S. Chandrasekhar: White Dwarfs, $H^-$ ion,.., Black holes, Gravitational waves

TL;DR

This review summarizes Chandrasekhar's influential work in astrophysics, covering white dwarfs, black holes, gravitational waves, and related phenomena, emphasizing simple physical explanations for undergraduate students.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive, accessible overview of Chandrasekhar's diverse research contributions in astrophysics for educational purposes.

Findings

White dwarf physics based on relativistic quantum statistics

Discussion of black holes as central engines of high-energy sources

Introduction to gravitational waves and fluid dynamical instabilities

Abstract

This is a concise review, addressed to undergraduate students, of S. Chandrasekhar's oeuvre in astrophysics, ranging from his early studies on white dwarfs using relativistic quantum statistics to topics as diverse as dynamical friction, negative hydrogen ion, fluid dynamical instabilities, black holes and gravitational waves. The exposition is based on simple physical explanations in the context of observational astronomy. Black holes and their role as central engines of active, compact, high energy sources have been discussed.