The exceptional cosmic history and the fabulous destinies of exploding stars – supernovae and gamma-ray bursters – are highly fertile areas of research and are also very special tools to further our understanding of the universe. In this book, cosmologists Dr Alain Mazure and Dr Stéphane Basa throw light on the assemblage of facts, hypotheses and cosmological conclusions and show how these ‘beacons’ illuminate their immediate surroundings and allow us to study the vast cosmos, like searchlights revealing the matter comprising our universe.
From the reviews:
“This is really a ‘state of play’ report on how our understanding of these objects is growing in response to the increasingly detailed observations being made of them. It should be approachable by non-specialist readers and would be a good introduction for physics undergraduates wishing to catch up with the latest developments in astronomy.” (David J. Miller, Contemporary Physics, Vol. 53 (6), 2012)
"Exploding Superstars does contain a couple of chapters on supernovae and gamma-ray bursts, it is clear that the authors have ... written a book about cosmology, with supernovae playing just a tangential part in what they can tell us about dark energy, the first stars and galaxies, and the ultimate fate of the Universe. ... For a beginner who knows little to nothing about supernovae, gamma-ray bursts and the expansion of the Universe, it is an easy and informative read ... ." (Keith Cooper, Astronomy Now, October, 2009)
"This short volume discusses exploding superstars, a group of stars that comprises supernovae and gamma-ray bursts. Cosmologists Mazure and Basa ... use nonmathematical terms to describe superstars and their contribution to the understanding of the size and age of the universe. ... This is a very active field of research, producing, for example, the recent discovery of a new gamma-ray burst ... which is the farthest object now known to the world. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students through professionals/practitioners." (A. R. Upgren, Choice, Vol. 47 (2), October, 2009)
"A large part of the content of this slim volume ... is concerned with cosmological implications and applications of supernovae, at the expense of any substantial discussion of, say, supernova remnants. ... Appendices cover relatively advanced topics ... with a moderate smattering of equations absent from the rest of the book. ... recommend this semi-popular account to undergraduates and serious amateurs as an accessible introduction to stellar-scale ‘big bangs’ and beyond ... ." (Ian D. Howarth, The Observatory, Vol. 129 (1212), October, 2009)
