This two-volume set provides the most comprehensive and detailed treatment of the topic of quasar absorption lines ever to be compiled in one collection, including its historical development, scientific findings, theoretical foundations, and methods of analysis. Volume 1 chronicles six decades of quasar spectroscopy. The book details the nature of the Ly-alpha forest, Lyman limit systems, damped Ly-alpha absorbers, deuterium (D/H), 21-cm absorbers, HI and HeII Reionization, the WHIM, and the multiple ionization phases of metal line absorbers. Galaxies and their connections to these absorbers are treated in depth, as are the taxonomy and classes of AGN/quasar spectra and their associated absorption lines. Volume 2 treats the theory and analysis of absorption lines, including the physics of atomic transitions, gas and ionization physics, the cosmological model, radiative transfer, spectrograph design, analysis of spectra, and multi-component, multiphase chemical-ionization modeling. Pragmatic approaches to conducting and assessing absorber counts in large absorption line surveys is presented. Throughout, objective analysis methods are emphasized and presented for clarity of practical application. 

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Key Concepts and Detailed Chapter Abstracts

Volume 1 | Volume 2 

Sneak Peeks Gallery

Table of Contents | Chapter 12 | Chapter 21 | Chapter 31 )