Humboldt Universitaet zu Berlin Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Department of Physics auf deutsch

4020225189 Cosmology (Observational)       

Präsenzkurs

classroom language

DE

aims

Students will at the end of the course be familiar with how the Universe can be used as a laboratory to probe fundamental physics, and why such observations have led to our current worldview based on the Big Bang, dark matter and dark energy.

Exercises will develop data analysis methods applicable to most research areas.

requirements

This course assumes some familiarity with statistical tests, and a background knowledge in astronomy is advantageous. A previous course in General Relativity is *not* required.

Exercises will carried out through python notebooks.

structure / topics / contents

Cosmology is one of the most active research areas within modern physics and astronomy.

Topics of the course in Observational Cosmology include:
- How supernovae can be used as cosmological lighthouses to measure the accelerated expansion of the Universe caused by dark energy.
- How elemental abundances observed today can be used to constrain physics right after the Big Bang, at energy scales inaccessible in labs at earth.
- What dynamics of moving astronomical objects tell us about the presence of dark matter.
- How the structure we observe around us developed from primordial quantum fields.

We will also review theory, based in General Relativity, that allows us to measure the Universe at large scale.

assigned modules

P25.1.c

amount, credit points; Exam / major course assessment

3 SWS, 6 SP/ECTS (Arbeitsanteil im Modul für diese Lehrveranstaltung, nicht verbindlich)