A new branch of physics, black hole gravitohydromagnetics (GHM) is developed from the rudiments to the frontiers of research. GHM describes plasma interactions that combine the effects of gravity and a strong magnetic field, in the vicinity (ergosphere) of a rapidly rotating black hole. This topic was created in response to the astrophysical quest to understand the central engines of radio loud extragalactic radio sources. The theory describes a "torsional tug of war" between rotating ergospheric plasma and the distant asymptotic plasma that extracts the rotational inertia of the black hole.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
"'This is not a simple topic' says the author in the preface to this book. Indeed it is not. [...] It helps that all the calculations are always described in detail, and therefore one may always follow and check all the steps. Illustrations in the book are excellent and also helpful in explaining difficult mathematics. [...] Black Hole Gravitohydromagnetics is a serious and important book that should be studied and used by every researcher of black hole plasma astrophysics." (General Relativity and Gravitation, 35/6, 2003)
"This is a well-illustrated and well-produced account of the coordination of theories of plasma physics and general relativity near a rotating black hole. An interesting feature is a chapter which gives formal treatment of relativistic plasma physics for physicists rather than mathematicians. Gravitohydromagnetics describes one of the most fascinating phenomena in outer space and is comprehensively dealt with in this book." (ASLIB Book Guide, 2001)
"In our opinion the given monograph fills a gab in the educational and scientific literature on these aspects. We think that the author has found a reasonable balance between different areas of relativistic astrophysics which enables beginner researchers to turn to study scientific articles directly." (Zentralblatt der Mathematik, 2002)
