An Introduction to Twistor Theory

by S. A. Huggett, K. P. Tod

Overview

This book is an introduction to twistor theory and modern geometrical approaches to space-time structure at the graduate or advanced undergraduate level. It will be valuable also to the physicist as an introduction to some of the mathematics that has proved useful in these areas, and to the mathematician as an example of where sheaf cohomology and complex manifold theory can be used in physics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521456890
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	07/21/1994
Series:	London Mathematical Society Student Texts , #4
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	6.18(w) x 9.06(h) x 0.79(d)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction; 2. Review of tensor algebra; 3. Lorentzian spinors at a point; 4. Spinor fields; 5. Compactified Minkowski space; 6. The geometry of null congruences; 7. The geometry of twistor space; 8. Solving the zero rest mass equations I; 9. Sheaf cohomology; 10. Solving the zero rest mass equations II; 11. The twisted photon and Yang–Mills constructions; 12. The non-linear graviton; 13. Penrose's quasi-local momentum; 14. Cohomological functionals; 15. Further developments and conclusion; Appendix: The GHP equations.

Editorial Reviews

"...a quick introduction to some of the deeper problems of twistor theory....book is recommended to anyone seeking to get acquainted with the area." American Scientist

"One of the virtues of this new work is that it is concise and to the point, a property that should particularly commend it to hard-pressed graduate students. Of necessity this means that a certain amount of preliminary knowledge is assumed of the reader, but this does not extend beyond the contents of introductory courses in general relativity and difficult geometry. Anyone who has these prerequisites and who is interested in twistor theory could hardly do better than to start with this book." C.J. Isham, Contemporary Physics

"...a concise but nevertheless readable introduction to some of the main strands of twistor theory and would certainly be a suitable introduction for a graduate student with a background in general relativity or differential geometry." J. Vickers, Bulletin of London Mathematical Society

From the Publisher