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Published in December 2017 in Opava

 

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Content

 

 Preface

RAGtime – the series of the Relativistic Astrophysics Group workshops and proceedings – started in 1999 at Institute of Physics, the Faculty of Philosophy and Science of the Silesian University in Opava, Czech Republic. Almost two decades later, the latest volume presents a new edition of the workshop proceedings related to the triad of annual events organized during years 2015, 2016, and 2017. The progress of research has been outstanding: the period of just three years witnessed celebrations of the Centenary of Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity and the long-awaited direct detection of gravitational waves, crowned by variety of discoveries on the border-line of modern Theoretical Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, and Particle Physics. The yearly gatherings offer an opportunity to discuss efforts and achievements of the workshop participants together with the most recent developments in the field.

Processes near black holes and neutron stars, as well as various types of more exotic compact objects are discussed. Solutions of general relativity are extended to viable alternatives, such as string theories and supersymmetry schemes. Several contributions cover surprising and intricate subtleties of high-frequency oscillations observed in low-mass X-ray binaries and accreting black holes. Astro-particle physics has been represented by the works on acceleration mechanisms in astrophysical shocks and the processes leading to chaos in motion of matter near black holes. The classical theory of figures of equilibria of fluid tori has been elaborated within the analytical framework appropriate for the environment of magnetized compact objects. Optical phenomena connected with the appearance of these structures are examined in strong gravity, where their signatures appear via timing, spectroscopy and polarimetry of the emerging radiation signal. Finally, black holes are considered in the cosmological context. Among the standard variety of works in the field of relativistic physics we also publish in this proceedings a breaking novel fundamental work relating the ideas of supersymmetry theory to the models of genetics.

Most of the presented contributions were obtained by collaborating research groups of the Silesian University in Opava, The Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Science, and the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of Charles University in Prague. Participants from a wide international community have represented Observatoire de Paris, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, International Space Science Institute in Bern, Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, University of Cologne, University of Oxford, Ulugh Beg Astronomical Institute in Tashkent and others.

We thank the Editorial Board members for advice and assistance, and all the authors for careful preparation of their contributions.  We are also indebted to the Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic and European Social Fund in Czech Republic for providing financial support for the previous workshops in the framework of the Grants No. CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0071 (SYNERGY) and CZ.1.07/2.2.00/28.0271 (INAP). Current work is supported by the INTER-EXCELLENCE project No. LTI17018 and the internal grant of Silesian University in Opava No. 07/2015-FPF.

 Opava, December 2017

Z. Stuchlík, G. Török and V. Karas,
editors

 

In memory of dr. Jeffrey E. McClintock (1942–2017), a wonderful friend and colleague,
an exceptional astrophysicist, and the amiable participant of our meetings.

(Picture credit: David Kofroň)

 

Colophon

Title:
Proceedings of RAGtime 17–19: Workshops on black holes and neutron stars, 17–19/23–26 Oct., 1–5 Nov. 2015/2016/2017, Opava, Czech Republic

Published by:
Silesian University in Opava, Faculty of Philosophy and Science, Institute of Physics, Bezručovo nám. 13, CZ-746 01 Opava, Czech Republic

Editors:
Z. Stuchlík, G. Török and V. Karas

Cover design:  Otakar Karlas

© Faculty of Philosophy and Science, Silesian University in Opava, 2017
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Publisher.

1st edition

Printed by :
X-media servis, U cementárny 1171/11, CZ-703 00 Ostrava - Vítkovice, Czech Republic

Published in December 2017

The publication was supported by the INTER-EXCELLENCE project No. LTI17018 and the internal grant of the Silesian University in Opava No. 07/2015-FPF.

ISBN 978-80-7510-256-0 (Print)
ISBN 978-80-7510-257-7 (Online)
ISSN 2336-5668 (Print)
ISSN 2336-5676 (Online)

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