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9780521005173

An Introduction to Radio Astronomy

by
  • ISBN13:

    9780521005173

  • ISBN10:

    0521005175

  • Edition: 2nd
  • Format: Paperback
  • Copyright: 2002-04-15
  • Publisher: Cambridge University Press
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Summary

Radio astronomy uses unique observational techniques and offers the only way to investigate many phenomena in the Universe. This book, by two founders of the field, presents both a clear introduction to radio telescopes and techniques, and a broad overview of the radio universe. The material in this new edition has been expanded and updated, reflecting the developments in the field over the last decade. New material reflects the increasing use of aperture synthesis and Very Long Baseline Interferometry, and the further exploitation of molecular spectral lines. A new chapter is devoted to the fundamentals of radiation and propagation theory. The second half of the book constitutes a review of radio observations of our Milky Way galaxy. Wide-ranging and clearly written, this book provides a thorough and up-to-date introduction to the subject for graduate students, and an invaluable overview for researchers turning to radio astronomy for the first time.

Table of Contents

Preface to the second edition x
Introduction
1(7)
The role of radio observations in astronomy
1(3)
Thermal and non-thermal processes
4(2)
Radiation processes and radio observations
6(2)
Radio telescopes as antennas
8(13)
Beamwidth, effective area and the jansky
8(2)
Antenna temperature
10(3)
Electromagnetic waves
13(3)
Polarization: the Stokes parameters
16(5)
Signal detection and noise
21(19)
Gaussian random noise
21(2)
Band-limited noise
23(2)
Detection and integration
25(2)
Radiometer principles
27(3)
Radiometers in practice
30(4)
Spectrometry
34(4)
Cross-correlation radiometry: interferometry
38(2)
Single-aperture radio telescopes
40(16)
Angular resolution
40(2)
Steerable radio telescopes
42(1)
Phased arrays
42(2)
Aperture distributions and beam patterns
44(4)
Feed systems
48(3)
Surface accuracy
51(2)
Millimetre and sub-millimetre telescopes
53(1)
Smoothing: the response to a sky brightness distribution
54(2)
The two-element interferometer
56(23)
The basic two-element interferometer
57(4)
Interferometers with finite bandwidth
61(2)
Interferometers and finite source size
63(2)
Fourier transforms and the u,v-plane
65(2)
Practical considerations
67(2)
Very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI)
69(4)
Beam switching
73(1)
The interferometer in geodesy and astrometry
74(1)
Interferometry at millimetre wavelengths
75(2)
Optical interferometry
77(2)
Aperture synthesis
79(25)
Interferometer arrays
80(2)
The spectral sensitivity function
82(3)
Filling the u,v-plane
85(5)
Frequency diversity
90(1)
Wide fields and wide bandwidths
90(2)
Synthesis imaging
92(2)
VLBI arrays
94(2)
Calibration of interferometer data
96(1)
Self-calibration
97(2)
Signal-to-noise limitations and dynamic range
99(3)
Aperture synthesis at millimetre wavelengths
102(1)
Space VLBI
103(1)
Radiation, propagation and absorption of radio waves
104(24)
Radiative transfer
105(1)
Synchrotron radiation
106(4)
A power-law energy distribution
110(3)
Synchrotron self-absorption
113(1)
Free-free radiation
113(3)
Radio spectral lines
116(2)
Masers
118(2)
Propagation through ionized gas
120(1)
Faraday rotation
121(2)
Scintillation
123(2)
Propagation in the Earth's atmosphere
125(3)
Galactic continuum radiation
128(25)
Stars, dust and gas
129(3)
Varieties of galaxies
132(1)
Measurement of sky brightness temperature
133(1)
The spectrum of the Galactic continuum
134(3)
Synchrotron radiation: emissivity
137(2)
The energy spectrum of cosmic rays
139(2)
Polarization
141(1)
Faraday rotation: the Galactic magnetic field
142(6)
Loops and spurs
148(2)
The Local Bubble
150(1)
Other galaxies
151(2)
The interstellar medium
153(22)
Temperature states of the ISM
153(1)
Neutral hydrogen (H I)
154(5)
Ionized hydrogen (H II)
159(3)
The hot ionized component
162(1)
Heating and cooling mechanisms
162(2)
Dense molecular clouds
164(1)
Radio molecular lines
165(2)
Supernova remnants (SNRs)
167(8)
Galactic dynamics
175(30)
Atoms and molecules in the Milky Way
176(3)
The circular approximation
179(4)
Spiral structure
183(5)
Non-circular motions
188(5)
The distribution of matter
193(4)
The Galactic Centre
197(4)
The scale of the Galaxy
201(4)
Stars
205(31)
Surface brightness
205(3)
The Sun
208(3)
The planets
211(4)
Circumstellar envelopes
215(2)
Circumstellar masers
217(1)
The silicon oxide masers
218(1)
The water masers
218(1)
The hydroxyl masers
219(2)
Classical novae
221(5)
Non-thermal radiation from binaries and flare stars
226(2)
Recurrent novae
228(1)
X-ray binaries: Cyg X-3 and SS 433
229(1)
Superluminal motion
230(6)
Pulsars
236(32)
Neutron stars
236(1)
Neutron star structure
237(2)
Rotational slowdown
239(1)
Rotational behaviour of the Crab and Vela pulsars
240(3)
Superfluid rotation
243(3)
Radio and optical emission from pulsars
246(5)
The radiation mechanism
251(2)
The population and evolution of pulsars
253(2)
Searches and surveys; the constraints
255(3)
Trigonometric distance and proper motion
258(1)
X-ray pulsars
259(1)
Magnetic dipole moments
260(3)
Binary orbits and interactions
263(2)
Tests of general relativity
265(3)
Radio galaxies and quasars
268(28)
Radio emission from normal galaxies
270(2)
Spectra and dimensions
272(1)
Structures
273(6)
A simple model of active galactic nuclei
279(2)
The accretion disc
281(1)
The torus
282(2)
The core and the jets
284(3)
Spectra of quasars and other AGNs
287(2)
The radio brightness temperature of the core
289(1)
Superluminal motion
290(2)
The radio jets and lobes
292(1)
The kiloparsec scale radio sources
293(3)
Cosmology and the cosmic microwave background
296(22)
The Hubble flow
297(1)
A simple Newtonian model
298(3)
Relativistic cosmology
301(2)
Two fundamental problems of cosmology
303(2)
Big Bang cosmology
305(3)
The cosmic microwave background
308(3)
Anisotropy and distortions of the CMB
311(7)
Cosmology: discrete radio sources and gravitational lenses
318(23)
Evolution and the radio source counts
318(6)
Angular diameter and expansion velocity
324(2)
Gravitational lensing
326(7)
Observations of lenses: rings, quads and others
333(4)
Weak gravitational imaging
337(3)
Time delay
340(1)
The place of radio in astronomy
341(10)
The cosmic microwave background
342(1)
The interstellar medium
343(1)
Angular resolution: stars and quasars
344(2)
Future developments
346(1)
The protection of radio frequencies in astronomy
347(4)
Appendices 351(23)
Appendix 1 Fourier transforms
351(9)
A1.1 Definitions
351(4)
A.1.2 Convolution and cross-correlation
355(3)
A1.3 Two or more dimensions
358(2)
Appendix 2 Celestial coordinates, distance and time
360(7)
A2.1 The celestial coordinate system
360(3)
A2.2 The astronomical distance scale
363(1)
A2.3 Time
364(3)
Appendix 3 The origins of radio astronomy
367(7)
References 374(15)
Index 389

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