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Valid for year : 2007
 
TATA46 Cosmology, 6 ECTS credits.
/Kosmologi/

For:   Fys   Mat   MFYS   Y  

 

Prel. scheduled hours: 28
Rec. self-study hours: 132

  Area of Education: Science

Subject area: Mathematics
  Advancement level (G1, G2, A): A

Aim:
This course outlines the development of cosmological models from earliest times to today, with the main emphasis on the 'Big Bang ' model, although other models will also be considered. A discussion of the inadequacies of Newtonian Mechanics and Special Relativity Theory motivates the need for General Relativity Theory and the associated mathematical tools for calculations in curved spacetimes, which enable physical phenomena such as Mercury's orbit, the deflection of light, the expansion of the universe, black holes, the initial Big Bang singularity, and the final fate of the universe to be investigated. To pass this course students will need to:
  • have an overview of the main historical cosmological models and be able to repeat simple historical geometric calculations.
  • have an overview of today's cosmological models and make simple calculations on the cosmic distance hierarchy.
  • be able to make simple calculations in Newtonian Mechanics and Special Relativity, and understand their inadequacies in cosmology.
  • understand the physical basis of general relativity, and carry out calculations in curved spacetime involving metrics and geodesics.
  • be able to carry out calculations in curved spacetime near massive objects using the Schwarzschild metric.
  • be able to carry out calculations to make comparisons between different cosmological models using the Robertson-Walker metric.
  • be able to derive the Friedmann equations and use them to study the history of the universe according to the different models of the universe.
  • understand the relevance of the cosmic black-body radiation in the 'Big Bang' theory
  • have an overview of some alternative cosmological theories.
  • have an overview of the most recent developments and theories.


Prerequisites: (valid for students admitted to programmes within which the course is offered)
TATM73 Calculus B, TATM18 Linear Algebra, TATM41 Vector Analysis or equivalent, and basic knowledge of physics. The course addresses engineering students without previous knowledge of the subject.

Note: Admission requirements for non-programme students usually also include admission requirements for the programme and threshhold requirements for progression within the programme, or corresponding.
Organisation:
Lectures.
Course contents:
An overview of cosmological theories from earliest times to the present day. The difference between Newton's mechanics and therelativity theories. A simple presentation of curved space. Geodesics. Relativistic phenomena close to massive objects. Relativistic cosmology and the Big Bang. Recent developments: accelerating universe, inflation, dark matter, dark energy.

Course literature:
Berry, M. V: Principles of Cosmology and Gravitation. Institute of Physics Publishing 1993, ISBN0-85274-037-9.

Examination:
Hand-in assignments and presentation
 4 p
/
6 ECTS
 


Course language is English.
Department offering the course: MAI.
Director of Studies: Göran Forsling
Examiner: Brian Edgar
Link to the course homepage at the department


Course Syllabus in Swedish

Linköping Institute of Technology
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Contact: TFK , val@tfk.liu.se
Last updated: 08/14/2007