Introduction to Cosmology

Catalog description

Cosmology is the study of the origin, structure and evolution of the Universe itself. The goal of this course is to provide an advanced undergraduate or introductory graduate description of the 'standard' big bang theory of the Universe, the Lambda-Cold Dark Matter model, that includes recent experimental developments. Topics include: the observational and theoretical basis for the model; spacetime and the Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker metric; big bang cosmology and the Universe's contents and dynamics; the cosmic microwave background; formation of galaxies, large-scale structure, and gravitational lensing; dark matter and dark energy; current and future observational experiments. Recommended prerequisite: Physics 361 and Mathematics 216 or Physics 264L.