
Physics of the Galaxy and Interstellar Matter
Springer (Publisher)
Published on 11. July 1988
Book
Paperback/Softback
XI, 492 pages
978-3-540-17315-1 (ISBN)
Description
The present book is a translation of the original German edition (published in 1982) with some minor corrections and improvements. The guide to sup plementary and advanced literature given in the Appendix, however, has been brought up to date. This book is addressed primarily to students taking astronomy as a prin cipal or subsidiary subject, and to scientists of related fields, but amateur as tronomers should also be able to profit from it. For most chapters an elementary knowledge of mathematics and physics will be sufficient, however, Chaps. 5 and 6 impose somewhat greater requirements. In addition the reader should already be acquainted with the basic concepts of stellar physics as treated in introduc tory books, including the spectral types, the system of stellar magnitudes and colours, absolute magnitudes and luminosities, the Herlzsprung-Russell dia gram and its interpretation. A modem textbook should use SI units. On the other hand, the use of the cgs system is still the prevailing custom in astrophysics - together with the special units of astronomy: length is quoted in parsecs [pc], mass in solar masses [M0] and time in years [a]. We have therefore compromised and employed both cgs and SI units in this book, whichever was the appropriate choice in each instance. A table for conversion of cgs units into SI units and vice versa is given in the Appendix.
More details
Series
Edition
Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1988
Language
English
Place of publication
Berlin
Germany
Publishing group
Springer Berlin
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Research
Illustrations
41 s/w Abbildungen
XI, 492 p. 41 illus.
Dimensions
Height: 244 mm
Width: 170 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
867 gr
ISBN-13
978-3-540-17315-1 (9783540173151)
DOI
10.1007/978-3-642-71721-5
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Helmut Scheffler | Hans Elsässer
Physics of the Galaxy and Interstellar Matter
Book
10/1987
Springer
€85.55
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Persons
Content
1. Introductory Survey.- 1.1 The Stellar System.- 1.2 Interstellar Matter.- 1.3 Dynamics and Evolution.- 2. Positions, Motions and Distances of the Stars - Concepts and Methods.- 2.1 Positions and Motions.- 2.2 Distances.- 3. Structure and Kinematics of the Stellar System.- 3.1 Apparent Distribution of the Stars.- 3.2 The Local Galactic Star Field.- 3.3 Large Scale Distribution of the Stars.- 3.4 Large Scale Motion of the Stars.- 3.5 General Summary, Stellar Populations.- 4. Interstellar Phenomena.- 4.1 The Generally Distributed Medium.- 4.2 Interstellar Clouds.- 5. Physics of the Interstellar Matter.- 5.1 Radiation in the Interstellar Gas.- 5.2 State of the Interstellar Gas.- 5.3 The Interstellar Dust Grains.- 5.4 Distribution and Motion of the Interstellar Matter.- 6. Dynamics of the Galaxy.- 6.1 Stellar Dynamics.- 6.2 Gravitational Theory of the Spiral Structure.- 6.3 Dynamics of the Interstellar Gas.- A. Fundamental Formulae for the Transformation of Astronomical Coordinates.- B. Energy States and Transitions of Molecules.- C. Charts for the Graphical Determination of Approximate Galactic Coordinates.- D. Excitation and Ionisation in the Thermo dynamical Equilibrium.- Astronomical and Physical Constants.- Latin Names of Constellations.- References.- Supplementary and Advanced Literature.- Sources of Tables.- Sources of Figures.