The large scale structure of space-time / Stephen W. Hawking, George F.R. Ellis ; foreword by Abhay Ashtekar.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hawking, Stephen, 1942-2018, author.

Ellis, George F. R. (George Francis Rayner), author.

Ashtekar, Abhay, author of introduction, etc.

Series:

Cambridge monographs on mathematical physics

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Space and time.

Astrophysics.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xix, 391pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

50th anniversary edition.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, United Kingdom : Cambridge University Press, 2023.

Summary:

First published in 1973, this influential work discusses Einstein's General Theory of Relativity to show how two of its predictions arise: first, that the ultimate fate of many massive stars is to undergo gravitational collapse to form 'black holes'; and second, that there was a singularity in the past at the beginning of the universe. Starting with a precise formulation of the theory, including the necessary differential geometry, the authors discuss the significance of space-time curvature and examine the properties of a number of exact solutions of Einstein's field equations. They develop the theory of the causal structure of a general space-time, and use it to prove a number of theorems establishing the inevitability of singularities under certain conditions. A Foreword contributed by Abhay Ashtekar and a new Preface from George Ellis help put the volume into context of the developments in the field over the past fifty years.

Contents:

The role of gravity

Differential geometry

General relativity

The physical significance of curvature

Exact solutions

Causal structure

The Cauchy problem in General Relativity

Space-time singularities

Gravitational collapse and black holes

The initial singularity in the universe.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 17 Feb 2023).

Other Format:

Print version:

ISBN:

9781009253161 (ebook)

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.