The Rise and Fall of the Black Hole Paradigm

The Rise and Fall of the Black Hole Paradigm
Author: Abhas Mitra
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Total Pages: 230
Release: 2021-01-22
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9389104157

Black holes have turned out to be the cornerstone of both physics and popular belief. But what if we were to realize that exact black holes cannot exist, even though their existence is apparently suggested by exact general relativistic solutions, and Roger Penrose won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics ‘for the discovery that black hole formation is a robust prediction of the general theory of relativity’? While it might seem far-fetched to claim so, it will be worth remembering that the finest theoretical physicists like Albert Einstein and Paul Dirac did not believe in black holes, and Stephen Hawking finally thought that there are no exact black holes. While the black hole paradigm has become commonplace in popular consciousness, in the last decade, noise has consistently grown about the many physical effects which can inhibit the formation of exact mathematical black holes. In The Rise and Fall of the Black Hole Paradigm, Abhas Mitra shows us how, much before these developments, he had proven why the so-called black holes must only be black hole pretenders. He identified these black hole candidates to be Magnetospheric Eternally Collapsing Objects (MECOs) and, along with Darryl J. Leiter and Stanley L. Robertson, generalized them. Recent evidence for the existence of strong magnetic fields around so-called black holes may provide confirmations of his claim.

Black Hole Physics

Black Hole Physics
Author: Daniel Grumiller
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 431
Release: 2022-11-07
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3031103432

This textbook gradually introduces the reader to several topics related to black hole physics with a didactic approach. It starts with the most basic black hole solution, the Schwarzschild metric, and discusses the basic classical properties of black hole solutions as seen by different probes. Then it reviews various theorems about black hole properties as solutions to Einstein gravity coupled to matter fields, conserved charges associated with black holes, and laws of black hole thermodynamics. Next, it elucidates semiclassical and quantum aspects of black holes, which are relevant in ongoing and future research. The book is enriched with many exercises and solutions to assist in the learning. The textbook is designed for physics graduate students who want to start their research career in the field of black holes; postdocs who recently changed their research focus towards black holes and want to get up-to-date on recent and current research topics; advanced researchers intending to teach (or learn) basic and advanced aspects of black hole physics and the associated mathematical tools. Besides general relativity, the reader needs to be familiar with standard undergraduate physics, like thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics. Moreover, familiarity with basic quantum field theory in Minkowski space is assumed. The book covers the rest of the needed background material in the main text or the appendices.

Black Holes

Black Holes
Author: Kip S. Thorne
Publisher: Yale University Press
Total Pages: 392
Release: 1986-01-01
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780300037708

A pedagogical introduction to the physics of black holes. The membrane paradigm represents the four-dimensional spacetime of the black hole's "event horizon" as a two-dimensional membrane in three-dimensional space, allowing the reader to understand and compute the behavior of black holes in complex astrophysical environments.

Regular Black Holes

Regular Black Holes
Author: Cosimo Bambi
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 505
Release: 2023-07-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9819915961

Black holes are one of the most fascinating predictions of general relativity. They are the natural product of the complete gravitational collapse of matter and today we have a body of observational evidence supporting the existence of black holes in the Universe. However, general relativity predicts that at the center of black holes there are spacetime singularities, where predictability is lost and standard physics breaks down. It is widely believed that spacetime singularities are a symptom of the limitations of general relativity and must be solved within a theory of quantum gravity. Since we do not have yet any mature and reliable candidate for a quantum gravity theory, researchers have studied toy-models of singularity-free black holes and of singularity-free gravitational collapses in order to explore possible implications of the yet unknown theory of quantum gravity. This book reviews all main models of regular black holes and non-singular gravitational collapses proposed in the literature, and discuss the theoretical and observational implications of these scenarios.

Death By Black Hole

Death By Black Hole
Author: Neil deGrasse Tyson
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Total Pages: 392
Release: 2007-01-16
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9780393062243

A collection of essays on the cosmos, written by an American Museum of Natural History astrophysicist, includes "Holy Wars," "Ends of the World," and "Hollywood Nights."

Black Hole Astrophysics

Black Hole Astrophysics
Author: David L. Meier
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2012-07-27
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9783642019357

As a result of significant research over the past 20 years, black holes are now linked to some of the most spectacular and exciting phenomena in the Universe, ranging in size from those that have the same mass as stars to the super-massive objects that lie at the heart of most galaxies, including our own Milky Way. This book first introduces the properties of simple isolated holes, then adds in complications like rotation, accretion, radiation, and magnetic fields, finally arriving at a basic understanding of how these immense engines work. Black Hole Astrophysics • reviews our current knowledge of cosmic black holes and how they generate the most powerful observed pheonomena in the Universe; • highlights the latest, most up-to-date theories and discoveries in this very active area of astrophysical research; • demonstrates why we believe that black holes are responsible for important phenomena such as quasars, microquasars and gammaray bursts; • explains to the reader the nature of the violent and spectacular outfl ows (winds and jets) generated by black hole accretion.

Black Holes

Black Holes
Author: Jean-Pierre Luminet
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 338
Release: 1992-08-28
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780521409063

Black holes are undoubtedly one of the most fascinating discoveries of modern astronomy, and their description one of the most daring intellectual feats of modern times. They have already become legendary, forming the basis of many myths, fantasies and science fiction movies. Are they really the monsters which devour light and stars; bottomless celestial pits into which all matter is sucked and crushed? Are they an observable reality, or are they just hypothetical objects from the theory of relativity? In answering such questions the author takes us on a fabulous journey through space and time. Dr Jean-Pierre Luminet is an astronomer at Meudon Observatory in France, a specialist on the subject of black holes, and has also acquired a reputation for being a gifted writer and communicator. In this book he makes the subject of black holes accessible to any interested reader, who will need no mathematical background.

A Relativist's Toolkit

A Relativist's Toolkit
Author: Eric Poisson
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 253
Release: 2004-05-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1139451995

This 2004 textbook fills a gap in the literature on general relativity by providing the advanced student with practical tools for the computation of many physically interesting quantities. The context is provided by the mathematical theory of black holes, one of the most elegant, successful, and relevant applications of general relativity. Among the topics discussed are congruencies of timelike and null geodesics, the embedding of spacelike, timelike and null hypersurfaces in spacetime, and the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations of general relativity. Although the book is self-contained, it is not meant to serve as an introduction to general relativity. Instead, it is meant to help the reader acquire advanced skills and become a competent researcher in relativity and gravitational physics. The primary readership consists of graduate students in gravitational physics. It will also be a useful reference for more seasoned researchers working in this field.

Black Holes: A Very Short Introduction

Black Holes: A Very Short Introduction
Author: Katherine Blundell
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 129
Release: 2015-12-10
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0191653950

Black holes are a constant source of fascination to many due to their mysterious nature. In this Very Short Introduction, Katherine Blundell addresses a variety of questions, including what a black hole actually is, how they are characterized and discovered, and what would happen if you came too close to one. She explains how black holes form and grow - by stealing material that belongs to stars, as well as how many there may be in the Universe. She also explores the large black holes found in the centres of galaxies, and how black holes give rise to quasars and other spectacular phenomena in the cosmos. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.