Gravitation

This landmark text offers a rigorous full-year graduate level course on gravitation physics, teaching students to:· Grasp the laws of physics in flat spacetime· Predict orders of magnitude· Calculate using the principal tools of modern geometry· Predict all levels of precision· Understand Einstein's geometric framework for physics· Explore applications, including pulsars and neutron stars, cosmology, the Schwarzschild geometry and gravitational collapse, and gravitational waves· Probe experimental tests of Einstein's theory· Tackle advanced topics such as superspace and quantum geometrodynamics The book offers a unique, alternating two-track pathway through the subject:· In many chapters, material focusing on basic physical ideas is designated asTrack 1. These sections together make an appropriate one-term advanced/graduate level course (mathematical prerequisites: vector analysis and simple partial-differential equations). The book is printed to make it easy for readers to identify these sections.· The remaining Track 2 material provides a wealth of advanced topics instructors can draw from to flesh out a two-term course, with Track 1 sections serving as prerequisites.