Professor Greg Tallents

Tallents Lecture Atomic Physics 2018

Published Book information

 

My 2018 published book ‘An introduction to the atomic and radiation physics of plasmas’ is available to purchase at - CUP website

 

My 2022 book ‘An introduction to special relativity for radiation and plasma physics’ is available to purchase at – CUP website


Any questions or feedback on the books please contact me.  
greg.tallents@york.ac.uk

 

My 2018 book
Book cover - the Sun
Book description
Plasmas comprise more than 99% of the observable universe. They are important in many technologies and are key potential sources for fusion power. Atomic and radiation physics is critical for the diagnosis, observation and simulation of astrophysical and laboratory plasmas, and plasma physicists working in a range of areas from astrophysics, magnetic fusion, and inertial fusion utilise atomic and radiation physics to interpret measurements. This text develops the physics of emission, absorption and interaction of light in astrophysics and in laboratory plasmas from first principles using the physics of various fields of study including quantum mechanics, electricity and magnetism, and statistical physics. Linking undergraduate level atomic and radiation physics with the advanced material required for postgraduate study and research, this text adopts a highly pedagogical approach and includes numerous exercises within each chapter for students to reinforce their understanding of the key concepts.

 

There are supplementary problem exercises and additional appendix style material relevant to the 2018 book available.  Click for pdfs
 Exercises and Additional material .

 

 

 

 

My 2022 book

Book Summary

This textbook introduces the topic of special relativity, with a particular emphasis upon light-matter interaction and the production of light in plasma. The physics of special relativity is intuitively developed and related to the radiative processes of light. The book reviews the underlying theory of special relativity, before extending the discussion to applications frequently encountered by postgraduates and researchers in astrophysics, high power laser interactions and the users of specialized light sources, such as synchrotrons and free electron lasers. A highly pedagogical approach is adopted throughout, and numerous exercises are included within each chapter to reinforce the presentation of key concepts and applications of the material.

 

There is some supplementary material dealing with issues not fully covered in the 2022 book: the cosmological redshift, gravity and special relativity, a discussion of particle spin and a very preliminary discussion of quantum field theory. Some corrections to the material are also listed. Click for a pdf.

AddendaAddition10.pdf

 

A more comprehensive treatment of the physics of light interaction with a free electron is added here .  The treatment here is valid for determining the acceleration of electrons in uniform high intensity laser light.

 


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