S. Chandrasekhar: White Dwarfs, $H^-$ ion,.., Black holes, Gravitational waves
History and Philosophy of Physics
2012-02-28 v3 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
Abstract
This is a concise review, addressed to undergraduate students, of S. Chandrasekhar's oeuvre in astrophysics, ranging from his early studies on white dwarfs using relativistic quantum statistics to topics as diverse as dynamical friction, negative hydrogen ion, fluid dynamical instabilities, black holes and gravitational waves. The exposition is based on simple physical explanations in the context of observational astronomy. Black holes and their role as central engines of active, compact, high energy sources have been discussed.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1107.3460,
title = {S. Chandrasekhar: White Dwarfs, $H^-$ ion,.., Black holes, Gravitational waves},
author = {Patrick Das Gupta},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1107.3460},
year = {2012}
}
Comments
Based on my lectures at the Nehru Planetarium, NMML, New Delhi (India) as part of the Chandrasekhar birth centenary celebrations