Prof. Luca Amendola
Tel: +49-6221-549-407 -- Fax: +49-6221-549-333 Sprechstunde: After my lectures |
Observing the Big Bang The course is an introduction to observational cosmology.
Problem 1. (2 credits) (contact Valerio Marra <rjovale@gmail.com> for any problem)
Using the Union2 supernova dataset (Amanullah etal 2010, arXiv:1004.1711) find for the following cases the minimum chi2 with corresponding sigma error (assume that 1 sigma corresponds to Delta chi2=1).
1- Omega_m that minimizes the chi2 for flat LCDM cosmology with w=-1.
2- w that minimizes the chi2 for flat LCDM cosmology with O_m=0.25.
Repeat 1 and 2 using a forth of the full Union2: take one entry every other four.
Check if the sigma errors follow the rule sigma_N = sigma/sqrt(N)
For the case 2, find also how much one needs to reduce the errors so to exclude the case of w=-1 (cosmological constant). Assume that 3 sigmas correspond to Delta chi2=9.
Material:
description of the project
article by Amanullah et al. describing the dataset
file with supernovae data (name, redshift, distance modulus m-M, error on magnitude)
example of final plot
Seminar 1. (2 credits)
The gravitational spherical collapse and the Press-Schecter formula.
The student should prepare a ~40 minutes presentation of the spherical collapse problem, with
powerpoint slides or on the blackboard.
Material:
Chapters 12.3-12.4 of L. Amendola & S. Tsujikawa, Dark Energy (Cambridge U. Press)
Chap. 9.5 in Dodelson, Modern Cosmology, Academic Press
Seminar 2. (2 credits)
Strong Lensing: main properties of gravitational lenses.
The student should prepare a ~40 minutes presentation of the strong lensing effect, with
powerpoint slides or on the blackboard.
Material:
Chapters 2.1-2.2-2.3 of Schneider, Ehlers, Falco, Gravitational Lenses, Springer-Verlag
(with reference to chapters 4.1-4.2-4.3)
Seminar 3. (2 credits)
Big bang nucleosynthesis: the full story.
The student should prepare a ~40 minutes presentation of the big bang nucleosynthesis, with
powerpoint slides or on the blackboard.
Material:
chapters 3.2 and 3.5 of Padmanabhan, Structure formation in the Universe, Cambridge U. P.