic invariance of a quantum theory, self-adjointness and spectral theory, qualitative features of relativistic bound and scattering states, and the external field problem in quantum electrodynamics, without neglecting the interpretational difficulties and limitations of the theory. A novel feature is the extensive use of supersymmetric quantum mechanics in the discussions of, e.g. the nonrelativistic limit, Fredholm and Witten indices, the relativistic Coulomb problem, particles with anomalous moments, behaviour in the presence of magnetic fields, and soliton theory. The book is aimed at scientists and graduate students interested in quantum mechanics who want to learn about the mathematical foundations, the physical interpretation and important applications of Dirac's electron theory. ... Read more

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"Theoretical Molecular Biophysics" is an advanced study book for students, shortly before or after completing undergraduate studies, in physics, chemistry or biology. It provides the tools for an understanding of elementary processes in biology, such as photosynthesis on a molecular level. A basic knowledge in mechanics, electrostatics, quantum theory and statistical physics is desirable. The reader will be exposed to basic concepts in modern biophysics such as entropic forces, phase separation, potentials of mean force, proton and electron transfer, heterogeneous reactions coherent and incoherent energy transfer as well as molecular motors. Basic concepts such as phase transitions of biopolymers, electrostatics, protonation equilibria, ion transport, radiationless transitions as well as energy- and electron transfer are discussed within the frame of simple models. ... Read more

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This book provides an introduction to the classical, quantum and symmetry aspects of multipole theory, demonstrating the successes of the theory and also its unphysical aspects.It presents a transformation theory, which removes these unphysical properties.The book will be of interest to physics students wishing to advance their knowledge of multipole theory, and also a useful reference work for molecular and optical physicists, theoretical chemists working on multipole effects, solid state physicists studying the effects of electromagnetic fields on condensed matter, engineers and applied mathematicians with interests in anisotrpoic materials.An interesting recent development has been the increasing use of computer calculations in applications of multipole theory.The book should assist computational physicists and chemists wishing to work in this area to acquire the necessary background in multipole theory. ... Read more

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This text provides a thoroughly modern graduate-level introduction to the theory of critical behavior. Beginning with a brief review of phase transitions in simple systems and of mean field theory, the text then goes on to introduce the core ideas of the renormalization group.Following chapters cover phase diagrams, fixed points, cross-over behavior, finite-size scaling, perturbative renormalization methods, low-dimensional systems, surface critical behavior, random systems, percolation, polymer statistics, critical dynamics and conformal symmetry.The book closes with an appendix on Gaussian integration, a selected bibliography, and a detailed index.Many problems are included.The emphasis throughout is on providing an elementary and intuitive approach.In particular, the perturbative method introduced leads, among applications, to a simple derivation of the epsilon expansion in which all the actual calculations (at least to lowest order) reduce to simple counting, avoiding the need for Feynman diagrams. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent Introduction to Renormalization and Scaling
I am a graduate student in condensed matter physics and I found this book to be an excellent introduction to the tools associated with the renormalization group idea. This book has a number of useful examples that are worked out in a fairly simple and straightforward way. In order to establish scaling relations this book uses some unit analysis on a hamiltonian density and builds from there.
The one downside is that this book focuses on lowest order perturbation and doesn't go into depth on diagrammatic approaches to renormalization ideas. Aside from this it is a great reference and many of my colleagues swear by it.

Good but needs and equal amount of preparation
This book deals with a most interesting and dynamical area of modern research in physics.
In the frontmatters, Cardy explains that, too often, in the past, students who were willing to go into research in condensed matter as quickly as possible, found a difficult time struggling and mastering techniques that were initially devised for particule physics.
K. Wilson built an arch between these two sub-fields of physics, through his Nobel-prize-worth insights.
However, as Cardy rightly points out, renormalization group methods can be more efficiently explained, learnt and applied by condensed matter, in a Feynman-diagram inspired presentation of the perturbative renormalization group. This subject then reduce to relatively simple combinatorics.
This is one of this book main contribution.
After explaining carefully scaling concepts and the various corresponding laws of critical phenomena, as well as field theory and Landau-Ginzburg theory, Cardy goes on to explain those from renormalization group methods.
The usual (exactly solved) statistical models appear at various parts of the book.
Welcome additions to the literature are chapters on random systems (those with impureties), polymer physics and critical dynamics.
A final chapter offers a primer on how conformal symmetry pops out at the critical point. This is a most active subject of current research in the field.
I should stress however that this book is meant for advanced students.
The typical student would have a background in phase transitions and statistical physics, as well as prior acquaintance with basic (quantum)field theory.
This book would probably be more profitably read with a more experienced student or a teacher at hand, for it is written in a rather condensed form and due to the vastness of the subject can hardly give an overview of it.

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This monograph is the first to present the recently discovered renormalization techniques for the Schrödinger and Dirac equations, providing a mathematically rigorous, yet simple and clear introduction to the subject. It develops field-theoretic techniques such as Feynman graph expansions and renormalization, taking pains to make all proofs as simple as possible by using generating function techniques throughout. Renormalization is performed by using an exact renormalization group differential equation, a technique that provides simple but complete proofs of the theorems. ... Read more

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A little words
It's a door of normalization method. A good introduction! ... Read more

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Statistical Physics I discusses the fundamentals of equilibrium statistical mechanics, focussing on basic physical aspects. No previous knowledge of thermodynamics or the molecular theory of gases is assumed. Illustrative examples based on simple materials and photon systems elucidate the central ideas and methods. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good on stochastic processes
This text provides a good, readable introduction to Markov processes, including Fokker-Planck equations, from the standpoint of typical physical examples. A weakness is that (by only mentioning and not developing Ito calculus) the book does not make it clear to the reader that most stochastic processes are nonstationary. This is important: today, we are interested in far from equilibrium dynamics, much less so in dynamics near equilibrium where the fluctuation-dissipation theorem holds. On the other hand, the standard financial math texts (Baxter and Rennie, Steele, ...) do us no service in this direction either. The book goes beyond the older reference by Wax, which is still a very good introduction to Markov processes. In any case, no existing reference treats the general case of a space-time-dependent diffusion coefficient adequately, the case of most interest for the dynamics of financial markets. Now for details of the weak spots.

There are two mistakes on pages 65-68. The discussion is based on the sde dx=-R(x)dt+D(x,t)^1/2dB(t) where B(t) is a Wiener process. First, it is claimed that the random force D(x,t)^1/2dB is Gaussian with a white spectrum. In general, the random force is not even stationary unless D is independent of x. The unstated assumption is that the random force is always stationary, so that with R(x)<0 there is an approach to equilibrium. When the diffusion coefficient depends on x (or more generally on (x,t)) then there is no approach to equilibrium for the case of unbounded x even with R<0, as the lognormal model of standard finance theory so vividly shows. Second, even if an equilibrium solution of the corresponding Fokker-Planck equation 'exists', it cannot be reached dynamically when the force is nonstationary. Again, the lognormal model illustrates this point. Arguments (typical in economics) that an equilibrium solution 'exists' are meaningless are useless if the dynamics can't approach that solution.

The best book on Statistical Mechanics
Statistical Mechanics (1&2) by Toda and Kubo is the best textbook on statistical mechanics I've read. This book has some material such as Linear response theory(in vol 2), ergotic problems(in vol 1) which is difficult tofind in other ones. I like the way the author write in linear responsepart. It is beautiful.

The best book on Statistical Mechanics
Statistical Mechanics (1&2) by Toda and Kubo is the best textbook on statistical mechanics I've read. This book has some material such as Linear response theory(in vol 2), ergotic problems(in vol 1) which is difficult tofind in other ones. I like the way the author write in linear responsepart. It is beautiful. ... Read more

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Presenting a wide-ranging view of current developments in protein research, the papers in this collection, each written by highly regarded experts in the field, examine various aspects of protein structure, functions, dynamics, and experimentation. Topics include dynamical simulation methods, the biological role of atom fluctuations, protein folding, influences on protein dynamics, and a variety of analytical techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, vibrational spectroscopy, photodissociation and rebinding kinetics. This is part of a series devoted to providing general information on a wide variety of topics in chemical physics in order to stimulate new research and to serve as a text for beginners in a particular area of chemical physics. ... Read more