The exploration of how we hear music is grounded in acoustics, psychophysics, and neurobiology, revealing the intricate physical systems and biological processes involved. By integrating the latest discoveries in brain science and the mechanics of tone generation in musical instruments, the book offers a comprehensive understanding of the auditory experience.
Information and Its Role in Nature presents an in-depth interdisciplinary discussion of the concept of information and its role in the control of natural processes. After a brief review of classical and quantum information theory, the author addresses numerous central questions, including: Is information reducible to the laws of physics and chemistry? Does the Universe, in its evolution, constantly generate new information? Or are information and information-processing exclusive attributes of living systems, related to the very definition of life? If so, what is the role of information in classical and quantum physics? In what ways does information-processing in the human brain bring about self-consciousness? Accessible to graduate students and professionals from all scientific disciplines, this stimulating book will help to shed light on many controversial issues at the heart of modern science.
Foundations of the Physics of Radiation Belts and Space Plasmas
This book is a new edition of Roederer’s classic Dynamics of Geomagnetically Trapped Radiation , updated and considerably expanded. The main objective is to describe the dynamic properties of magnetically trapped particles in planetary radiation belts and plasmas and explain the physical processes involved from the theoretical point of view. The approach is to examine in detail the orbital and adiabatic motion of individual particles in typical configurations of magnetic and electric fields in the magnetosphere and, from there, derive basic features of the particles’ collective “macroscopic” behavior in general planetary environments. Emphasis is not on the “what ” but on the “why ” of particle phenomena in near-earth space, providing a solid and clear understanding of the principal basic physical mechanisms and dynamic processes involved. The book will also serve as an introduction to general space plasma physics, with abundant basic examples to illustrate and explain the physical origin of different types of plasma current systems and their self-organizing character via the magnetic field. The ultimate aim is to help both graduate students and interested scientists to successfully face the theoretical and experimental challenges lying ahead in space physics in view of recent and upcoming satellite missions and an expected wealth of data on radiation belts and plasmas.
Dieses Buch beschäftigt sich mit den physikalischen Systemen und psychophysikalischen Prozessen, die im Zusammenhang mit jenem Phänomen stehen, das wir allgemein als "Musik" bezeichnen. Es soll interessierten Musikern helfen zu verstehen, auf welche physikalische Weise musikalische Töne erzeugt werden und sich im Raum ausbreiten, und wie Musik vom Zuhörer empfangen und empfunden wird. Physikalisches und mathematisches Vorwissen jenseits des Abiturs ist dazu nicht erforderlich. Den musikliebenden Wissenschaftlern sollen viele Fragen, die sie sich bezüglich Musik und Tonempfindung gestellt haben dürften, beantwortet werden. Den Musikpsychologen wird ein Versuch dargeboten, die Frage "Warum lieben wir Musik?" von einem neuro-funktionellen Standpunkt aus zu erläutern. Die 3. Auflage wurde gründlich überarbeitet, um die neuesten Forschungsergebnisse über Tonerzeugung, Physiologie des Gehörs und den kognitiven Prozessen beim Verarbeiten von Sinnesinformation einzufügen.