Jorge L. Cervantes-Cota - Böcker

Divided into four parts, this book covers developments in topics pertaining to gravity theories, including discussions on the presence of scalar fields. Part one is devoted to exact solutions in general relativity, and is mainly concerned with the results of rotating null dust beams and fluids. Also included is a panoramic vision of new research directions in this area, which would require revising certain theorems and their possible extensions within gravity theories, new aspects concerning the Ernst potentials, double Kerr spacetimes, and rotating configurations. In particular, there is a detailed discussion of totally symmetric and totally geodesic spaces, in which a method for generating (2+1)-dimensional solutions from (3+1)-dimensional solutions is given. Part two deals with alternative theories of gravity, all of which include scalar fields and gauge fields. Here, quantum and cosmological effects, which arise from both gravity theories in four and higher dimensions and from metric-affine theories, are investigated. Part three is devoted to cosmological and inflationary scenarios.Local effects, such as the influence of scalar fields in protogalactic interactions, numerical studies of the collapse of molecular cores, as well as the inverse inflationary problem and the blue eigenvalue spectrum of it, are considered. Moreover, the role of scalar fields as dark matter and quantum cosmology in the Bergman-Wagoner and Gowdy theories, together with the relation of the conformal symmetry and deflationary gas universe, are likewise presented. The last part of the book includes some mixed topics which are still in the experimental stage. Among them are the foundation of the Maxwell theory, a discussion on electromagnetic Thirring problems, a note on the staticity of black holes with non-minimally coupled scalar fields, and a study of the Lorentz force free charged fluids in general relativity.

Divided into four parts, this book covers recent developments in topics pertaining to gravity theories, including discussions on the presence of scalar fields. Part One is devoted to exact solutions in general relativity, and is mainly concerned with the results of rotating null dust beams and fluids. Also included is a panoramic vision of new research directions in this area, which would require revising certain theorems and their possible extensions within gravity theories, new aspects concerning the Ernst potentials, double Kerr spacetimes, and rotating configurations. In particular, there is a detailed discussion of totally symmetric and totally geodesic spaces, in which a method for generating (2+1)-dimensional solutions from (3+1)-dimensional solutions is given. Part Two deals with alternative theories of gravity, all of which include scalar fields and gauge fields. Here, quantum and cosmological effects, which arise from both gravity theories in four and higher dimensions and from metric-affine theories, are investigated. Part Three is devoted to cosmological and inflationary scenarios. Local effects, such as the influence of scalar fields in protogalactic interactions, numerical studies of the collapse of molecular cores, as well as the inverse inflationary problem and the blue eigenvalue spectrum of it, are considered. Moreover, the role of scalar fields as dark matter and quantum cosmology in the Bergman-Wagoner and Gowdy theories, together with the relation of the conformal symmetry and deflationary gas universe, are likewise presented. The last part of the book includes some mixed topics which are still in the experimental stage. Among them are the foundation of the Maxwell theory, a discussion on electromagnetic Thirring problems, a note on the staticity of black holes with non-minimally coupled scalar fields, and a study of the Lorentz force free charged fluids in general relativity.Thus, this book is the most up-to-date, comprehensive collection of papers on the subject of exact solutions and scalar fields in gravity and is a valuable tool for researchers in the area.

Spectacular experimental advances in observational cosmology have helped raise cosmology to the status of a genuine science, and it is now possible to test many speculative theoretical issues and to obtain reliable values for the key parameters defining our observable universe. This book has emerged from selected lectures given at the Mexican School on Gravitation and Mathematical Physics by leaders in their field. Conceived as both a broad survey and as topical coverage of the latest developments, it will benefit graduate students and newcomers to this field and provide researchers in the field with a modern source of reference.

The world has entered a period of significant changes regarding the future of energy generation, mainly caused by the apparent exhaustion of hyd- carbons in the near future, and the Greenhouse gases (GHG) effect of alt- ing the climate worldwide. Mexico, as a developing country, and as the eleventh-most populated nation with the thirteenth-largest territory, and as the owner of important oil production resources, is a good example of a State needing to improve and increase its energy generation. A concerted action amongst the e- nomic sectors involved – both governmental and industrial – could dras- cally improve the present situation regarding the development of its alt- native energy resources. The main motivation for organizing the German-Mexican Symposium 2006 Energy for the future: towards a cleaner planet, was to get a global perspective for changing the present energy-mix in Mexico, currently based on fossil fuels, towards cleaner energy resources. To achieve this, a wide range of relevant topics must be analysed, such as the state of the art of each energy type, their potential use and benefits, social, economic, - litical and environmental aspects, and their inclusion as a real alternative to energy generation programs. It will take time for every country to reduce its dependence on hydrocarbons and to increase its alternative energies share.

Spectacular experimental advances in observational cosmology have helped raise cosmology to the status of a genuine science, and it is now possible to test many speculative theoretical issues and to obtain reliable values for the key parameters defining our observable universe. This book has emerged from selected lectures given at the Mexican School on Gravitation and Mathematical Physics by leaders in their field. Conceived as both a broad survey and as topical coverage of the latest developments, it will benefit graduate students and newcomers to this field and provide researchers in the field with a modern source of reference.