What shape is the universe? Is it curved and closed in on itself? Is it expanding? Where is it headed? Could space be wrapped around itself, such that it produces ghost images of faraway galaxies? Such are the questions posed by Jean-Pierre Luminet in The Wraparound Universe, which he then addresses in clear and accessible language. An expert in black holes and the big bang, he leads us on a voyage through the surprising byways of space-time, where possible topologies of the universe, explorations of the infinite, and cosmic mirages combine their mysterious traits and unlock the imagination. The Wraparound Universe is a general-audience book about the overall topology or shape of the universe. The central question addressed is whether it is possible that the universe is wrapped around in an interesting way, and what impact this would have on astronomical observations and our understanding of cosmology. Along the way many of the general features and much of the history of the modern picture of cosmology are discussed.
Author(s): Jean-Pierre Luminet
Publisher: AK Peters, Ltd.
Year: 2008
Language: English
Commentary: index is missing
Pages: 323
Tags: Физика;Популярная физика;
Contents......Page 6
Preface to the English Edition......Page 9
Reading Guide......Page 12
I .The Shape of Space......Page 14
1. The Universal Mollusk......Page 16
2. The Size of Space......Page 20
3. The Hall of Mirrors......Page 23
4. The Four Scales of Geometry......Page 25
5. Absolute or Relative Space?......Page 30
6. Celestial Mirages......Page 38
7. Black Hole......Page 42
8. Foam, Strings, and Loops......Page 47
9. From Relativity to the Big Bang......Page 51
10. What is the Curvature of the Universe?......Page 60
11. Open or Closed?......Page 66
12 .The Knowledge of Places......Page 70
13. From the Cylinder to the Pretzel......Page 75
14. Fascinating Shapes......Page 86
15. Topology and Relativity......Page 95
16. Small, Strange Universes......Page 99
17. Topological Mirage......Page 107
18. Hunting for Ghosts......Page 112
19. Midnight Suns......Page 115
20. Cosmic Crystallography......Page 118
21. Circles in the Sky......Page 129
22. Inflation, the Infinite, and the Folds......Page 142
23. Maya......Page 149
II. Folds in the Universe......Page 154
24. A Brief History of Space......Page 156
25. The Edge Paradox......Page 167
26. The Dark Night Paradox......Page 169
27. Non-Euclidean Geometries......Page 174
28. Cosmos and Logos......Page 182
29. Cosmic Questions......Page 186
30. Expansion and the Infinite......Page 189
31. Galaxies in Flight......Page 192
32. The Rate of Expansion......Page 197
33. The Age of the Universe......Page 201
34. Astronomical Distances......Page 205
35. Cosmic Mathematics......Page 208
36. Cosmic Repulsion......Page 220
37. Dark Matter......Page 230
38. The Cosmic Microwave Background......Page 244
39. Is the Universe Flat?......Page 258
40. Symmetry......Page 263
41. Polyhedra......Page 272
42. The Classification of Surfaces......Page 277
43. The Classification of Three-Dimensional Spaces......Page 285
44. Topos and Cosmos......Page 293
45. Afterword: Listening to the Cosmic Drum......Page 302
Bibliography......Page 322
