Astronomy 507 | Spring 2013
Course Schedule
Note:
The lecture material may vary, but the assignment dates are fixed. Check back to this page for updates on the topics and readings.
Date
Topic
Assignment Due
Wed Jan 22
Introduction
Fri Jan 24
History and Observational Overview
Mon Jan 27
Newtonian Cosmology
Wed Jan 29
Cosmodynamics
Fri Jan 31
Friedmann Universes
Preflight 1
Mon Feb 3
Friedmann Universes
Wed Feb 5
Density and Destiny
Fri Feb 7
General Relativity
Problem Set 1
Mon Feb 10
General Relativity
Wed Feb 12
Relativistic Cosmology
Fri Feb 14
Lifestyles in FRW Spacetimes
Preflight 2
Mon Feb 17
Lifestyles in FRW Spacetimes
Wed Feb 19
Dark Energy: Evidence
Fri Feb 21
Dark Energy: Implications
Problem Set 2
Mon Feb 24
Dark Energy: (Un?)physical Models
Wed Feb 26
Dark Energy: Outlook
Fri Feb 28
CMB: Discovery and Basic Properties
Preflight 3
Mon Mar 3
CMB: a Cosmic Scattering Problem
Wed Mar 5
CMB: Decoupling and Recombination
Fri Mar 7
CMB: Ionization Equilibrium
Problem Set 3
Mon Mar 10
CMB: Recombination History
Wed Mar 12
Primordial Nucleosynthesis: Theory
Fri Mar 14
Primordial Nucleosynthesis: Observations
Preflight 4
Mon Mar 17
Primordial Nucleosynthesis: Concordance and Implications
Wed Mar 19
Particle Dark Matter: Relic Abundance
Fri Mar 21
Particle Dark Matter: WIMP Searches
Problem Set 4
Mar 24-28
No Class Meeting: Spring Break
Mon Mar 31
Inflation: Motivation
Wed Apr 2
Inflation: Basic Features
Fri Apr 4
Inflation: Models
Preflight 5
Mon Apr 7
No Class Meeting
Wed Apr 9
Inflation: Predictions and Status
Fri Apr 11
Structure Formation: Overview
Problem Set 5
Mon Apr 14
Structure Formation: Observed Power Spectrum
Wed Apr 16
Structure Formation: Cosmic Perturbation Theory
Fri Apr 18
Structure Formation: Growth in an Expanding Universe
Mon Apr 21
Structure Formation: History Through Recombination
Preflight 6
Wed Apr 23
Structure Formation: CMB Anisotropies
Fri Apr 25
Structure Formation: Origin of the Power Spectrum
Mon Apr 28
Structure Formation: Spherical Collapse
Wed Apr 30
Structure Formation: Press-Schecter
Problem Set 6
Fri May 2
Intergalactic Medium
Mon May 5
Cosmic Star Formation
Wed May 7
Finale
Thu May 15
Final Problem Set Due
Brian D. Fields
Last modified: Tue Jan 21 13:08:53 CST 2014