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Graduate Programme in Physics
         
Course in
         
Modern Cosmology   5p

This graduate-level course is intended to bring the students up to speed on a number of exciting topics in modern cosmology and to bridge the gap between theoretical physics, particle physics and astronomy in this field. Some of the lectures will be given by invited experts.

Literature: Most of the assigned reading will be based on recent publications.
 Recommended reference literature:
1. Barbara Ryden, 2002, "Introduction To Cosmology",  Pearson Higher Education ISBN 0805389121

Contents: The Standard Cosmological Model, Inflation, Early-Universe particle physics, The Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation, Origin of the elements, Dark matter, Dark energy, Large scale structure and the high-redshift Universe, Brane cosmology.


Prerequisites: Preferably a Masters degree in Physics or equivalent.

Examination: The examination will be based on seminar attendence, presentations and home excercises.
See details here.

Teachers: Erik Zackrisson (EZ), coordinator, ez(at)astro.uu.se, phone: 018-471 5976
Nils Bergvall (NB), nils.bergvall(at)astro.uu.se, phone: 018-471 5975
Ulf Danielsson (UD), ulf.danielsson(at)teorfys.uu.se, phone: 018-471 3299
Joakim Edsjö (JE), edsjo(at)physto.se, phone: 08-55 37 87 26
Øystein Elgarøy (ØE), oystein.elgaroy(at)astro.uio.no, phone +47 228 55684
Bengt Gustafsson (BG), bengt.gustafsson(at)astro.uu.se, phone: 018-471 5959

Time: September-November 2005


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



Schedule (preliminary)

Date
Time
Room
Lecture/
Exercise session/
Seminar
Topics
Teacher
To read
To turn in
Sept 1
15-17
 80109
Lecture 1: Introduction to cosmology I
Course overview
The Big Bang scenario
Expansion of the Universe
Cosmic epochs
EZ


Sept 9
13-15
4004
Lecture 2: Introduction to cosmology II
Friedmann equations
Cosmological Parameters
The concordance model
Distances in cosmology
NB


Sept 19
Rescheduled!
15-17
2003
Lecture 3: Inflation
Problems with a non-inflationary Big Bang
Chaotic inflation
The density perturbation spectrum
Eternal inflation
Transplanckian physics
Non-gaussianity
UD
Danielsson (2005), Lectures on string theory and cosmology, p. 1-48


Sept 14
13-15
4006
Lecture 4: Early-Universe particle physics
The standard model
GUT
Supersymmetry
Freeze-out and relics

JE


Sept 15
13-15
4006
Exercise session I
Problem set 1, exercises 1-6
EZ


Sept 22
10-12
Pol 1311**
Lecture 5: Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation
Origin of the CMBR
The dipole anisotropy
The power spectrum
Cosmological parameters
CMBR polarization
Topology of the Universe
Gravitational waves
Transplanckian effects
ØE
Tegmark (1995), Doppler peaks and all that: CMB anisotropies and what they can tell us

Hu (2003), CMB Temperature and Polarization Anisotropy Fundamentals


Sept 22
13-15
Pol 1211**
Lecture 6: Dark energy
Historical background
The Supernova project
Cosmic dust, axion-photon mixing, lensing
Dark energy models
The end of the Universe in dark energy cosmologies
ØE
Filippenko (2004), Type Ia Supernovae and Cosmology

Sahni (2004), Dark Matter and Dark Energy, p. 11-40

Sept 23
13-15
80127
Exercise session II

Problem set 2, exercises 1-6
EZ


Sept 27
13-15
4005
Lecture 7: Origin of the elements
Big Bang Nucleosynthesis
Cosmic chemical evolution
Radioactive dating
WMAP versus stellar and interstellar abundances
BG
Boesgaard and Steigman (1985),
Big Bang nucleosynthesis - theories and observations
 
Olive et al. (2000), Primoridal Nucleosynthesis: Theory and Observations

Sept 28
13-17
Tammsalen 63133*
Seminar I
Common misconceptions about modern cosmology
EZ
See seminar instructions

Sept 30




EZ

Problem set 1, exercises 7-9
Oct 3
13-15
6K1113
Lecture 8: Dark matter
Historical overview
Evidence of dark matter
Baryonic and non-baryonic dark matter
Spatial distribution
Cold dark matter (CDM)
Problems with CDM
Dark matter candidates
Possible detections
Alternatives to dark matter
EZ
Zackrisson (2005), Introduction to dark matter

Oct 14
13-15
2003
Lecture 9: Brane cosmology
The Randall-Sundrum scenario
Ekpyrotic/Cyclic scenarios
Folded branes
Inflation and dark energy from branes
Pre-Big Bang cosmology
UD
Danielsson (2005), Lectures on string theory and cosmology, p. 1-48


Oct 14




EZ

Problem set 2, exercises 7-9
Oct 19
13-15
2003
Lecture 10: Large scale structure and the high-redshift Universe
Structure formation
Reionization
The cosmic star formation rate
High-redshift objects as probes of cosmology (ages, chemical abundances, constants of nature)

EZ
Barkana & Loeb (2001), In the Beginning: The First Sources of Light and the Reionization of the Universe, p.  1-50


Oct 25
13-15
2003
Exercise session III
Problem set 3, exercises 1-6
EZ


Nov 2
13-17



EZ

Written report
Nov 3
13-17
Tammsalen 63133*
Seminar II
Dark energy and the age of the Universe
EZ
See seminar instructions

Nov 8
Rescheduled!
13-17
Tammsalen 63133*
Student presentation session

EZ


Nov 11




EZ

Problem set 3, exercises 7-8

* This is in the Astronomy corridor on the 3rd floor of house 6 - you need to ring the bell to get in
** This is at Polacksbacken, house 1 (see map here)

           
Examination
  • 2 Seminars
  • 3 Sets of hand in-exercises

  • Written essay (minimum 4 pages) + oral presentation (10 minutes)      

     A few suggested topics:

    • Gravitational lensing
      • Strong lensing
      • Weak lensing
      • Microlensing
      • Mesolensing
    • Cosmic strings
    • Alternative theories of gravity
    • The speed of gravity
    • Parallel Universes
    • Cosmic antimatter
    • Holography
    • The anthropic principle in cosmology
    • Alternative cosmologies
      • Rotating Universes
      • Varying speed of light cosmology
      • Quasi-steady state cosmology