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Summary
Summary
Dive into a mind-bending exploration of the physics of black holes
Black holes, predicted by Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity more than a century ago, have long intrigued scientists and the public with their bizarre and fantastical properties. Although Einstein understood that black holes were mathematical solutions to his equations, he never accepted their physical reality--a viewpoint many shared. This all changed in the 1960s and 1970s, when a deeper conceptual understanding of black holes developed just as new observations revealed the existence of quasars and X-ray binary star systems, whose mysterious properties could be explained by the presence of black holes. Black holes have since been the subject of intense research--and the physics governing how they behave and affect their surroundings is stranger and more mind-bending than any fiction.
After introducing the basics of the special and general theories of relativity, this book describes black holes both as astrophysical objects and theoretical "laboratories" in which physicists can test their understanding of gravitational, quantum, and thermal physics. From Schwarzschild black holes to rotating and colliding black holes, and from gravitational radiation to Hawking radiation and information loss, Steven Gubser and Frans Pretorius use creative thought experiments and analogies to explain their subject accessibly. They also describe the decades-long quest to observe the universe in gravitational waves, which recently resulted in the LIGO observatories' detection of the distinctive gravitational wave "chirp" of two colliding black holes--the first direct observation of black holes' existence.
The Little Book of Black Holes takes readers deep into the mysterious heart of the subject, offering rare clarity of insight into the physics that makes black holes simple yet destructive manifestations of geometric destiny.
Author Notes
Steven S. Gubser (1972-2019) was professor of physics at Princeton University. His books include The Little Book of String Theory (Princeton). Frans Pretorius is professor of physics at Princeton. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Princeton University physicists Gubser (The Little Book of String Theory) and Pretorius contextualize black holes as nature-made laboratories for studying relativity and cutting-edge physics in this brisk romp through far-out space science. Scientists have been observing black holes for years, tracking stars as they orbit their dark companions while measuring specific forms of radiation and inferring their tremendous gravity by the way objects bend light around them. In 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory recorded gravity waves for the first time after colliding black holes created a shock wave whose energy matched what Einstein's general-relativity equations had predicted nearly a century before. Gubser and Pretorius provide a primer on relativity and explain how black holes distort space-time, moving on to examine different types of black holes, from the simplest-the point mass, a "black pearl of gravity"-to charged black holes and spinning black holes that drag space-time around them as they rotate. Side excursions explore white holes, wormholes, and the extreme possibility of tapping black holes for power. The authors eschew mathematics, but the text does assume that readers have some physics knowledge. Gubser and Pretorius offer clarity on a difficult topic, with a healthy dose of wonder to boot. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
A comprehensive overview of the science of black holes, among the most mysterious, powerful, and mesmerizing entities in the universe.Black holes became big news in 2016 and again in 2017, when the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory confirmed the existence of gravitational waves by detecting evidence of a black hole collision. In addition to providing additional evidence proving Einstein's general theory of relativity, this experiment was the first to directly observe black holes themselvesa stunning fact considering that scientists have devoted decades to research based on black holes' astrophysical properties and that it is an accepted fact that many galaxies, including our Milky Way, have massive black holes at their centers. Princeton physics professors Gubser (The Little Book of String Theory, 2010, etc.) and Pretorius condense their significant expertise in black holes into an easily digestible analysis. They write that with LIGO's observation of black holes comes "the dawn of a new age in observational astrophysicsone in which black holes will play a pivotal role." They also explain that black holes are essential "theoretical laboratories" that may advance our understanding of quantum mechanics and thermal physics and perhaps bolster as-yet-unproven concepts such as string theory. The authors excel at describing these complex scientific ideas within relatable contexts, and they provide readers with detailed explanations of general and special relativity before discussing the cutting-edge experiments and theories that make black holes more intriguing than ever. Still, this book is not for the scientifically timid; the authors don't shy away from the nitty-gritty of Einstein's field equations and other math. The result is a text that goes deeper than most others intended for a lay audience, making it more rewarding for those who invest the necessary effort. Don't be fooled by its "little" title; these renowned physicists deliver a robust and thrilling book that will draw readers in as surely as any event horizon. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Choice Review
Gubser and Pretorious (both, Princeton Univ.) bring the beguiling topic of black holes to life in this excellent work. The authors use a variety of creative thought experiments to make their material accessible, explaining concepts such as geodesics in a way that non-physicists can understand. Discussion of the Pound-Rebka experiment goes beyond the simplified explanations found in most popular science works. The chapter on Kerr black holes provides a particularly skillful explanation of the ergoregion and the Penrose process, crucial for a grounded understanding of rotating black holes. Authors discuss the unknown origins of the black hole at the center of the Milky Way, which has the equivalent to four billion solar masses; scholars theorize that its formation may be related to dark matter or perhaps the physics of the early universe. Gravitational waves and their discovery are explained in ample detail as well. The authors reveal many interesting bits of knowledge, such as that black holes are not actually black and have temperatures related to their gravity. Overall, this book explores black holes at a level of complexity surpassing many popular science books while keeping the explanations simple enough for most readers to follow. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers. --Swapnil Tripathi, University of Wisconsin-Washington County
Table of Contents
| Preface | p. vii |
| Chapter 1 Special Relativity | p. 1 |
| Chapter 2 General Relativity | p. 20 |
| Chapter 3 The Schwarzschild Black Hole | p. 44 |
| Chapter 4 Spinning Black Holes | p. 75 |
| Chapter 5 Black Holes In the Universe | p. 99 |
| Chapter 6 Black Hole Collisions | p. 117 |
| Chapter 7 Black Hole Thermodynamics | p. 146 |
| Epilogue | p. 169 |
| Index | p. 175 |