Black Hole Physics

This work covers practically all aspects of black hole physics and its astrophysical applications. Among the topics treated in depth are: spacetime of stationary black holes, general theory of black holes, black hole perturbations, black hole numerics, black hole electrodynamics, black holes in unified theories of gravity, quantum black holes, final states of evaporating black holes and the information loss puzzle. Special attention is paid to the role of black holes in astrophysics and observational evidence of black hole existence. Many exotic subjects linked with black holes, such as white holes, wormholes, and time machines are discussed in detail. Numerous appendices cover mathematical aspects of general relativity and black holes and quantum field theory in curved space time. This makes the book practically self-contained. Extensive references provide the reader with a guide to the literature in this field.