Cosmology

Following an introduction to simple cosmological models, this monograph provides a detailed theory of the Big Bang model and of structure formation by gravitational instability. It then explores observational methods for testing models of the origin of large scale structure in the universe.

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The question of how cosmic structures came into being has intrigued both experimentalists and theoreticians for many years. Recent spectacular breakthroughs, such as the discovery by the COBE satellite in 1992 of fluctuations in the temperature of the cosmic background, have both increased our understanding and accelerated the pace of research in this stimulating area. This volume presents a modern introduction to a complex subject, and attempts to form a bridge between introductory and advanced material. It is accessible to advanced undergraduates and beginning postgraduates, but also contains a wealth of material which will be of interest to established researchers.