This course will introduce topics of current interest in Cosmic Microwave Background research: acoustic peaks in the primary anisotropy power spectrum, CMB polarization, origin and evolution of large-scale structure in the universe, gravitational lensing and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich secondary anisotropies.
 
 

Cosmic Microwave Background : an Annual Reviews by myself and S. Dodelson

On line CMB tutorials

Problem sets.  This is 60% of your grade
Final projects:     Oral Component: in class 25 min. presentations and
                        Written component: a write up of the presentation with references OR a web page with graphics.  This is 40% of your grade.
                        Decide on your topic by May 9.
 

Problem Set 1 Due April 4.
Problem Set 2 Due April 11.
Problem Set 3 Due April 18.
Helper reference
Problem Set 4 Due April 25.
Problem Set 5 Due May 3.
Problem Set 6 Due May 9.
Problem Set 7 Due May 16. Note: for the extra credit the set of models has been changed to be Omega_c h2=0.23 to put the minimum in range.
 
 

Revised Syllabus Overview lectures will be in laptop-colloquium style mode.  Full PDF files are available below; movies require Acrobat 5 and a Quicktime plug in, available for Mac and Windows (sorry, I don't know of a Linux solution). Blackboard discussions will be more free-form. On Web days, I will try to use the internet in real time. Week 1: Mar 25, 28     Overview: CDM/Inflationary paradigm of structure formation Week 2: Apr 1, Apr 4       Blackboard: Cosmology review  Week 3: Apr 8, Apr 11     Blackboard: power spectra     Overview: acoustic peaks. Week 4: Apr 15, Apr 18     Blackboard: recombination, conservation laws   Week 5: Apr 22, Apr 25     Blackboard: Acoustic oscillations w/o gravity   Week 7: Apr 29, May 2    Blackboard: inflationary origin of fluctuations    Blackboard: Acoustic oscillations with gravity   Week 8: May 6, May 9     Blackboard: Driven and damped acoustic oscillations     Web: Computation of anisotropies (CMBfast), data analysis pipeline.   Week 9: May 13, May 16     Overview: CMB polarization     Overview: Secondary Anisotropies

Week 10: May 20, May 23    Blackboard: secondaries and the future    Web: Final Project presentations Week 11: May 30?     Web: Final Project presentations Final Project Topics Fundamentals:     Recombination     Thermalization (Particle constraints)     Inflationary models     Dark energy Specific aspects:     Neutrinos     Baryons     Gravitational Waves     Galaxy clusters Theoretical Exotica:     Large extra dimensions     Time varying fine structure constant     Parity violation Experiments:     Data analysis techniques (map making, power spectrum estimation)     Foregrounds     CMB satellite missions (MAP & Planck)     CMB interferometry (DASI, CBI, etc...)