Gravitational lensing is a consequence of general relativity, where the gravitational force due to a massive object bends the paths of light originating from distant objects lying behind it. Using very little general relativity and no higher level mathematics, this text presents the basics of gravitational lensing, focusing on the equations needed to understand the phenomena. It then applies them to a diverse set of topics, including multiply imaged objects, time delays, extrasolar planets, microlensing, cluster masses, galaxy shape measurements, cosmic shear, and lensing of the cosmic microwave background. This approach allows undergraduate students and others to get quickly up to speed on the basics and the important issues. The text will be especially relevant as large surveys such as LSST and Euclid begin to dominate the astronomical landscape. Designed for a one semester course, it is accessible to anyone with two years of undergraduate physics background.
Industry Reviews
'Gravitational lensing has become a ubiquitous tool in astronomy, from the search for extrasolar planets to the quest to map the cosmic mass distribution. Dodelson's book hits the nail right on the head, presenting the subject in the simplest way possible, but still with all requisite rigor. A spectacular collection of problems complements the presentation to make for an outstanding pedagogical tool. This is a great book!' Marc Kamionkowski, The John Hopkins University
'Gravitational lensing produces some of the most beautiful phenomena seen in nature. That is reason enough for astronomy students to learn the topic, but the powerful applications of lensing to studies of galaxies and cosmology make it one of the essential tools of astronomy. Dodelson has written the perfect lensing textbook for graduate and advanced undergraduate students. The book has step-by-step derivations that will build the foundations of the many variants of lensing, while the exercises get to the heart of both theory and applications. The connections to observations and state of the art research are nuanced and yet completely accessible. Students will learn the tools for research in gravitational lensing as well as a variety of research areas that deploy lensing. Dodelson is masterful at building intuition by exploring mathematical results the student can derive and thus understand end-to-end. This book will quickly become indispensable in graduate-level astronomy courses.' Bhuvnesh Jain, University of Pennsylvania
'Based on the university lectures given by the author, this book provides an overview of gravitational lensing, which has emerged as a powerful tool in astronomy with numerous applications, ranging from the quest for extrasolar planets to the study of the cosmic mass distribution. ... Written with a pedagogical approach, this book is meant as a textbook for one-semester undergraduate or graduate courses. But it can also be used for independent study by researchers interested in entering this fascinating and fast-evolving field.' CERN Courier
