Vladimir E. Fortov – författare

We are familiar with the basic states of matter - solid, liquid, gas and plasma - but under extreme conditions, such as high temperature and pressure, a material can form exotic phases with unique characteristics. Extreme states are found in phenomena such as nuclear explosions, exploding stars and the insides of planets, and conditions can be recreated using high pressure diamond anvils, intense laser radiation, explosive systems and colliders.

Presented as a series of lectures and useful to a wide circle of students and young scientists, this book provides an introduction to the theoretical methods, experimental setups, facilities and results in this exciting area of research, allowing readers to get acquainted with fascinating problems in the modern physics of extreme states of matter.

The aim of this book is the pedagogical exploration of the basic principles of quantum-statistical thermodynamics as applied to various states of matter – ranging from rare gases to astrophysical matter with high-energy density. The reader will learn in this work that thermodynamics and quantum statistics are still the concepts on which even the most advanced research is operating - despite of a flood of modern concepts, classical entities like temperature, pressure, energy and entropy are shown to remain fundamental.

The physics of gases, plasmas and high-energy density matter is still a growing field and even though solids and liquids dominate our daily life, more than 99 percent of the visible Universe is in the state of gases and plasmas and the overwhelming part of matter exists at extreme conditions connected with very large energy densities, such as in the interior of stars.

This text, combining material from lectures and advanced seminars given by the authors over many decades, is a must-have introduction and reference for both newcomers and seasoned researchers alike.

With its many beautiful colour pictures, this book gives fascinating insights into the unusual forms and behaviour of matter under extremely high pressures and temperatures. These extreme states are generated, among other things, by strong shock, detonation and electric explosion waves, dense laser beams, electron and ion beams, hypersonic entry of spacecraft into dense atmospheres of planets, and in many other situations characterized by extremely high pressures and temperatures.

Written by one of the world''s foremost experts on the topic, this book will inform and fascinate all scientists dealing with materials properties and physics, and also serve as an excellent introduction to plasma-, shock-wave and high-energy-density physics for students and newcomers seeking an overview.