PHY 126: Introduction to Cosmology

(Spring 2007)

Instructor: Prof. David Wittman
Lectures: WF 2:10-3:30pm Roessler 158


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Welcome to Physics 126! It is an exciting time to be learning about the universe.

Logistics: I will make heavy use of the course email list. You are automatically subscribed when you enroll. If you think you missed an email, or if you are enrolling late and need to catch up, please check the archive available through MyUCDavis before contacting me. The website you are looking at now (http://www.physics.ucdavis.edu/~dwittman/phy126/) is the place I will post documents such as homeworks and PDF files of the lectures (embedded in the calendar below). Although MyUCDavis says there is 1 hour of discussion per week to be scheduled, in the past PHY126 has not done this, instead having more homework to justify 4 credits. We will follow this tradition. Email me with any questions: .

Textbook: Introduction to Cosmology (B. Ryden) ISBN 0805389121.

Prerequisites: You must have taken the lower-division physics courses. No prior knowledge of cosmology is assumed.

Office Hours: Th 3-4pm, Physics 529. I must emphasize that you are free to stop by my office anytime, not just during office hours. I can't guarantee that I will be available all the time, so you may wish to send an email in advance if you need a guaranteed time.

Homework/project: We will generally have a homework due each Friday at the start of class. There may be a small project due at the end of the quarter in lieu of the last week or two of homework.

Grading: In a class this small, I do not have a predefined curve in mind. As in Lake Wobegon, everyone can be above average if everyone makes a good effort. Grades will be based on homework (35%), midterms (20% each), and the final exam (25%). The final exam will be comprehensive. Teamwork is encouraged on the homework, up to a point. Although students may work together to solve a problem, each must write it up according to his or her own unique understanding.

Calendar:

W Mar 28: Overview of course and basic observations about the universe. (PDF file.) Assign HW1. (PDF file.)

F Mar 30: University holiday.


W Apr 4: Newtonian "cosmology", review SR, conceptual intro to GR.

F Apr 6: HW1 due. Evolution of the universe in GR. Assign HW2.

W Apr 11: Cosmic dynamics continued.

F Apr 13: HW2 due. What kind of universe do we live in? Connecting models to observations. Assign HW3.

W Apr 18: More cosmological tests.

F Apr 20: HW3 due. Alternative models (briefly). Catch up/review for midterm. Note: I will not have time to return HW3 before the midterm, but I will mail the answers to the list so that you can learn from your mistakes before the midterm.

W Apr 25: Instructor out of town. Midterm 1.

F Apr 27: Go over MT1. Start distances. PDF file of distance slides. Assign HW4.


W May 2: Finish distances, start dark matter. PDF file of dark matter slides.

F May 4: Finish dark matter, start cosmic microwave background. HW4 due, assign HW 5. PDF file of dark CMB slides.. Also see Wayne Hu's excellent CMB website.

W May 9: Finish CMB. Start Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (just a little).

F May 11: Catch up/review for midterm. HW 5 due. Solutions will be distributed so you can study them before midterm 2.

W May 16: Midterm 2.

F May 18: Review common mistakes on midterm 2. Big Bang Nucleosynthesis. Assign HW6.

W May 23: Inflation and the early universe.

F May 25: Inflation ct'd, start structure formation. HW6 due, assign HW7.

W May 30: Academic Monday. However, we agreed to meet this day instead of Wednesday, June 6. Structure formation continued. Slides


F June 1: Last day of class. HW7 due. Catch up/review for final. Instructor evaluation.

W June 6: No class (we met on May 30 instead).

No office hours on Thursday, June 7. Special office hours to help you prepare for finals: Friday, June 8, 2-3:30pm and Monday, June 11, 2-4pm.

T June 12, 8 am: comprehensive final exam.