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• Acknowledgments ix Preface xiii* Cosmology Becomes Data-driven Science xiii * Outline of the Journey We Will Take xix Prologue: From Myth to Reality 1 * Astronomy: The Endless Frontier 1 * Charting and Modeling the Heavens 3 * Copernicus: "The Last of the Greek Cosmologists" 6 * Galileo: A New Approach to Mechanics and Cosmology 9 * The Impact of Copernicus: Kepler's Laws 13 * Isaac Newton and Gravity 15 * William Herschel Discovers the Universe 20 * Understanding the Universe Becomes a New Kind of Science 24 One: Einstein's Toolkit, and How to Use It 27* Overconfidence among the Cognoscenti at the Dawn of the Twentieth Century 27 * Revolution in Physics: The Inception of Quantum Theory and Relativity 30 * Special Relativity 33 * General Relativity 36 * General Relativity Is Tested, Passes the Test, and Is a Sensation 41 * Cosmological Solutions to Einstein's Equations 47 Two: The Realm of the Nebulae 52* New Instruments in a Better Climate Unveil a New World 52 * A Universe of Galaxies Is Confirmed 63 * A Cosmological Model to Fit the New Data: Enter, Georges Lemaitre 66 * Physical Cosmology and the Expanding Universe 70 * Lemaitre's Synthesis Model Foretells the Contribution of Dark Energy 75 * Hubble's Achievements 79 * Big Science to Attack the Big Problem 81 * The Steady State Model Universe and the Big Bang 84 Three: Let's Do Cosmology! 89* The Big Bang: A Starting Point That Cannot Be Escaped 89 * Observational Cosmology, the Biggest Puzzle to Be Solved with the Biggest Telescope 93 * The Grand Project Was Initially Too Difficult 97 Four: Discovering the Big Bang 102* Did Our Universe Have an Explosive Birth? 102 * What Makes the Stars Shine? 104 * Nuclear Astrophysics Moves to the Cosmos 109 * The Fireball in Which the First Chemical Elements Were Made 114 * Direct Radio Observations of the Big Bang Fireball 118 * Understanding the Big Bang 125 Five: The Origin of Structure in the Universe 130*"In the Beginning"--Why an Explanation Is Needed 130 * Structure within the Expanding Universe 136 * The Elusive Standard Candle: Beatrice Tinsley Changes the Game 139 * Real Cosmic Structure Found and Cataloged by Fritz Zwicky 146 * Understanding the Origin of Structure Becomes Serious Science 149 * Cosmic Inflation 155 * The Seeds of Cosmic Structure Are Discovered 162 * Closing the Loop: How Do Seeds Grow to Galaxies? 168 Six: Dark Matter--or Fritz Zwicky's Greatest Invention 174* How the Earth Was Weighed 174 * Finding the Mass of the Andromeda Galaxy 181 * Zwicky Finds Dark Matter in Clusters of Galaxies in the 1930s 184 * The Rediscovery of Dark Matter in the 1970s 187 Rotation Curves Confirm the Case for Dark Matter 193 * More Recent Multiple Lines of Evidence for Dark Matter 197 Seven: Dark Energy--or Einstein's Greatest Blunder 202* A Curious Situation 202 * Will Gravity Lead to a Collapse of the Solar System? 203 * Expected and Unexpected Motions of Thrown Stones and Hubble's Universe 205 * The Invention of the Cosmological Constant or Dark Energy: 1915 209 * The Revival of Dark Energy in the 1970s 215 * New Arguments and New Evidence--Dark Energy Confirmed in the 1990s 220 * Dark Energy Fills the Gap, Allowing the Flat, "Just Right" Universe 222 Eight: The Modern Paradigm and the Limits of Our Knowledge 229* We Have Come a Long Way 229 * The Matter and Energy Content of the Universe 231* The Global Cosmological Solution and the Cosmic Triangle 238 * In the Beginning 244 * Structure in the Universe 245 * The Supercomputer Approach 248 Nine: The Frontier: Major Mysteries That Remain 253* Dark Matter 253 * Dark Energy 255 * Inflation 257 * Giant Black Holes 260 * Fine-Tuning 261 * Summing Up 262 Appendixes 263 Glossary 281 Bibliography 291 Index 295.
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Heart of Darkness describes the incredible saga of humankind's quest to unravel the deepest secrets of the universe. Over the past thirty years, scientists have learned that two little-understood components--dark matter and dark energy--comprise most of the known cosmos, explain the growth of all cosmic structure, and hold the key to the universe's fate. The story of how evidence for the so-called "Lambda-Cold Dark Matter" model of cosmology has been gathered by generations of scientists throughout the world is told here by one of the pioneers of the field, Jeremiah Ostriker, and his coauthor Simon Mitton. From humankind's early attempts to comprehend Earth's place in the solar system, to astronomers' exploration of the Milky Way galaxy and the realm of the nebulae beyond, to the detection of the primordial fluctuations of energy from which all subsequent structure developed, this book explains the physics and the history of how the current model of our universe arose and has passed every test hurled at it by the skeptics. Throughout this rich story, an essential theme is emphasized: how three aspects of rational inquiry--the application of direct measurement and observation, the introduction of mathematical modeling, and the requirement that hypotheses should be testable and verifiable--guide scientific progress and underpin our modern cosmological paradigm. This monumental puzzle is far from complete, however, as scientists confront the mysteries of the ultimate causes of cosmic structure formation and the real nature and origin of dark matter and dark energy.
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• Overview of elementary observational results--
• 1. Homogeneous isotropic models--
• 2. Perturbations in the universe--
• 3. Non-linear isolated perturbations-- References.
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The book describes the current state of our knowledge of large-scale cosmic structures. After providing the historical background for modern investigations, and the observational basis for believing in the big bang model of a homogeneous and isotropic expanding universe based on general relativity, the author turns to discuss perturbations, the deviations from homogenity and isotropy. Observations of large-scale structure are summarized and then there is a return to an attempt to understand how this structure grew on a physical and mathematical basis. Finally, in concluding remarks, the author argues for agnosticism, or that it is quite likely that none of the present models for the development of structure are correct. The author, however, holds out hope that the seeds of understanding may have already been planted, that they are surely growing up to the level where one can hope for revelations in the next decade based on new observations and intensive analysis of innovative and competing world models.
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• Part I. Introduction to Structure Formation:
• 1. Dark matter and stucture formation J. R. Primark--
• 2. Gravitational instability A. Yahil--
• 3. Microwave background and stucture formation J. Silk-- Part II. Large-Scale Structure and Flows:
• 4. Clusters and superclusters of galaxies N. A. Bahcall--
• 5. Redshift surveys of the local universe M. A. Strauss--
• 6. Measurement of galaxy distances J. A. Willick--
• 7. Large-scale flows and cosmological implications A. Dekel-- Part III. Structure on Galactic Scales and Lensing:
• 8. Cosmological simulations J. P. Ostriker--
• 9. Black holes in galaxy centers S. M. Faber--
• 10. Gravitational lensing R. Narayan and M. Bartelmann-- Part IV. A Conclusion:
• 11. The mass of the universe P. J. E. Peebles.
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This advanced textbook provides an up-to-date and comprehensive introduction to the very active field of structure formation in cosmology. It is written by eleven world-leading authorities. Written in a clear and pedagogical style appropriate for graduate students in astronomy and physics, this textbook introduces the reader to a wide range of exciting topics in contemporary cosmology: from recent advances in redshift surveys, to the latest models in gravitational lensing and cosmological simulations. The authors are all world-renowned experts both for their research and teaching skills. In the fast-moving field of structure formation, this book provides advanced undergraduate and graduate students with a welcome textbook which unites the latest theory and observations.
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• Preface The Cosmological Parameters 2In the Beginning 3Understanding Data Better with Bayesian and Global Statistical Methods 4Large-Scale Structure in the Universe 5Unsolved Problems in Gravitational Lensing 6What Can Be Learned from Numerical Simulations of Cosmology 7The Centers of Elliptical Galaxies 8The Morphological Evolution of Galaxies 9Quasars 10Solar Neutrinos: Solved and Unsolved Problems 11Particle Dark Matter 12Stars in the Milky Way and Other Galaxies 13Searching for MACHOs with Microlensing 14Globally Asymmetric Supernova 15In and Around Neutron Stars 16Accretion Flows Around Black Holes 17The Highest Energy Cosmic Rays 18Toward Understanding Gamma-Ray Bursts.
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The field of astrophysics is in the midst of a technologically driven renaissance, as fundamental discoveries are being made with astonishing frequency. In this book, a group of astronomers and astrophysicists describe the directions of work that they think are most likely to lead to progress.
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The field of astrophysics is in the midst of a technologically driven renaissance, as fundamental discoveries are being made with astonishing frequency. In the last decade, new detectors in space, on earth, and deep underground have, when coupled with the computational power of modern computers, revolutionized our knowledge and understanding of the astronomical world. This is a great time for a student of any age to become acquainted with the remarkable universe in which we live. This volume is a collection of essays, originally presented orally to a diverse group of students and professionals, which reveal the most fertile areas for future study of astronomy and astrophysics. The emphasis of this work is on the clear description of the current state of our knowledge as a preparation for the future unraveling of the mysteries of the universe that appear today as most fundamental and most amenable to solution. A stellar group of astronomers and astrophysicists describes the directions and styles of work that they think are most likely to lead to progress. Bibliographical notes at the end of each presentation provide guidance for the reader who wishes to go more deeply into a given subject. "Unsolved Problems in Astrophysics" is a uniquely stimulating introduction to some of the most important topics in modern astrophysics.
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• v. 1. Chemical physics and hydrodynamics
• v. 2. Particles, nuclei, and the universe.

The second and final volume of a collection featuring over 100 articles spanning a half-century of research by the late Soviet scientist, who contributed to the understanding of chemical catalysis, nuclear theory, the physics of elementary particles and the structure of the universe.
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This two-volume set contains over 100 articles spanning half a century of work by the late Soviet scientist Yakov Borisovich Zeldovich. Author of over 20 books and more than 500 scientific articles, Zeldovich made fundamental contributions in chemical catalysis and kinetics, combustion and the hydrodynamics of explosive phenomena, nuclear chain reactions and nuclear energy, the physics of elementary particles and the large-scale structure of the universe and cosmology. Commentaries by the author and the editors are included with each paper, serving to enhance both the historical and pedagogical value of this edition.
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• 3 Taxonomy 19
• 4 Quantitative Measures 25
• 5 Student Education and Outcomes 31
• 6 Reputation and Data Presentation 35
• 7 General Conclusions and Recommendations 61
• A Biographical Sketches: Committee and Panels 69
• B Program-Initiation Consultation with Organizations 79
• C Meetings and Participants 83
• D Sample Questionnaires 105
• Institutions 106
• Programs 109
• Faculty 114
• Students
• Admitted-to-Candidacy Students 118
• Five-Seven Years Post-Ph. D. Students 123
• E Taxonomy of Fields and Their Subfields 129
• F Fields for Ph. D.s Granted During 1996-2001 133
• G Technical and Statistical Techniques
• Alternate Ways to Present Rankings: Random Halves and Bootstrap 137
• Correlates of Reputation Analysis 146.

How should we assess and present information about the quality of research-doctorate programs? In recommending that the 1995 NRC rankings in Assessing the Quality of Research-Doctorate Programs: Continuity and Change be updated as soon as possible, this study presents an improved approach to doctoral program assessment which will be useful to administrators, faculty, and others with an interest in improving the education of Ph.D.s in the United States. It reviews the methodology of the 1995 NRC rankings and recommends changes, including the collection of new data about Ph.D. students, additional data about faculty, and new techniques to present data on the qualitative assessment of doctoral program reputation. It also recommends revision of the taxonomy of fields from that used in the 1995 rankings.
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• 1 Front Matter-- 2 Summary-- 3 1 Introduction-- 4 2 Context and Motivation-- 5 3 Study Design-- 6 4 The Methodologies Used to Derive Two Illustrative Rankings-- 7 5 Faculty Values as Reflected in the Two Illustrative Rankings-- 8 6 Some Uses of the Data-- 9 7 The Data and Principal Findings-- 10 8 Looking Ahead-- 11 Appendixes-- 12 Appendix A: Committee Biographies-- 13 Appendix B: Taxonomy of Fields-- 14 Appendix C: Participating Institutions-- 15 Appendix D: Questionnaires-- 16 Appendix E: List of Variables-- 17 Appendix F: R and S Coefficients by Fields-- 18 Appendix G: Correlation of the Median R and S Rankings by Broad Field-- 19 Appendix H: Detail for the Rating Study-- 20
• Appendix I: Count of Ranked and Unranked Programs by Field-- 21 Appendix J: A Technical Discussion of the Process of Rating and Ranking Programs in a Field.
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A Data-Based Assessment of Research-Doctorate Programs in the United States provides an unparalleled dataset that can be used to assess the quality and effectiveness of doctoral programs based on measures important to faculty, students, administrators, funders, and other stakeholders. The data, collected for the 2005-2006 academic year from more than 5,000 doctoral programs at 212 universities, covers 62 fields. Included for each program are such characteristics as faculty publications, grants, and awards; student GRE scores, financial support, and employment outcomes; and program size, time to degree, and faculty composition. Measures of faculty and student diversity are also included. The book features analysis of selected findings across six broad fields: agricultural sciences, biological and health sciences, engineering, physical and mathematical sciences, social and behavioral sciences, and humanities, as well as a discussion of trends in doctoral education since the last assessment in 1995, and suggested uses of the data . It also includes a detailed explanation of the methodology used to collect data and calculate ranges of illustrative rankings. Included with the book is a comprehensive CD-ROM with a data table in Microsoft Excel. In addition to data on the characteristics of individual programs, the data table contains illustrative ranges of rankings for each program, as well as ranges of rankings for three dimensions of program quality: (1) research activity, (2) student support and outcomes, and (3) diversity of the academic environment. As an aid to users, the data table is offered with demonstrations of some Microsoft Excel features that may enhance the usability of the spreadsheet, such as hiding and unhiding columns, copying and pasting columns to a new worksheet, and filtering and sorting data. Also provided with the data table are a set of scenarios that show how typical users may want to extract data from the spreadsheet. PhDs.org, an independent website not affiliated with the National Research Council, incorporated data from the research-doctorate assessment into its Graduate School Guide. Users of the Guide can choose the weights assigned to the program characteristics measured by the National Research Council and others, and rank graduate programs according to their own priorities.
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