Instructors:      Marc Kamionkowski    
                        Cahill 322
                        x2563
                        kamion AT tapir.caltech.edu

                        Andrew Benson
                        Cahill 320
                        x4667    
                        abenson AT tapir.caltech.edu

TA:    Elisabeth Krause (ekrause AT astro.caltech.edu; x4963, Cahill 369)                      
Class times:    10:30am-noon on Tuesdays and 2:30-4:00pm on Thursdays

Class description:   Basics of physical cosmology

Prerequisites:  Basic undergraduate physics and the physics of radiative processes at the level of Ay121.

Homework: There will be problem sets assigned the first class of every week that will be due the first class of the following week, at which point solutions will be handed out.  There will be no extensions. Completion of all the homeworks, with one exception, is required for the class. If you turn in all the problem sets, your lowest score will be dropped when we calculate the grade.   You will get the most out of the class if you make a real effort to solve all the problems by yourself.    If you are truly stuck, you may consult the literature, a classmate, or TA for inspiration.  However, once you have received whatever minimal hints you need to get going,  you should then go back and solve the problems and write out the solutions entirely on your own.

Grade:     50% homework and 50% final exam.  NOTE:  Completion of ALL of the problem sets, and all on time (!!), is required.

Some possibly useful books (on reserve in the library):
         

           Principles of Physical Cosmology (P. J. E. Peebles)
           Galaxy Formation (M. S. Longair)
           Cosmological Physics (J. Peacock)
           Modern Cosmology (S. Dodelson)
           The Early Universe (E. W. Kolb and M. S. Turner)
           

SYLLABUS AND READING ASSIGNMENTS

NOTES (Note that these are provided with no guarantees; they are not proofread very carefully, and mistakes may have crept in, there may be omissions, etc.  Use at your own risk!):

Week 1

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS:

Problem Set 1 (due first class of week 2)

Problem Set 3 (due first class of week 4)

Problem Set 4 (due first class of week 5)

Problem Set 6 (due first class of week 7)

Problem Set 7 (due first class of week 8)

Problem Set 8 (due first class of week 9)

Last updated 5/31/2010