Philosophical Reflections and Syntheses


Book Description

Among the founding fathers of modern quantum physics few have contributed to our basic understanding of its concepts as much as E.P. Wigner. His articles on the epistemology of quantum mechanics and the measurement problem, and the basic role of symmetries were of fundamental importance for all subsequent work. He was also the first to discuss the concept of consciousness from the point of view of modern physics. G.G. Emch edited most of those papers and wrote a very helpful introduction into Wigner's contributions to Natural Philosophy. The book should be a gem for all those interested in the history and philosophy of science.













Collected Papers of Carl Wieman


Book Description

Carl Wieman's contributions have had a major impact on defining the field of atomic physics as it exists today. His ground-breaking research has included precision laser spectroscopy; using lasers and atoms to provide important table-top tests of theories of elementary particle physics; the development of techniques to cool and trap atoms using laser light, particularly in inventing much simpler, less expensive ways to do this; the understanding of how atoms interact with one another and light at ultracold temperatures; and the creation of the first Bose-Einstein condensation in a dilute gas, and the study of the properties of this condensate. In recent years, he has also turned his attention to physics education and new methods and research in that area. This indispensable volume presents his collected papers, with annotations from the author, tracing his fascinating research path and providing valuable insight about the significance of the works.










Collected Papers of L.D. Landau


Book Description

Collected Papers of L. D. Landau brings together the collected papers of L. D. Landau in the field of physics. The discussion is divided into the following sections: low-temperature physics (including superconductivity); solid-state physics; plasma physics; hydrodynamics; astrophysics; nuclear physics and cosmic rays; quantum mechanics; quantum field theory; and miscellaneous works. Topics covered include the intermediate state of supraconductors; the absorption of sound in solids; the properties of metals at very low temperatures; and production of showers by heavy particles. This volume is comprised of 100 chapters and begins with Landau's paper on the theory of the spectra of diatomic molecules, followed by his studies on the damping problem in wave mechanics; quantum electrodynamics in configuration space; electron motion in crystal lattices; and the internal temperature of stars. Some of Landau's theories, such as those of stars, energy transfer on collisions, phase transitions, and specific heat anomalies are discussed. Subsequent chapters focus on the structure of the undisplaced scattering line; the transport equation in the case of Coulomb interactions; scattering of light by light; and the origin of stellar energy. This book will be a valuable resource for physicists as well as physics students and researchers.




A Concise Handbook of Mathematics, Physics, and Engineering Sciences


Book Description

A Concise Handbook of Mathematics, Physics, and Engineering Sciences takes a practical approach to the basic notions, formulas, equations, problems, theorems, methods, and laws that most frequently occur in scientific and engineering applications and university education. The authors pay special attention to issues that many engineers and students