The Early Universe and the Cosmic Microwave Background: Theory and Observations

The goal of the Daniel Chalonge School on Astrofundamental Physics is to contribute to a theory of the universe (and particularly of the early universe) up to the marks, and at the scientific height of, the unprecedented accuracy, existent and expected, in the observational data. The impressive development of modern cosmology during the last decades is to a large extent due to its unification with elementary particle physics and quantum field theory. The cross-section between these fields has been increasing setting up Astrofundamental Physics. The early universe is an exceptional (theoretical and experimental) laboratory in this new discipline. This NATO Advanced Study Institute provided an up dated understanding, from a fundamental physics and deep point of view, of the progress and key issues in the early universe and the cosmic microwave background: theory and observations. The genuine interplay with large scale structure formation and dark matter problem were discussed. The central focus was placed on the cosmic microwave background. Emphasis was given to the precise inter-relation between fundamental physics and cosmology in these problems, both at the theoretical and experimental/observational levels, within a deep and well defined programme which provided in addition, a careful interdisciplinarity. Special sessions were devoted to high energy cosmic rays, neutrinos in astrophysics, and high energy astrophysics. Deep understanding, clarification, synthesis, careful interdisciplinarity within a fundamental physics framework, were the main goals of the course.

Preface. I: The Early Universe. Early Cosmology and Fundamental Physics; H.J. de Vega. Advances in String Theory in Curved Backgrounds: A Synthesis Report; N.G. Sànchez. Information from the Beginning; C.J. Hogan. The Interior of Black Holes and their Astrophysics; I.V. Artemova, I.D. Novikov. Primordial Magnetic Fields from Cosmological Phase Transitions; D. Boyanovsky, H.J. de Vega, M. Simionato. Magnetogenesis, Variation of Gauge Couplings and Inflation; M. Giovannini. II: The Cosmic Microwave Background. Window to the Early Universe and Some Problems of 'muK Astrophysics'; Yu.N. Parijskij. Cosmological Parameters from Microwave Background Anisotropies and Galaxy Clustering; A. Melchiorri, J. Silk. Topology of the Universe and Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation; M. Demianski. Missing Parameters in the CMB Physics; P.D. Naselsky. Cosmology with the S-Z Effect; Y. Rephaeli. III: Large-Scale Structure, Dark Matter. The Wave Mechanics of Large-Scale Structure; P. Coles. Statistical Properties of Cosmological Fluctuations; P. Coles. Initial Conditions, Discreteness and Non-Linear Structure Formation in Cosmology; F. Sylos Labini, T. Baertschiger, A. Gabrielli, M. Joyce. Statistical Mechanics of the Self-Gravitating Gas. Thermodynamic Limit, Phase Diagrams and Fractal Structures; H.J. de Vega, N. Sànchez. Statistical Mechanics and Galaxy Clustering; W.C. Saslaw. IV: High Energy and Neutrino Astrophysics. Astrophysics at the Highest Energy Frontiers; F.W. Stecker. High-Energy Neutrino Astronomy: Science and First Results; F. Halzen. Extreme Energy Cosmic Rays: Bottom-up vs. Top-down Scenarios; H.J. deVega, N.G. Sànchez. Acceleration of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays: Cosmic Zevatrons? T.W. Jones. Origin of Cosmic Magnetic Fields; P.L. Biermann, C.F. Galea. Cosmic Rays from PeV to ZeV, Stellar Evolution, Supernova Physics and Gamma Ray Bursts; P.L. Biermann, S. Moiseenko, S. Ter-Antonyan, A. Vasile. Cosmic Rays and Space Weather; L.I. Dorman. Photographs of the Course. Author Index.