Topics in general relativity : the hoop conjecture and theoretical aspects of gravitational wave detection

Author: Flanagan, Eanna E.

Year: 1994

Degree: Dissertation (Ph.D.)

Advisor: Thorne, Kip S.

Committee Members: Thorne, Kip S.; Phinney, E. Sterl; Soifer, B. Thomas

Option: Physics

DOI: 10.7907/7SW7-8076

Abstract

The body of this thesis consists of four chapters (2 through 5), each of which is a paper that has been published in or submitted for publication to Physical Review D. I am the sole author of chapters 2, 3, and 4; Curt Cutler coauthored chapter 5 with me.

These four chapters deal with two topics in general relativity: the formation of horizons in nonspherical gravitational collapse (chapters 2 and 3), and some theoretical aspects of the effort to detect gravitational waves from cosmic sources (chapters 4 and 5). These four chapters were written largely for experts in the topics they cover. As an aid to general readers, I shall give in this introductory chapter some background information about chapters 2 through 5 and a nontechnical overview of their contents.

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