Lecture course : Physical Cosmology

Lecturers : Mirt Gramann and Erik Tago

 

Contents

 

Chapter 1. Introduction (2h)

1.1 Formation of modern cosmology.

Cosmology and other related sciences. A short history of cosmology.

Problems of modern cosmology.

 

1.2 Observations in cosmology.

What quantities cosmology measures and methods used. Observations at different wavelenghts. Great projects in cosmology.

 

Chapter 2. The Standard Model of the Universe (8h)

2.1 Expansion of the Universe

Discovery. Redshift. Hubble law. Cosmological principle. Curvature of the space-time. Robertson-Walker metrics. Distances in cosmology. Hubble diagram. .

2.2 Cosmological models

Friedmann equations. Cosmological parametres. Age of the Universe. Dark energy.

2.3 Microwave background radiation

Discovery of the CMB radiation, its properties. Energy density in the expanding universe. Recombination.

2.4 Cosmonucleosynthesis

Atomic nuclii in the early Universe. Baryon matter density. Relic neutrino background.

 

Chapter 3. Matter density in the Universe (4h)

Masses of galaxies.Dark matter in the systems of galaxies. Mean density of the Universe. Gravitational lenses. Candidates for dark matter.

 

Chapter 4. The very early Universe (2h)

The beginning of the Big Bang. Planck time. Matter and antimatter in the Universe. Inflation theory. Formation of initial perturbations.

 

Chapter 5. Large scale structure of the Universe (8h)

6.1 Cosmography

Clusters and superclusters of galaxies. Spatial distribution of systems of the galaxies. Quantitative dscription of the distribution of galaxies.

6.2 Formation and evolution of the structure of the Universe

Evolution of density and velocity perturbations in the expanding Universe. Power spectrum of perturbations. Anisotropy of microwave background radiation.

 

Chapter 6. Evolution of galaxies and the first objects in the Universe (6h)

6.1. Galaxies and their properties

Elliptical and spiral galaxies. Young galaxies. Formation of the first stars and galaxies. Reionisation of the Universe.

Evolution of galaxies

6.2. Quasars and intergalactic gas. Model of massive black hole.

 

Chapter 7. Problems of modern cosmology

Fundamental problems in cosmology. Contents of the Universe. Large-scale structure. The very early universe.

 

 

References

1. M. Roos, 1997, 2003 Introduction to Cosmology, John Wiley and Sons

2. P. Coles and F. Lucchin, 2002, Cosmology, The Origin and Evolution of Cosmic Structure, John Wiley and Sons

3. J. Peacock, 1999, Cosmological Physics, Cambridge Univ. Press

4. M. Rowan-Robinson, 2003, Cosmology, Oxford University Press

5. V.J. Martinez, E. Saar, 2002, Statistics of the Galaxy Distribution, Chapman and Hall/CRC

6. P.J.E.Peebles, 1993, Principles of Physical Cosmology, Princeton Univ. Press

7. A. R. Liddle, D. H. Lyth, 2000, Cosmological Inflation and Large-Scale Structure, Cambridge University Press.