Stephen SerjeantCambridge University Press, 9/16/2010EAN 9780521192316, ISBN10: 0521192315Hardcover, 324 pages, 26.3 x 21 x 2.5 cmLanguage: EnglishProviding a comprehensive and up-to-date treatment of observational cosmology, this advanced undergraduate textbook enables students to use quantitative physical methods to understand the Universe. The textbook covers recent developments such as precision cosmology and the concordance cosmological model, inflation, gravitational lensing, the extragalactic far-infrared and X-ray backgrounds, downsizing and baryon wiggles. It also explores the future missions and facilities likely to dominate cosmological research in the future, including radio, X-ray, submillimetre-wave and gravitational wave astronomy. Each chapter contains full-colour figures, worked examples and exercises with complete solutions. Clearly identified key facts and equations help students easily locate important information. Suggestions for further reading provide jumping-off points for students aiming to further their studies. Reflecting decades of Open University experience in undergraduate teaching, this textbook brings students to the forefront of the rapidly developing field of observational cosmology. Accompanying resources to this textbook are available at: http://www.cambridge.org/features/astrophysics.1. Space and time2. The cosmic microwave background3. The local Universe4. The distant optical Universe5. The distant multiwavelength Universe6. Black holes7. Gravitational lensing8. The intervening UniverseEpilogueAppendicesSolutionsIndex.'An impressively complete and beautifully illustrated overview of our current understanding of cosmology. Serjeant achieves a nice balance between the excitement of results from the forefront of research and a clear presentation of the basic tools needed to understand them.' Professor John Peacock FRS, University of Edinburgh
