Relativistic Astrophysics of the Transient Universe Gravitation, Hydrodynamics and Radiation

In this decade, the transient universe will be mapped out in great detail by the emerging wide-field multiwavelength surveys, and neutrino and gravitational-wave detectors, promising to probe the astronomical and physical origin of the most extreme relativistic sources. This volume introduces the physical processes relevant to the source modeling of the transient universe. Ideal for graduate students and researchers in astrophysics, this book gives a unified treatment of relativistic flows associated with compact objects, their dissipation and emission in electromagnetic, hadronic and gravitational radiation. After introducing the source classes, the authors set out various mechanisms for creating magnetohydodynamic outflows in winds, jets and blast waves and their radiation properties. They then go on to discuss properties of accretion flows around rotating black holes and their gravitational wave emission from wave instabilites with implications for the emerging gravitational wave experiments. Graduate students and researchers can gain an understanding of data analysis for gravitational-wave data.

1. A zoo of astrophysical transient sources; 2. Electromagnetic radiation processes; 3. Curved space time and gravitational waves; 4. Hadronic processes and neutrino emissions; 5. Relativistic fluid dynamics; 6. Winds and jets; 7. Relativistic shock waves; 8. Relativistic blast waves; 9. Accretion disks and tori; 10. Entropic attraction in black hole binaries; 11. Transient sources from rotating black holes; 12. Searching for long bursts in gravitational waves; 13. Epilogue: the multimessenger transient universe; Index.

This unified treatment of electromagnetic, hadronic and gravitational radiation processes associated with relativistic outflows from compact objects is ideal for researchers interested in the transient universe. It examines relativistic outflows and radiation processes and links contemporary astronomy to gravitational-wave experiments.

Maurice H. P. M. Van Putten is a Professor in the School of Physics, Korea Institute for Advanced Study. His focus is on radiation processes around rotating black holes, gravitational radiation and ultra high energy cosmic rays.
Amir Levinson is a Professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University. His research interests include high-energy astrophysics, radiation processes in relativistic outflows, and plasma astrophysics.