The students masters the most important foundations of modern cosmological theory and the relevant observations. The student understands: - the measurements (and their implications) that lead up to Big Bang Theory;
- the need for a treatment in the context of General Relativity;
- the need for quantum field theory in the description of the very early Universe;
- the challenge of explaining both Dark Energy and Dark Matter;
- the determination of cosmological parameters from astrophysical observations
- the growth (linear and non-linear) of density fluctuations and the origin of large scale structure
- the basic physics of Galaxy Formation in an expanding Universe;
- the physics of gravitational lensing and its applications in Cosmology;
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Cosmology is one of the fundamental topics in modern astrophysics. In these lectures we will consider the physical, astrophysical and observational foundations of modern cosmology. The course begins with a "bootcamp" where basic astronomy and general relativity are discussed.
Topics to be treated include (list is not exhaustive):
- Einstein's relativity and expanding models for the Universe; Hubble's law and its interpretation;
- The very early Universe [1]: inflation, the link with quantum field theory;
- The very early Universe [2]: particles physics and the composition of the cosmic fireball;
- Primordial Nucleosynthesis;
- The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) and what we can learn from CMB fluctuations;
- Density fluctuations and Large-Scale Structure Formation: how do we get from CMB fluctuations to galaxies;
- The nature of, and evidence for dark matter;
- The nature of, and evidence for dark energy;
- Observations of distant supernovae Type Ia: reconstructing the expansion history of the Universe and its implications;
- Theory and use of gravitational lensing (strong, weak and microlensing).
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