High Energy Radiation from Black Holes: Gamma Rays, Cosmic Rays, and Neutrinos

Front Cover
Princeton University Press, Sep 21, 2009 - Science - 568 pages

Bright gamma-ray flares observed from sources far beyond our Milky Way Galaxy are best explained if enormous amounts of energy are liberated by black holes. The highest- energy particles in nature--the ultra-high-energy cosmic rays--cannot be confined by the Milky Way's magnetic field, and must originate from sources outside our Galaxy. Understanding these energetic radiations requires an extensive theoretical framework involving the radiation physics and strong-field gravity of black holes. In High Energy Radiation from Black Holes, Charles Dermer and Govind Menon present a systematic exposition of black-hole astrophysics and general relativity in order to understand how gamma rays, cosmic rays, and neutrinos are produced by black holes.


Beginning with Einstein's special and general theories of relativity, the authors give a detailed mathematical description of fundamental astrophysical radiation processes, including Compton scattering of electrons and photons, synchrotron radiation of particles in magnetic fields, photohadronic interactions of cosmic rays with photons, gamma-ray attenuation, Fermi acceleration, and the Blandford-Znajek mechanism for energy extraction from rotating black holes. The book provides a basis for graduate students and researchers in the field to interpret the latest results from high-energy observatories, and helps resolve whether energy released by rotating black holes powers the highest-energy radiations in nature. The wide range of detail will make High Energy Radiation from Black Holes a standard reference for black-hole research.

 

Selected pages

Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction
1
Chapter 2 Relativistic Kinematics
14
Chapter 3 Introduction to Curved Spacetime
25
Chapter 4 Physical Cosmology
36
Chapter 5 Radiation Physics of Relativistic Flows
50
Chapter 6 Compton Scattering
70
Chapter 7 Synchrotron Radiation
117
Chapter 8 Binary Particle Collision Processes
160
Chapter 14 SecondOrder Fermi Acceleration
351
Chapter 15 The Geometry of Spacetime
379
Chapter 16 BlackHole Electrodynamics
417
Chapter 17 HighEnergy Radiations from Black Holes
452
Essential Tensor Calculus
473
Mathematical Functions
488
Solutions of the Continuity Equation
492
Basics of Monte Carlo Calculations
497

Chapter 9 Photohadronic Processes
187
Chapter 10 γγ Pair Production
227
Chapter 11 BlastWave Physics
258
Chapter 12 Introduction to Fermi Acceleration
314
Chapter 13 FirstOrder Fermi Acceleration
327
Supplementary Information
499
Glossary and Acronym List
505
Bibliography
509
Index
531
Copyright

Other editions - View all

High Energy Radiation from Black Holes: Gamma Rays, Cosmic Rays, and Neutrinos
Charles Dermer,Govind Menon
Limited preview - 2009
High Energy Radiation from Black Holes: Gamma Rays, Cosmic Rays, and Neutrinos
Charles Dermer,Govind Menon
No preview available - 2009

Common terms and phrases

acceleration angle approximation assumed becomes black hole blast wave calculation coefficient comoving component condition consider constant coordinate cosmic rays cross section curves defined density dependence derived described differential diffusion direction distance distribution electron emission energy energy density energy-loss equation ergs expression Fermi Figure fluid flux frame frequency function geodesic geometry given gives implies integral intensity interactions ions isotropic limit Lorentz factor losses magnetic field mass maximum mean measured metric momentum neutrino nonrelativistic Note observer obtained particle photon photon energy photopion physics plasma processes production quantity radiation radiation field radius regime region relation relativistic respectively scale scattering shell shock shown shows solution sources space spacetime spectral spectrum speed synchrotron takes tangent vector tensor Thomson timescale tion transformation UHECR units universe values vector wave y-ray

About the author (2009)

Charles D. Dermer is a theoretical astrophysicist at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. Govind Menon is professor of physics at Troy University.

Bibliographic information

TitleHigh Energy Radiation from Black Holes: Gamma Rays, Cosmic Rays, and Neutrinos
Princeton Series in Astrophysics
AuthorsCharles D. Dermer, Govind Menon
Editionillustrated
PublisherPrinceton University Press, 2009
ISBN1400831490, 9781400831494
Length568 pages
Subjects ›  › 

Science / Physics / Astrophysics
  
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