General Relativity Explained

The rapid pace of advances in astronomy and high energy physics makes Einstein’s theory of general relativity relevant, now more than ever. This book gives a rigorous yet readable introduction to general relativity; its coverage includes Einstein’s field equation and its applications to gravitational waves, black holes, and cosmology. The introductory chapter gives an overview of general relativity, which is accessible to a wide audience. A separate chapter on differential geometry collects those mathematical results necessary to understand the field equation and its implications. A number of detailed tensor calculations are included for those wishing to master the more technical aspect of general relativity. Several advanced topics such as Hawking radiation and inflation cosmology are discussed. The book ends with a thermal history of the universe and a brief discussion of various unification theories.