Radboud universityProspectusesFaculty of Science > Master Physics and Astronomy

Cosmology

Course ID
NWI-NM026C
Credits
6
Scheduled
second semester
Teaching methods
  • 32 hrs lecture
  • 3 hrs student presentation
  • 32 hrs problem session
Objectives

The students masters the most important methodes in non-electromagnetic and emerging fields of astrophysics, in particular:

  • The student understands the physics of gravitational radiation
  • The student understands the measurements, implications and physical settings the Cosmic Microwave background, in particular in the context of general relativity
  • The student understands the physics of gravitational lensing, both in the case of microlensing, as well as on galaxy cluster scales
Contents

Cosmology is one of the fundamental topics in modern astrophysics. In this lecture the following topics will be treated:

  • the origin of density variations as seen in the micro-wave background,
  • the nature and evidence for dark matter
  • structure formation
  • the nature and evidence for dark energy
  • observations of distant supernovae Type Ia
  • the theory and use of gravitational lensing (strong, weak and microlensing)
Examination
Grading will be based on the assignments and a presentation.
Literature

Recommended:

  • Peacock, Cosmological Physics, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-42270-1
  • http://www.astro.ru.nl -> studiemateriaal

 

Extra information
This course will be given biannually; next time again in 2011-2012
Lecturers
prof. dr. G.A.  Nelemans
prof. dr. P.J.  Groot
drs. M.T.B.  Nielsen
Included in
-'Master Physics and Astronomy'