Physics 880A20 - Cosmology


	`Physics 880A20 - Cosmology - Autumn 2006 Professor Gary Steigman Office: M2006 PRB Phone: 292-1999 email: steigman@mps.ohio-state.edu`

Announcements

THE FINAL EXAM SET IS NOW POSTED BELOW. IT IS DUE BY 3:30 ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 4. I WILL
GLADLY ACCEPT ANY BEFORE THAT DEADLINE. I SUGGEST YOU LOOK AT THE EXAM SET NOW, TO
IDENTIFY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT ANY OF THE PROBLEMS..
The notes I use for this class, intended as an outline for me, are handwritten and consist mainly of equations and key words (without
the accompanying text). I will post these notes (below) in the hope that they save you the hassle of trying to copy everything from the
board while trying to understand the subject matter at the same time. I would appreciate feedback on whether these notes are useful.
Check out the new notes, especially the BBN powerpoint presentation..
The weekly problem sets will be assigned on Mondays and collected by the end of the following Monday's recitation. It is important
to try the problems even if you fail to get them right (the first time). The problem sets will be found in the table below and the solutions
will be posted there too. Sets 1 - 9 are now posted; Set 9 is due Monday, November 27.
Solutions to the weekly problem set (along with comments relating to the problems), as well as selected class notes will be posted in
the table below. Solutions to Problem Sets 1 - 8 are posted.
While there is no "official" textbook for the class, here are some recommendations:
Gravitation and Cosmology, S. Weinberg (Wiley)
Relativistic Astrophysics, Vol. 2, The Structure and Evolution of the Universe, Ya. B. Zeldovich and I. D. Novikov (U. of Chicago Press)
The Early Universe, E.W. Kolb and M.S. Turner (Addison Wesley)
Cosmological Physics, J. Peacock (Cambringe Univ. Press)
Modern Cosmology, S. Dodelson (London Academic)
Introduction to Cosmology, B. Ryden (Addison Wesley)
The first three are older texts and are to be trusted for their discussions of the physics. The observational data they use is most likely
outdated and should be viewed cautiously (caveat emptor!).
The fascinating article by Zeldovich I mentioned at the end of class, where he discusses both "hot" and "cold" cosmologies (written
prior to the discovery of the CMB), was published in 1965 in Advances in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 3, p. 241. I have not
been able (so far) to locate it online.
To read Portable Document Format (pdf) files, your computer must have Acrobat Reader installed.
Click here to get a free copy.

Problem Sets/Class Notes

Problem Sets Solutions Notes

Week 1 Cosmography

Week 2 Set 1 Set 1 More Cosmography

Week 3 Set 2 Set 2 Newtonian Cosmology

Week 4 Set 3 Set 3 RWF Models

Week 5 Set 4 Set 4 Dark Energy
Evol. of Rad'n & Particles

Week 6 Set 5 Set 5 Entropy Conservation
Thermal Distributions
Degrees of Freedom

Week 7 Set 6 Set 6 Relic Neutrinos
Relics in General

Week 8 Set 7 Set 7 Relics Redux
BBN

Week 9 Set 8 Set 8 BBN - Key Points
Degenerate Neutrinos

Week 10 Set 9 Set 9 Inflation

Week 11 Final Exam Set Final Exam Set More Inflation
Optical Depth
logN-logS

	Problem Sets	Solutions	Notes
Week 1			Cosmography
Week 2	Set 1	Set 1	More Cosmography
Week 3	Set 2	Set 2	Newtonian Cosmology
Week 4	Set 3	Set 3	RWF Models
Week 5	Set 4	Set 4	Dark Energy Evol. of Rad'n & Particles
Week 6	Set 5	Set 5	Entropy Conservation Thermal Distributions Degrees of Freedom
Week 7	Set 6	Set 6	Relic Neutrinos Relics in General
Week 8	Set 7	Set 7	Relics Redux BBN
Week 9	Set 8	Set 8	BBN - Key Points Degenerate Neutrinos
Week 10	Set 9	Set 9	Inflation
Week 11	Final Exam Set	Final Exam Set	More Inflation Optical Depth logN-logS

Physics 880A20 - Cosmology - Autumn 2006

Announcements

Problem Sets/Class Notes