
This book accompanies another book by the same authors, Introduction to the Theory of the Early Universe: Hot Big Bang Theory and presents the theory of the evolution of density perturbations and relic gravity waves, theory of cosmological inflation and post-inflationary reheating. Written in a pedagogical style, the main chapters give a detailed account of the established theory, with derivation of formulas. Being self-contained, it is a useful textbook for advanced undergraduate students and graduate students. Essential materials from General Relativity, theory of Gaussian random fields and quantum field theory are collected in the appendices. The more advanced topics are approached similarly in a pedagogical way. These parts may serve as a detailed introduction to current research.
Available as a set with Introduction to the Theory of the Early Universe: Hot Big Bang Theory.
Sample Chapter(s)
Chapter 5: Primordial Perturbations in Real Universe (272k)
Chapter 15: Preheating after Inflation (382k)
Contents:
- Jeans Instability in Newtonian Gravity
- Cosmological Perturbations in General Relativity. Equations of Linearized Theory
- Evolution of Vector and Tensor Perturbations
- Scalar Perturbations: Single-Component Fluids
- Primordial Perturbations in Real Universe
- Scalar Perturbations Before Recombination
- Structure Formation
- Beyond Ideal Fluid Approximation
- Temperature of Cosmic Microwave Background
- CMB Polarization
- Drawbacks of the Hot Big Bang Theory. Inflation as Possible Way Out
- Inflation in Slow Roll Regime
- Generation of Cosmological Perturbations at Inflation
- Further Aspects of Inflationary Theory
- Preheating After Inflation
- Bouncing Universe
- Color Pages
Readership: Cosmologists, advanced undergraduate and graduate students.
... is an excellent addition to the field of theoretical cosmology that goes a long way towards filling the need for a fully modern pedagogical text ... Both volumes contain notably insightful treatments of many topics and there is a large variety of problems for the student distributed throughout the text, in addition to extensive appendices on background material ... for those wanting a modern successor to The Early Universe by Edward Kolb and Michael Turner or John Peacock's Cosmological Physics, either for study of an unfamiliar topic or to recommend to PHD students to prepare them for research, the two volumes are a fine choice and an excellent alternative to Steven Weiberg's more formal Cosmology."
CERN Courier
"This set of two volumes on the early universe is a truly excellent treatise on the subject. The volumes cover both particle physics and general relativity aspects systematically and in detail. The discussion is self-contained and brings out the tremendous progress that has occurred in the last 2–3 decades. It is especially refreshing to see that the hype, exaggerations and over-emphasis on fashions one often finds in discussions of modern cosmology are not necessary to make the subject lucid and fascinating. The two volumes can be used either as texts for advanced courses in cosmology or as "handbooks" on the subject by active researchers."
Abhay Ashtekar
Director, Institute for Gravitation & the Cosmos
Pennsylvania State University
"The basic approach of the book is pedagogical, giving a sound, self-contained theoretical derivation of established theory. This work is for those who want a thorough theoretical foundation in the topic of cosmological perturbations."
Contemporary Physics