The Scalar-Tensor Theory of Gravitation

The scalar-tensor theory of gravitation is one of the most popular alternatives to Einstein's theory of gravitation.This book provides a clear and concise introduction to the theoretical ideas and developments, exploring scalar fields and placing them in context with a discussion of Brans-Dicke theory.Topics covered include the cosmological constant problem, time variability of coupling constants, higher dimensional space-time, branes and conformal transformations.The authors emphasize the physical applications of the scalar-tensor theory and thus provide a pedagogical overview of the subject, keeping more mathematically detailed sections for the appendices.This book is suitable for graduate courses in cosmology, gravitation and relativity.It will also provide a valuable reference for researchers.