Astrophysics for Physicists
Designed for teaching astrophysics to physics students at advanced undergra-
duate or beginning graduate level, this textbook also provides an overview of
astrophysics for astrophysics graduate students, before they delve into more
specialized volumes.
Assuming background knowledge at the level of a physics major, the
textbook develops astrophysics from the basics without requiring any previous
study in astronomy or astrophysics. Physical concepts, mathematical derivations
and observational data are combined in a balanced way to provide a unified
treatment. Topics such as general relativity and plasma physics, which are
not usually covered in physics courses but used extensively in astrophysics,
are developed from first principles. While the emphasis is on developing the
fundamentals thoroughly, recent important discoveries are highlighted at every
stage.
ARNAB RAI CHOUDHURI is a Professor of Physics at the Indian Institute of
Science. One of the world’s leading scientists in the field of solar magneto-
hydrodynamics, he is author of The Physics of Fluids and Plasmas (Cambridge
University Press, 1998).
www.cambridge.org © in this web service Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-81553-6 - Astrophysics for Physicists
Arnab Rai Choudhuri
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