20402143 - COSMOLOGY

The aim of the course is to critically discuss the most relevant issues - some of them still open - concerning Modern Cosmology. We will illustrate its state-of-the-art, and the methods - both theoretical and observational - currently used to investigate its properties. We will further provide a coherent vision which starts from the Big Bang and arrives to the formation of the first galaxies. 
teacher profile | teaching materials

Programme


50 hours in front

•Brief references to general relativity and Einstein's equation
•Robertson-Walker metric
•Hubble's law and Hubble tension
•Redshift
•Cosmological distances
•The cosmological constant
•Friedmann and Einsten-de Sitter models
•Cosmic Microwave Background
•Jeans theory for gravitational instability
•Application of Jeans theory in Cosmology: linear evolution
•Formation of Structures I: case only baryons
•Formation of Structures II: case with also non-baryonic matter
•Perturbation spectrum, filters and transfer functions
•Covariance functions
•Theory and observations related to linear theory: CMB fluctuations
•Large-scale structure of the Universe: statistical analysis of the distribution of galaxies
•Non-linear evolution of perturbations
•Virialized structures: the theory of Press and Schechter and its extension
•Light matter and dark matter: the problem of bias.
•The Euclid mission
•Notes on extragalactic radio sources


Completion of the 64 hours: study of the article
"Hosts and Environments: a (large-scale) radio history of AGN and star-forming galaxies"
(https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00159-022-00142-1)





Core Documentation


Coles P., Lucchin F. Cosmology [Wiley 2000] - Primary reference book

Peacock J. Physical Cosmology. Cambridge Univ.Press

Longair M. Galaxy Formation [A&A Library ]

"Cosmology" di Weinberg (Oxford University Press)

A number of scientific papers provided by the teacher during the course.

Type of delivery of the course

The course will be held with in-presence lectures, augmented with further reading on specific topics in the case of the Astrophysics and Cosmology curriculum.

Type of evaluation

The exam will consist in the discussion of a chapter chosen from the article "Hosts and Environments: a (large-scale) radio history of AGN and star-forming galaxies" (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00159-022-00142-1) and then continue with questions on the entire program covered in class