This text offers a brief introduction to the dispersion relations as an approach to calculate S-matrix elements, a formalism that allows one to take advantage of the analytical structure of scattering amplitudes following the basic principles of unitarity and causality. First, the case of two-body scattering is considered and then its contribution to other processes through final-state interactions is discussed. For two-body scattering amplitudes, the general expression for a partial-wave amplitude is derived in the approximation where the crossed channel dynamics is neglected. This is taken as the starting point for many interesting nonperturbative applications, both in the light and heavy quark sector. Subsequently crossed channel dynamics is introduced within the equations for calculating the partial-wave amplitudes. Some applications based on methods that treat crossed-channel dynamics perturbatively are discussed too. The last part of this introductory treatment is dedicated to the further impact of scattering amplitudes on a variety of processes through final-state interactions. Several possible approaches are discussed such as the Muskhelishvili-Omnes dispersive integral equations and other closed formulae. These different formalisms are then applied in particular to the study of resonances presenting a number of challenging properties. The book ends with a chapter illustrating the use of dispersion relations in the nuclear medium for the evaluation of the energy density in nuclear matter.

Our understanding of galaxies, the building blocks of the Universe has advanced significantly in recent years. New observations from ground- and space-based telescopes, the discovery of dark matter, and new insights into its distribution have been instrumental in this. This textbook provides graduate students with a modern introduction to the gravitationally determined structure and evolution of galaxies. Readers will also benefit from detailed discussions of the issues involved in the process of modeling complex stellar systems. Additionally, the text provides an accessible framework for interpreting observations and devising new observational tests. Based on the author's extensive teaching experience, this second edition features an up-to-date view of basic phenomenology, a discussion of the structure of dark halos in galaxies, the dynamics of quasi-relaxed stellar systems and globular clusters, galaxies and gravitational lensing and an introduction to self-gravitating accretion disks. Extended problem sets are available from the accompanying resources website: www.cambridge.org/9781107000544.

The vibrations of atoms inside crystals - lattice dynamics - is basic to many fields of study in the solid-state and mineral sciences. This book provides a self-contained text that introduces the subject from a basic level and then takes the reader through applications of the theory.

This two-volume treatment grew out of lectures the author gave at the "Ecole Poly technique Federale de Lausanne" during the years 1975-1980 for graduate students in experimental physics in their last year of study. It is written by an experimentalist with some interest in theory and is ad dressed mainly to experimentalists, but also to theoreticians interested in experiments. This treatment tries to bridge the gap between theory and experiments; it should assist experimentalists in the interpretation of their data in the vast field of lattice dynamics. An attempt has been made to provide not only the basic concepts but also a working knowledge in this field of solid-state physics. In this first volume, the basic concepts of the physics of phonons are developed and illustrated by many examples; it provides the background necessary for the interpretation of most experimental results. The second volume, which is in preparation, is devoted to experimental techniques, the interpretation of experiments, and discussion of phenomena which are directly related with phonons. The book is designed for introductory courses at the graduate level. It is believed that the book will also prove useful to those graduate students starting research in this or related fields, as well as to many workers already active in this branch of solid-state physics.

This book presents the latest numerical solutions to initial value problems and boundary value problems described by ODEs and PDEs. The author offers practical methods that can be adapted to solve wide ranges of problems and illustrates them in the increasingly popular open source computer language R, allowing integration with more statistically based methods. The book begins with standard techniques, followed by an overview of 'high resolution' flux limiters and WENO to solve problems with solutions exhibiting high gradient phenomena. Meshless methods using radial basis functions are then discussed in the context of scattered data interpolation and the solution of PDEs on irregular grids. Three detailed case studies demonstrate how numerical methods can be used to tackle very different complex problems. With its focus on practical solutions to real-world problems, this book will be useful to students and practitioners in all areas of science and engineering, especially those using R.

A study of the fundamental theory of waves appropriate for first year graduate students in oceanography, meteorology and associated sciences. Starting with an elementary overview of the basic wave concept, specific wave phenomena are then examined, including: surface gravity waves, internal gravity waves, lee waves, waves in the presence of rotation, and geostrophic adjustment. Each wave topic is used to introduce either a new technique or concept in general wave theory. Emphasis is placed on connectivity between the various subjects and on the physical interpretation of the mathematical results. The book contains numerous exercises at the end of the respective chapters.

Recent years have seen a growing interest in the field of thermodynamic properties of solids due to the development of advanced experimental and modeling tools. Predicting structural phase transitions and thermodynamic properties find important applications in condensed matter and materials science research, as well as in interdisciplinary research involving geophysics and Earth Sciences. The present edited book, with contributions from leading researchers around the world, is aimed to meet the need of academic and industrial researchers, graduate students and non-specialists working in these fields. The book covers various experimental and theoretical techniques relevant to the subject.

Advanced Characterization of Nanostructured Materials — Probing the Structure and Dynamics with Synchrotron X-Rays and Neutrons is a collection of chapters which review the characterization of the structure and internal dynamics of a wide variety of nanostructured materials using various synchrotron X-ray and neutron scattering techniques. It is intended for graduate students and researchers who might be interested in learning about and applying these methods. The authors are well-known practitioners in their fields of research who provide detailed and authoritative accounts of how these techniques have been applied to study systems ranging from thin films and monolayers on solid surfaces and at liquid-air, liquid-liquid and solid-liquid interfaces; nanostructured composite materials; battery materials, and catalytic materials. While there have been a great many books published on nanoscience, there are relatively few that have discussed in one volume detailed synchrotron X-ray and neutron methods for advanced characterization of nanomaterials in thin films, composite materials, catalytic and battery materials and at interfaces. This book should provide an incentive and a reference for researchers in nanomaterials for using these techniques as a powerful way to characterize their samples. It should also help to popularize the use of synchrotron and neutron facilities by the nanoscience community.