William C. Saslaw - Böcker

This topical volume examines one of the leading problems in astronomy - how galaxies cluster in our Universe. This book, first published in 2000, describes gravitational theory, computer simulations and observations related to galaxy distribution functions. It embeds distribution functions in a broader astronomical context, including other exciting contemporary topics such as correlation functions, fractals, bound clusters, topology, percolation and minimal spanning trees. Key results are derived and the necessary gravitational physics provided to ensure the book is self-contained. Throughout the book, theory, computer simulation and observation are carefully interwoven and critically compared. The book also shows how future observations can test the theoretical models for the evolution of galaxy clustering at early times in our Universe. This clear and authoritative volume is written at a level suitable for graduate students, and will be of key interest to astronomers, cosmologists, physicists and applied statisticians.

This text describes the gravitational interactions and evolution of astronomical systems on all scales, from small groups of stars through galaxies and clusters of galaxies to the Universe itself. In a rapidly developing area of astronomy, it is the first comprehensive treatise on the subject to be published since the early 1960s. Concentrating on the basic physics, at a graduate student level, it also develops many astronomical applications in considerable detail. The book is self-contained. Most results are derived from preceding ones in a straightforward way. It is written to bring out the physical content behind the mathematical formulae, and contains a number of exercises and suggestions for research topics. Bibliographies with nearly 300 selected references provide gateways into the literature.