Venue: Feynman Lecture Hall
Class Timings: Mondays from 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM & Thursdays from 2:00 - 3:30 PM
First Meeting: 08 January 2025
Course Description: The course will cover the basics of contemporary cosmology, both theoretical and observational. How to calculate observed properties in the currently generally accepted cosmological model with a (nearly) spatially flat universe, and dark energy, dark matter, and baryonic matter. Tests of the model against cosmological nucleosynthesis, cosmic microwave background, and large scale structure.
References:- Notes on Cosmology by Daniel Baumann (Cambridge University),
- Book by Daniel Baumann (https://tinyurl.com/tbr8bh44)
- For more advanced and rigorous material: Cosmology, by Steven Weinberg
Course Evaluation: Two take home assignments, one in-class test, and one presentation of a reading project, at the end of the semester, each carrying 25 marks
Prerequisites: The content of the core physics courses at ICTS, including special relativity, and the mathematical tools of multivariable calculus
Course Outcome: The modern cosmological model, while still evolving, is one of landmark achievements of the last hundred years. This course is meant to give an interested student of physics an accessible, but technical, introduction. Those who go on to do research in astrophysical relativity will be able to take more advanced courses in their specialized areas for which this material will provide a context. Some areas of high energy physics are also connected to cosmology For these students, and others, this course should provide background to appreciate the significance of the new results in the field which are pouring in thanks to ambitious observational facilities and increasing computer power for both data analysis and simulation.
- Teacher: Rajaram Nityananda