Sultana Nurun Nahar
TEXTBOOK:
Authors: Anil K. Pradhan
and Sultana N. Nahar
NOTES:
Typos were found and some additions are useful
For notes on the book, check the following:
NEWS:
- NASA/ADS page:
- Atomic Astrophysics and Spectroscopy
REVIEWS:
Book Reviews (Cambridge website,
first two on the back book cover and
third one posted by Cambridge):
1. Review by Dimitri Mihalas,
G. C. McVittie Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois and Laboratory Fellow,
Los Alamos National Laboratory
"Advance praise:'This is a very important book that bridges the gap between
modern atomic physics and modern astrophysics. It covers all the essential
subjects, and is very well written. I think it will be of considerable
value to research workers in both broad areas, to professors who wish to
teach about the subjects, and to students. I expect that it will be very
well received by both communities. I'm happy that Cambridge [University
Press] will add this book to its distinguished series of books in physics
and astrophysics.'
2. Review by Dr.
Robert Williams , Space Telescope Science Institute and President of the IAU
"Pradhan and Nahar have written the most coherent discussion of atomic
processes that produce radiation in astrophysical thermal environments that
I have read to date. Descriptions of the theoretical underpinnings of the
processes are well balanced with the presentation of analytic relations
that are necessary for the analysis of spectroscopic data. A great deal
of ground is covered in the book and one of its strengths is that it
provides the quantum mechanical basis for the processes while also giving
the practical applications that are needed to interpret spectral features
in astronomical objects. I highly recommend the book to spectroscopists
as a fundamental resource."
3. Review by
Alexander
Dalgarno, Phillips Professor of Astronomy, Harvard University
"The discipline of Atomic Physics lies at the heart of Astrophysics. Most
of what we know about the Universe is brought to us by radiation in the
form of photons and it is the study of the spectra of the radiation that is
our main source for understanding the nature of the Universe. The photons
are modified on their journey to us by absorption, emission and scattering
by atomic processes which provide a powerful diagnostic probe of the space
through which they travel. The essential data that are observed are the
spectral lines of the elements in their various ionization stages which the
lines identify. The line strengths enable the element abundances to be
determined and the physical characteristics of temperature,density and
magnetic field and radiation intensity to be derived. By studying the atomic
processes that control the physics of astrophysical plasma models of the
spectra, the origins of the radiation can be modeled and the formation and
evolution of galaxies, stars and planets and their interactions in the
interstellar and intergalactic medium can be described. For the data
analysis to be effective a secure extensive basis of understanding the
extensive range of atomic processes that occur must be secured. Providing
it is a major challenge. Atomic Astrophysics and Spectroscopy by two noted
practitioners is an important step forward."
Comments from others:
- Dr. Anand Bhatia (NASA):
Return to Sultana N. Nahar's home page
Created: October 2010
- Bridging Physics & Astronomy
(Cambridge University Press, Jan 2011, ISBN: 9780521825368)
(Cambridge University Press website)
"On the weekend, I read about 50 to 60 pages of your book with Anil. I really
like it very much. You have developed the subject very clearly and it is a
very well written book. I am sure it will be very useful and popular.
I was just now telling Aaron Temkin how good the book is. He wants to look
at it too. Glen lent it to me.""
- Prof. Philippe Bendjoya (University of Nice, France)
" Dear Pr. Pradhan I am Pr. Bendjoya from the University of Nice
(France) presently preparing courses for graduate students on
spectroscopic and quantum mechanics . I have chosen your
excellent book as a support of my lectures and I wanted to thank
you and congratulate you and Pr. Nah for this master piece.
I would have a request for you about correction of the book exercises
. For sake of rapidity ( I am a little late in the preparation of this
new lecture due to a heavy schedule) I tried to find on your website
the corrections of the exercises proposed in your book that I would
like to propose (some) to my students. I saw that this section is un
preparation.
Would you have already some written documents with these corrections
that I could use . This will be so kind of you and would allow me a
noticable gain of time. Of course I would perfectly understand that
you decline this request with no problem but there is no pain to ask
;-)
Many thanks in advance
sincerely .
Pr. Philippe Bendjoya
Web: Email: Philippe.BENDJOYA@unice.fr
