Twistors in Mathematics and Physics

This 1990 collection of review articles covers the considerable progress made in a wide range of applications of twistor theory.

T. N. Bailey (Edited by), R. J. Baston (Edited by)

9780521397834, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 23 August 1990

396 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.2 cm, 0.58 kg

Twistor theory has become a diverse subject as it has spread from its origins in theoretical physics to applications in pure mathematics. This 1990 collection of review articles covers the considerable progress made in a wide range of applications such as relativity, integrable systems, differential and integral geometry and representation theory. The articles explore the wealth of geometric ideas which provide the unifying themes in twistor theory, from Penrose's quasi-local mass construction in relativity, to the study of conformally invariant differential operators, using techniques of representation theory.

1. Twistor theory after 25 years - its physical status and prospects R. Penrose
2. Between integral geometry and twistors S. G. Gindikin
3. Generalized conformal structures S. G. Gindikin
4. Riemannian twistor spaces and holonomy groups F. E. Burstall
5. Twistors, ambitwistors, and conformal gravity C. R. LeBrun
6. The Penrose transform M. G. Eastwood
7. Notation for the Penrose transform E. G. Dunne
8. The twistor transform E. G. Dunne and M. G. Eastwood
9. Invariant operators R. J. Baston and M. G. Eastwood
10. Penrose's quasi-local mass K. P. Tod
11. The sparkling 3-form, Ashtekar variables and quasi-local mass L. J. Mason and J. Frauendiener
12. Twistor and strings W. T. Shaw and L. P. Hughston
13. Integrable systems in twistor theory R. S. Ward
14. Twistor characterization of stationary axisymmetric solutions of Einstein's equations J. Fletcher and N. M. J. Woodhouse
15. A two-surface encoding of radiative space-times C. N. Kozameh, C. J. Cutler and E. T. Newman
16. Twistors, massless fields and the Penrose transform T.N. Bailey and M. A. Singer
17. Twistor diagrams and Feynman diagrams A. P. Hodges
18. Cohomology and twistor diagrams S. A. Huggett
Authors' addresses.

Subject Areas: Differential & Riemannian geometry [PBMP]