Preface to second edition; Preface to first edition; 1. Introduction; 2. Fundamental observations; 3. Newton versus Einstein; 4. Cosmic dynamics; 5. Model universes; 6. Measuring cosmological parameters; 7. Dark matter; 8. The cosmic microwave background; 9. Nucleosynthesis and the early Universe; 10. Inflation and the very early Universe; 11. Structure formation: gravitational instability; 12. Structure formation: baryons and photons; Epilogue; Bibliography; Table of useful constants; Index.
A substantial update of this award-winning and highly regarded cosmology textbook, for advanced undergraduates in physics and astronomy.
Barbara Ryden received her PhD in astrophysical sciences from Princeton University, New Jersey in 1987. After postdocs at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, she joined the astronomy faculty at the Ohio State University, where she is now a full professor. She has over twenty years of experience in teaching, at levels ranging from introductory undergraduate courses to advanced graduate seminars. She won the Chambliss Astronomical Writing Award for the first edition of Introduction to Cosmology (2002), and is the co-author, with Bradley Peterson, of Foundations of Astrophysics (2010).
'This is an excellent textbook, with a clear and pedagogical
presentation, which perfectly fills a gap between other
introductory books available at either much more basic or much more
advanced levels. The easy-to-read style, focus on physics concepts,
and self-contained derivations make the book easy to follow. It
works well for advanced undergraduates or beginning graduate
students, who will come away with a solid and comprehensive
understanding of modern cosmology. The additions in this Second
Edition, such as galaxy formation and baryon acoustic oscillations,
are valuable and bring the book even more up-to-date.' Zoltán
Haiman, Columbia University
'Barbara Ryden writes in a very clear and engaging style. This
transparency has inspired many undergraduate science majors in my
cosmology class to pursue additional coursework and research in
astrophysics. The addition of new material on the baryonic
component of the universe links cosmology to many modern research
topics in astrophysics.' Crystal Martin, University of California,
Santa Barbara
'I am delighted that a second edition of Barbara Ryden's
Introduction to Cosmology is now available. With the addition of a
second chapter on structure formation, the book paints an elegant
mathematical picture of the evolution of the Universe from the Big
Bang to the formation of stars. Ryden does a masterful job of
paring cosmology down to its most fundamental elements and
presenting complex topics with exceptional clarity. The
conversational style of the text, the imaginative analogies, and
the emphasis placed on developing students' conceptual
understanding combine to make this book one of the best upper-level
astronomy texts available.' Christy Tremonti, University of
Wisconsin, Madison
'Barbara Ryden's Introduction to Cosmology is now published in a
second edition, following the well-received first edition of 2002 …
This is a course book for physics students; its approach is
quantitative and the basic equations and mathematical descriptions
are extensively outlined from first principles in all the areas
covered. Those equations that are not derived are quoted in such a
way as to be understood … Without this, of course, cosmology cannot
be usefully studied … The style of writing is efficient, while
being pleasant and clear, and the explanations are on the whole of
a high quality in their attention to the level of detail that is
needed for a genuine understanding of the arguments. This is a
highly recommendable textbook that deserves to be widely taken up
in university courses in physics and astronomy.' Peter J. Bussey,
Contemporary Physics
'… Ryden avoids oversimplification while covering all topics at
about the same level, appropriate for an undergraduate course in
cosmology, although the last two chapters on structural formation
go somewhat beyond that. … The mixture of narrative and equations
is very close to a lecture course, and the book is well written.
Complicated topics such as cosmological distances and horizons are
presented briefly, but correctly. The editing is much better than
average … There are a few black-and-white figures throughout the
text. Each chapter ends with a handful of exercises, solutions to
which are available to those using the book for a course. … The
main text is followed by a table of useful constants and a
five-page small-print index. … this book is highly recommended …'
Phillip Helbig, The Observatory
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