Physical Foundations of Spectroscopy Remote Sensing of Gases, Plasmas, and the Cosmos

by Judge, Philip G.

• ISBN13: 9780197906446
• ISBN10: 0197906443
• eBook ISBN(s): 9780197906439
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2026-10-30
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
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Summary

Physical Foundations of Spectroscopy provides a clear and accessible introduction to the basic physical and mathematical principles upon which spectroscopy is based and explores the links between spectroscopy and subjects such as classical mechanics, thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, electricity and magnetism, relativity, and quantum mechanics.

The text highlights how specific physical processes connect to spectroscopy, revisiting general principles and including discussions of many-body dynamics, conservation laws, symmetries, and transport processes. Through its exploration of spectroscopy, the book delves into the connections between the field and subjects such as particle and radiation transport, and the dynamics of electrons in gases and in tenuous and dense plasmas as they interact with internal quantum states in atomic ions. A final chapter dissects the solar spectrum as a touchstone across spectroscopy of remote objects, to cement concepts and illustrate some of the behaviour of spectral lines in terms of elementary ideas.

Aimed at students and researchers in such diverse fields as astronomy, atmospheric science, plasma physics, and cosmology, the text is intended as a self-contained guide, including simplified examples and problem sets to enhance and support learning and providing a strong grounding in the field of spectroscopy.

Author Biography

Philip Gordon Judge, Senior Scientist, National Center for Atmospheric Research

Philip Gordon Judge was awarded a D. Phil. Degree in 1985 from Magdalen College of Oxford University for his investigation of the outer atmospheres of late-type giant stars. Since 1991, he has worked as a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. A Senior Scientist from 2004, he has worked to understand the basic physics of the Sun's atmosphere. Driven to mentor and learn from young scientists, his research papers and books have a strong pedagogical slant, and often they raise more questions than answers. Philip has enjoyed many sabbaticals and visits in universities across the globe.