Cosmology
Syllabus, Master's level, 1FA209
- Code
- 1FA209
- Education cycle
- Second cycle
- Main field(s) of study and in-depth level
- Physics A1N
- Grading system
- Fail (U), Pass (3), Pass with credit (4), Pass with distinction (5)
- Finalised by
- The Faculty Board of Science and Technology, 15 March 2007
- Responsible department
- Department of Physics and Astronomy
Entry requirements
Bachelor's degree including 30 ECTS credits of mathematics and 60 ECTS credits of physics.
Learning outcomes
After the finished course the student is expected to
* account for the theoretical basis for our modern cosmological view of the universe, including the beginning at Big Bang and the development up to early galaxy formation
* account for the latest observational results within cosmological research, and an insight into the current issues
Content
The expansion of the universe and Hubble's law. The cosmological principle. Restrictions of Newtonian mechanics and the theory of special relativity. General relativity and the equivalence principle. The metrics of curved space/space-time. Black holes. Homogeneous and isotropic universes. The Robertson-Walker metric. Cosmological redshift. The Friedmann models. Big Bang. Thermodynamics of the early universe. The theory of inflation. Early fluctuations and their growth. The cosmic microwave background. Early nucleosynthesis and cosmochronology. The matter content of the universe. Dark matter. Dark energy. The determination of the cosmological parameters. Alternative cosmologies.
Instruction
Lectures, exercises, seminars and laboratory exercise.
Assessment
Passed seminars corresponding to 4.5 credits. Passed hand-in exercises corresponding to 1.5 credits, laboratory exercise corresponding to 1 credit, and written and oral presentation of literature assignment corresponding to 3 credits.