Particles In The Dark Universe

This book provides a comprehensive and instructive coverage of particle physics in the early universe, in a logical way. It starts from the thermal history of the universe by investigating some of the main arguments such as Big Bang nucleosynthesis, the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and the inflation, before treating in details the direct and indirect detection of dark matter and then some aspects of the physics of neutrino. Following, it describes possible candidates for dark matter and its interactions. The book is targeted at theoretical physicists who deal with particle physics in the universe, dark matter detection and astrophysical constraints, and at particle physicists who are interested in models of inflation or reheating. This book offers also material for astrophysicists who work with quantum field theory computations. All that is useful to compute any physical process is included: mathematical tables, all the needed functions for the thermodynamics of early universe and Feynman rules. In light of this, this book acts as a crossroad between astrophysics, particle physics and cosmology.

This book provides a comprehensive and instructive coverage of particle physics in the early universe, in a logical way. It starts from the thermal history of the universe by investigating some of the main arguments such as Big Bang nucleosynthesis, the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and the inflation, before treating in details the direct and indirect detection of dark matter and then some aspects of the physics of neutrino. Following, it describes possible candidates for dark matter and its interactions. The book is targeted at theoretical physicists who deal with particle physics in the universe, dark matter detection and astrophysical constraints, and at particle physicists who are interested in models of inflation or reheating. This book offers also material for astrophysicists who work with quantum field theory computations. All that is useful to compute any physical process is included: mathematical tables, all the needed functions for the thermodynamics of early universe and Feynman rules. In light of this, this book acts as a crossroad between astrophysics, particle physics and cosmology.

The inside story of the epic quest to solve the mystery of dark matter The ordinary atoms that make up the known universe—from our bodies and the air we breathe to the planets and stars—constitute only 5 percent of all matter and energy in the cosmos. The rest is known as dark matter and dark energy, because their precise identities are unknown. The Cosmic Cocktail is the inside story of the epic quest to solve one of the most compelling enigmas of modern science—what is the universe made of?—told by one of today's foremost pioneers in the study of dark matter. Blending cutting-edge science with her own behind-the-scenes insights as a leading researcher in the field, acclaimed theoretical physicist Katherine Freese recounts the hunt for dark matter, from the discoveries of visionary scientists like Fritz Zwicky—the Swiss astronomer who coined the term "dark matter" in 1933—to the deluge of data today from underground laboratories, satellites in space, and the Large Hadron Collider. Theorists contend that dark matter consists of fundamental particles known as WIMPs, or weakly interacting massive particles. Billions of them pass through our bodies every second without us even realizing it, yet their gravitational pull is capable of whirling stars and gas at breakneck speeds around the centers of galaxies, and bending light from distant bright objects. Freese describes the larger-than-life characters and clashing personalities behind the race to identify these elusive particles. Many cosmologists believe we are on the verge of solving the mystery. The Cosmic Cocktail provides the foundation needed to fully fathom this epochal moment in humankind’s quest to understand the universe.

What is the dark matter that fills the Universe and binds together galaxies? How was it produced? What are its interactions and particle properties? The paradigm of dark matter is one of the key developments at the interface of cosmology and elementary particle physics. It is also one of the foundations of the standard cosmological model. This book presents the state of the art in building and testing particle models for dark matter. Each chapter gives an analysis of questions, research directions, and methods within the field. More than 200 problems are included to challenge and stimulate the reader's knowledge and provide guidance in the practical implementation of the numerous "tools of the trade" presented. Appendices summarize the basics of cosmology and particle physics needed for any quantitative understanding of particle models for dark matter. This interdisciplinary textbook is essential reading for anyone interested in the microscopic nature of dark matter as it manifests itself in particle physics experiments, cosmological observations, and high-energy astrophysical phenomena: from graduate students and advanced undergraduates to cosmologists and astrophysicists interested in particle models for dark matter and particle physicists interested in early-universe cosmology and high-energy astrophysics. Request Inspection Copy

This popular science book offers a glimpse into a plethora of extreme cosmic phenomena in which the theories of modern physics, particularly quantum mechanics and general relativity, play a key role. Despite their vastly different appearances, these cosmic phenomena have much in common: they are all powered by exotic stars -- black holes, neutron stars and white dwarfs -- collectively called compact objects. The book describes, in accessible language, the physics underlying these phenomena, the historical background that led to their discovery, and the various observational techniques used by astronomers for their exposure. The book contains many spectacular photographs taken with modern telescopes around the world and satellites of different space agencies, as well as illustrations specially prepared by the author to enhance the reading experience. Contents: IntroductionFirst Episode: The Universe and All That Is In It: The History of the UniverseThe Genesis of Galaxies and the Birth of Giant Black HolesStellar Evolution -- From Dust Cloud to Black HoleSecond Episode: Physics and Astronomy in the 21st Century: Matter, Force, and Symmetry in NaturePrinciples of Modern AstronomyElectromagnetic Radiation: Kinds and ClassesThe Elusive NeutrinoGravitational Waves: Spacetime VibrationsCosmic Rays -- A Shower of Energetic Particles from the UniverseThird Episode: A Menagerie of Extreme Phenomena: White Dwarfs and the Quantum TheoryNeurton Stars -- The Largest Atomic Nuclei in the UniverseQuark Stars and Strange MatterLighthouses in the UniverseMagnetars -- The Universe's Largest MagnetsBlack Holes -- The Crown Jewel of Einstein's TheoryThe Black Holes' Magic ShowDeath and Birth -- The Tale of Cosmic ExplosionsMighty Bursts from Deep SpaceEpilogue Readership: Non-professional readers interested in science in general, and physics and astronomy in particular. Keywords: Astronomy;Black Holes;Gravitational Waves;Cosmic Rays;Popular ScienceReview:0

"The Higgs boson ... is the key to understanding why mass exists and how atoms are possible. After billions of dollars and decades of effort by more than six thousand researchers at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland--a doorway is opening into the mind-boggling world of dark matter and beyond. Caltech physicist and acclaimed writer Sean Carroll explains both the importance of the Higgs boson and the ultimately human story behind the greatest scientific achievement of our time"--Publisher

To the eyes of the average person and the trained scientist, the night sky is dark, even though the universe is populated by myriads of bright galaxies. Why this happens is a question commonly called Olbers' Paradox, and dates from at least 1823. How dark is the night sky is a question which preoccupies astrophysicists at the present. The answer to both questions tells us about the origin of the universe and the nature of its contents ? luminous galaxies like the Milky Way, plus the dark matter between them and the mysterious dark energy which appears to be pushing everything apart. In this book, the fascinating history of Olbers' Paradox is reviewed, and the intricate physics of the light/dark universe is examined in detail. The fact that the night sky is dark (a basic astronomical observation that anybody can make) turns out to be connected with the finite age of the universe, thereby confirming some event like the Big Bang. But the space between the galaxies is not perfectly black, and data on its murkiness at various wavelengths can be used to constrain and identify its unseen constituents.