An Introduction to Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics

A course by Bohdan Grządkowski

Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Warsaw

office: 313

phone: +48 22 55 32259

e-mail: Bohdan.Grzadkowski@fuw.edu.pl

Winter semester 2009/10

lectures: Thurdsay, 13:15, SST

class: Friday, 12:15, SSD

Why Cosmology?

Links between particle physics and cosmology

The outline of the course:

1. The Observed Universe
2. A Brief "Course" of the General Relativity
3. Cosmological Models
4. Gravitational Lensing
5. Thermodynamics of the Early Universe
6. Thermal Relics from the Big Bang
7. Inflation
8. The Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation
9. Baryogenesis

The course grading:

1. final written exam: 3 selected problems solved in the class during the course, for the list of problems see here
2. final oral exam: material limited exclusively to the lecture notes posted below, for the list of problems see here

First term exam:

1. written: January 25th 2010, 9 a.m.-12 a.m., IFT, conference hall,
2. oral (approximately 45 min/person): January 26th 2010, 9 a.m.-16 p.m., IFT, office 313.

Second term exam:

1. written: March 2nd 2010, 9 a.m.-12 a.m., IFT, conference hall,
2. oral: individual appointments

Recommended texbooks

1. L. Bergström and A. Goobar, "Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics"
2. A. Liddle, "Wprowadzenie do kosmologii wspolczesnej"
3. E. Kolb and M. Turner, "The Early Universe"
4. S. Weinberg, "Gravitation and Cosmology"

Additional texbooks, articles and web pages:

1. E. R. Harrison, "Cosmology: The Science Of The Universe"
2. T. Padmanabhan, "Cosmology and Astrophysics Through Problems"
3. Ch. H. Lineweaver and T. M. Davis, "Misconceptions about the Big Bang", Scientific American, March 2005.
4. T. M. Davis and Ch. H. Lineweaver, "Expanding Confusion: common misconceptions of cosmological horizons and the superluminal expansion of the universe", 2004, Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, 21, 97-109.
5. M. A. Abramowicz, S. Bajtlik, Jean-Pierre Lasota, A. Moudenshttp, "Eppur si espande", 2007, Acta Astr., 57, 139, "A short answer to critics of our article "Eppur si espande" [arXiv:astro-ph/0612155]", 2008, M. Abramowicz and S. Bajtlik, "A jednak się rozszerza!", Świat Nauki, 2 (181), 2007.
6. Yu. V. Baryshev, "Expanding Space: The Root of Conceptual Problems of the Cosmological Physics", 2008.
7. J. P. Kneller1 and G. Steigman, "BBN For Pedestrians", New Journal of Physics, 6 (2004) 117.
8. S. Perlmutter, "Supernovae, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Universe", Physics Today, April 2003.
9. R. Baierlein, "The elusive chemical potential", American Journal of Physics, Vol. 69, Issue 4, 423.
10. D. Lyth, " Particle physics models of inflation", Lect.Notes Phys.738:81-118, 2008.
11. A. Linde, " Inflationary Cosmology ", Lect.Notes Phys.738:1-54, 2008.
12. Ned Wright's Cosmology Tutorial
13. Supernova Cosmology Project
14. Hubblesite

Lecture notes :

1. The Observed Universe
2. A Brief "Course" of the General Relativity
3. Cosmological Models
4. Gravitational Lensing
5. Thermodynamics of the Early Universe
6. Thermal Relics from the Big Bang
7. Inflation