The Kerr Spacetime: Rotating Black Holes in General Relativity

Rotating black holes, as described by the Kerr space-time, are the key to understanding the most violent and energetic phenomena in the Universe, from the core collapse of massive supernova explosions producing powerful bursts of gamma rays, to supermassive black hole engines that power quasars and other active galactic nuclei. This book is a unique, comprehensive overview of the Kerr space-time, with original contributions and historical accounts from researchers who have pioneered the theory and observation of black holes, and Roy Kerr’s own description of his 1963 discovery. It covers all aspects of rotating black holes, from mathematical relativity to astrophysical applications and observations, and current theoretical frontiers. This book provides an excellent introduction and survey of the Kerr space-time for researchers and graduate students across the spectrum of observational and theoretical astrophysics, general relativity, and high-energy physics.

David Wiltshire is a Professor of Physics at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. He is known for his work in higher-dimensional gravity, brane worlds, black holes and cosmology. Since 2005 his research has focused on the problem of dark energy, the averaging of the inhomogeneous universe and foundational implications for cosmology.

Matt Visser is Professor of Mathematics at the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He has published widely in the areas of general relativity, quantum field theory, and theoretical cosmology. He is best known for his contributions to the theory of traversable wormholes, chronology protection, and analogue spacetimes.

Susan Scott is Associate Professor in the Centre for Gravitational Physics at the Australian National University. She is well-known for her contributions to mathematical relativity and cosmology, and is currently President of the Australasian Society for General Relativity and Gravitation.