290C Syllabus

Text for Physics 290C;

• Gerhard Borner, The Early Universe: Fact and Fiction, 2nd ed. (1992).
  
• Rowan-Robinson, The Cosmological Distance Ladder (1985);
  
• Malcom Longair, High Energy Astrophysics, 2nd ed. (1992--93);
  
• Shapiro and Teukolsky, Black Holes, White Dwarfs and Neutron Stars (1983 --- paperback addition available);
  
• J. Frank, A.R. King and D.J. Raine, Accretion Power in Astrophysics, 2nd ed. (1992 --- paperback edition available);
  
• Alan Lightman et al, Problem Book in Relativity and Gravitation (1975)
• T. Padmanabhan, Structure Formation in the Universe, Cambridge University 1993
  
• T. Padmanabhan, Problem Book in Astrophysics and Cosmology

PHYSICS 290C. Cosmology Seminar (1-4)

1.5 hours of lecture and one hour of discussion per week. Prerequisites: Graduate or Senior standing in Astronomy or in Physics, or permission of the instructor.

Syllabus

PHSYSICS 290C: Cosmology Seminar - 24 lecture hours --- 16 lectures --- 1-4 units --- 1.5 hours/week lecture, 1 hour/week discussion

• 1. Introduction, Elements of Cosmology
• 2. The Role of Gravity in Cosmology
  • Newtonian Derivation of Friedman Equation
  • Elements of General Relativity for Cosmology
• 3. Cosmological Models (Friedmann & de Sitter)
• 4. Thermodynamics of the Early Universe
• 5. Relics of the Big Bang
• 6. Problems with the Big Bang Model
• 7. Cosmic Inflation
• 8. The Cosmological Constant
  Determination of Cosmological Parameters
• 9. Supernova
• 10. Gravitational Lensing
• 11. Large scale structure: Growth of density fluctuations
• 12. The Cosmic Microwave Background - Spectrum
• 13. The Cosmic Microwave Background - Anisotropies Theory
• 14. The Cosmic Microwave Background - Anisotropies Theory II
• 15. The Cosmic Microwave Background - Polarization
  • Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect
• 16. Cosmology and Mythologies: Where are we?

---

The Smoot Astrophysics Group home page