During the period March 13-25, 1975, the IV course of the International School of Cosmology and Gravitation was held at Erice, Sicily and devoted primarily to gravitational waves. A number of participants have
prepared their lectures for publication here. These include topics in Gravitational Radiation , Gravitational Radiation Antennas and Data Analyses, Singularities in General Relativity Theory, the Bimetric Theory of
Gravitation, Tachyons, and General Relativity and Quantum Theory. V. De Sabbata and J. Weber v Contents Opening ReII1arks, J. Weber. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix The Generation
of Gravitational Waves: A Review of Computational Techniques, K. S. Thorne ••••••••••••••••••••• 1 Effects of Gravitational Radiation upon Electromagnetic Waves in a Dispersive Medium, B. Bertotti and R. Catenacci •••••• 63
Gravitational Waves and Their Interaction with Electromagnetic Field, V. De Sabbata •••. •••••••••••••••••• 69 Shock Waves in General Relativity, A. Papapetrou ••••••••••••••• 83 Editorial Connnents . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 The Detection of Gravitational Waves and Quantum Nondisturbtive Measurements, V. Braginsky ••••••••••••••••• 105 Onedimensional Analysis and Computer Simulation
of a Weber Antenna, G. V. Pallottino •••••••••••••••••••••••••• 123 Comments on the Gravitational Radiation Experiments, J. Weber •• 135 Estimated Sensitivity of the Low Temperature Gravitational Wave Antenna in Rome, G.
Pizzella ••••••••••••••••••••••••• 139 The L. S. U. Low Temperature Gravity Wave Experiment, W. O. Hamilton, T. P. Bernat, D. G. Blair, W. C. Oelfke ••••••• 149 Optimal Detection of Signals through Linear Devices with Thermal
Noise Sources and Application to the Munich­ Frascati Weber-Type Gravitational Wave Detectors, P. Kafka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 Synchrotron
Radiation and Astrophysics, A. A.