763698S Cosmology (Kosmologia), 6 op

Description: This course gives an overview of modern cosmology, i.e. the big bang model. The emphasis is on the very early Universe, where the temperature and energy density were high enough so that the interplay between particle physics and the evolution of the Universe was of central importance.

Contents: The structure and the expansion of the Universe, big bang, inflation, cosmological phase transitions, baryogenesis, nucleosynthesis, cosmic microwave background radiation, structure formation and large scale structures.

Target group and prerequisites: While the course is on the MSc-program (syventävä opinto), it should be accessible for 3rd year (BSc) students. Prerequisite courses are thermodynamics (766328A Termofysiikka), Special theory of relativity (763102P Johdatus suhteellisuusteoriaan) and basic knowledge of particle physics (766334A Aineen rakenne II). Naturally, more advanced courses in General relativity, Particle physics or Statistical physics do not hurt, but are by no means required.

Language: The course material will be in English. The lectures will be in English if needed.

Course extent: 6 credits, 26 hours lectures, 24 h excercises, a final exam.

Material: We shall use the lecture notes written by Hannu Kurki-Suonio at the University of Helsinki (used with permission)
1. Introduction
2. Observable Universe
3. General relativity
4. Friedmann-Robertson-Walker Universe
5. Thermodynamics of the early Universe
6. Thermal history of the early Universe
7. Big bang nucleosynthesis
8. Dark Matter

Extra material, more advanced and will not be part of the lectures

Talk about CMB and cosmology (.pdf, in Finnish, w. pictures)

Further literature:
E.W. Kolb, M.S. Turner: The Early Universe (Addison-Wesley 1990).
M. Roos: Introduction to Cosmology, 3rd ed. (Wiley 2003).
L. Bergström and A. Goobar: Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics (Wiley 1999).
J.A. Peacock: Cosmological Physics (Cambridge University Press 1999).
A.R. Liddle and D.H. Lyth: Cosmological Inflation and Large-Scale Structure (Cambridge University Press 2000).

Homework:
Exercise 1, Feb 9, Solutions 1,
Exercise 2, Feb 16, Solutions 2,
Exercise 3, Feb 23, Solutions 3,
Exercise 4, March 3, Solutions 4,
No exercise on week 11 (March 9)
Exercise 5, March 16, Solutions 5,
Exercise 6, March 23, Solutions 6.
No exercise on week 14 (March 30)
Exercise 7, April 6, Solutions 7.
Exercise 8, April 20, Solutions 8.
No exercise on week 18 (April 27)
Exercise 9, May 4, Solutions 9.