Cosmological Crossroads: An Advanced Course in Mathematical, Physical and String Cosmology

Spiros Cotsakis, Peter G. L. Leach (auth.), Spiros Cotsakis, Eleftherios Papantonopoulos (eds.)3540437789, 9783540437789

This book has grown out of lectures held at a summer school on cosmology, in response to an ever increasing need for an advanced textbook that addresses the needs of both postgraduate students and nonspecialist researchers from various disciplines ranging from mathematical physics to observational astrophysics. Bridging the gap between standard textbook material in cosmology and the forefront of research, this book also constitutes a modern source of reference for the experienced researcher in classical and quantum cosmology.

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Table of contents :
Is Nature Generic?….Pages 3-15
Evolution of Ideas in Modern Cosmology….Pages 16-26
Constraints and Evolution in Cosmology….Pages 29-58
Cosmological Singularities….Pages 59-94
Exact Cosmological Solutions….Pages 95-110
Introduction to Cosmological Dynamical Systems….Pages 111-143
The Quest for the Cosmological Parameters….Pages 147-207
Modern Cosmological Observations….Pages 208-222
Cosmological Perturbations….Pages 223-261
Dark Matter: A Particle Theorist’s Viewpoint….Pages 262-284
An Introduction to Particle Physics….Pages 287-317
Quantum Cosmology….Pages 318-350
Inflationary Cosmology….Pages 351-391
String Cosmology….Pages 392-457
Brane Cosmology….Pages 458-477