AS7009 Cosmology, 7.5 hp, Fall 2008

 

Literature:

Barbara Ryden, 2002, "Introduction To Cosmology",  Pearson Higher Education ISBN 0805389121

 

Contents:

The world models of general relativity, cosmic expansion, thermodynamics and nucleosynthesis in the early Universe, dark matter and dark energy, methods for measuring cosmological parameters, structure formation, the cosmic microwave background radiation, inflation.

 

Prerequisites:

Knowledge corresponding to the first two years of a Bachelor's degree in physics, or similar.

 

Examination:

Written test, literature report and hand-in exercises.

 

Teacher:

Erik Zackrisson, ez(at)astro.su.se, phone: 08-5537 8556

 

Time:

November-December 2008

 


If you are interested in participating, please notify Erik Zackrisson as soon as possible!

 

Schedule (preliminary)

Date

Time

Room

Lecture/
Exercise session/
Seminar

Topics

To read

To turn in

Nov 4

10-12

FC61

Lecture 1

Course information

Course overview

Cosmic epochs

Chapter 1

 

Nov 6

10-12

FC61

Lecture 2

Cosmological principle

Cosmic expansion

General relativity

Metrics

Chapter 2 + first half of chapter 3

 

Nov 11

10-12

FC61

Lecture 3

Robertson-Walker metric

Proper distance

Cosmic dynamics

Second half of chapter 3 + chapter 4

 

Nov 13

10-12

FC61

Lecture 4

Dynamics with single and multiple components
Concordance cosmology
Fate of the Universe

Chapters 5 + 6

 

Nov 18

10-12

FC61

Lecture 5

Measuring cosmological parameters

Dark energy

Chapter 7

 

Nov 18

13-15

Far-east lounge

Exercise session I

Exercises 1-6

 

 

Nov 20

10-12

FC61

Lecture 6

Dark matter

Chapter 8

 

Nov 24

Note: Monday!

10-12

Far-east lounge

Exercise session II

Exercises 7-12

 

 

Nov 25

10-12

FC61

Lecture 7

Cosmic microwave background radiation

Chapter 9

Hand-in exercises 1-3

Nov 27

10-12

FC61

Lecture 8

Big bang nucleosynthesis

The early Universe

Chapter 10

 

Dec 2

10-12

FC61

Lecture 9

Inflation

Chapter  11

 

Dec 2

13-15

Far-east lounge

Exercise session III

Exercises 13-18

 

Hand-in exercises 4-6

Dec 4

10-12

FC61

Lecture 10

Structure formation

Chapter 12

Written report

Dec 9

10-12

FC61

Oral reports I

 

 

Hand-in exercises 7-9

Dec 11

10-12

FC61

Oral reports II

 

 

 

Dec 19

09-14

FC61

Written exam

 

 

 

Jan 20

09-14

FC61

Reexam

 

 

 

           

Examination

·       Written exam

·       Hand in-exercises (non-compulsory)

·       Written essay (minimum 3 pages) + oral presentation (10 minutes)      

 

 

 Course material

·       Exercises

·       Hand-outs: L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6, L7, L8, L9, L10