Astrophysics: An Introduction to Theory and Basics (2024)

This textbook offers a comprehensible introduction to the physical fundamentals of the processes in our universe. The first chapters cover the observational possibilities of astrophysical quantities, cosmic rays, star formation and evolution, and galaxy formation and modeling. Subsequently, the basics of general relativity and different phenomena such as gravitational waves and black holes are covered. The book concludes with an introduction to cosmology: In addition to traditional homogeneous approaches, inhomogeneous cosmology in particular is given a broader scope in this new edition. Current inflationary models are presented.

The book is intended for students of physics at the undergraduate, bachelor, and master levels, but it also offers a readable and easy-to-understand introduction for people with a basic knowledge of mathematics and physics who are interested in the natural sciences.

In this third edition, all chapters have been thoroughly revised, restructured, and brought up to date with the latest findings from astrophysics, cosmology, and astronomy.

Contents
Some important physical basics - observational possibilities - cosmic rays - stellar structure and stellar evolution - final stages of burning stars - galaxies - Newtonian cosmology - computational rules of ART - ART effects - relativistic stars and stellar dynamics - homogeneous cosmology - observations and interpretation approaches - inflation - inhomogeneous cosmology

The Author
Karl-Heinz Spatschek was Professor of Theoretical Physics at the Universities of Essen and Düsseldorf from 1975 to 2010 and collaborated with the Forschungszentrum Jülich in the field of plasma physics. Today he is involved in research on laser-plasma interaction and regularly lectures on astrophysics at the University of Düsseldorf.