Ay 127 Webpage - Spring 2011

http://www.astro.caltech.edu/~george/ay127/

Instructors:

• Chris Hirata, chirata[AT]tapir.caltech.edu, x-2563, 272 Cahill
• George Djorgovski, george[AT]astro.caltech.edu, x-4415, 208 Cahill

TA:

• Kunal Mooley, kunal[AT]astro.caltech.edu
  Office hours: Tue 5-6 pm in either 250 or 265 Cahill

Times: MW 10:30 - 12, in 219 Cahill

Class summary, syllabus, grading, collaboration policy, texts, etc.

Homeworks & Exams:

• Homework #1 , due on Wed Apr 13 (pdf file)
  • Solutions (pdf file)
• Homework #2 , due on Wed Apr 20 (pdf file)
  • Solutions (pdf file)
• Homework #3 , due on Wed Apr 27 (pdf file)
  • Solutions (pdf file)
• The Midterm - Due on Friday, May 6
  • Solutions (pdf file)
• Homework #4 , due on Wed May 25 (pdf file)
  • Solutions (pdf file)
• The Final - Due by 9 am on Mon. June 6
  • The solutions will be posted here

Lectures :

• March 30: FRW models; Friedmann equation; redshift and scale factor
  • Chris's notes (1.8 MB pdf file)
  • Some relatively useful links:
    • Relativity on the Web
    • Modern Relativity, an on-line textbook
    • Andrew Hamilton's relativity and black holes links
    • Sean Carroll's GR textbook (pdf file). And here is a short version
    • M. Francis et al. paper explaining the expanding space and some common mistakes and confusion (pdf file) * arXiv link
  
  

• Apr. 4: Cosmological distance scale and the age of the universe
  • George's slides (7 MB pdf file)
  • Some history:
    • A. Sandage, ARAA, 37, 445 (1999) (history at Palomar, as seen by the Old Master himself)
    • M. Longair, "A Brief History of Cosmology" (pdf file)
    • D. Christianson, "Edwin Hubble: A Biographical Retrospective" (pdf file)
    • J.-P. Luminet, "The Rise of Big Bang Models, from Myth to Theory and Observations" (pdf file)
    • E. Hubble, "Explorations in Space: The Cosmological Program for the Palomar Telescopes" (1951, Proc. Am. Phil. Soc., 95, 461; 0.9 MB pdf file)
    • Vesto Slipher (a webpage created by John Peacock)
    • Who really discovered the expanding universe? arXiv/1104.3031 link * local pdf
  • Hubble constant, distance scale, and the age of the Galaxy:
    • "The Hubble Constant", W. Freedman & B. Madore, 2010, ARAA, 48, 673 (1.5 MB pdf file) * arXiv link
    • "Measuring and Modeling the Universe", ed. W. Freedman, Carnegie Observatories Astrophys. Symp., vol. 2 (2004) (lots of good reviews)
    • "The Age of the Galactic Globular System", D. VandenBerg, M. Bolte & P. Stetson, 1996, ARAA, 34, 461 (somewhat dated, but a good review of the subject)
    • "Age Estimates of Globular Clusters in the Milky Way: Constraints on Cosmology", L. Krauss & B. Chaboyer, 2003, Science, 299, 65 (a brief review, local pdf file)
  
  

• Apr. 6: Distances and classical cosmological tests
  • George's slides (6.4 MB pdf file)
  • Distances:
    • A good primer is by D. Hogg, "Distance measures in cosmology", (pdf file) * astro-ph/9905116 link
    • Compute quantities of interest using Ned Wright's CosmoCalc
  • Cosmological tests:
    • A. Sandage's review article of the classical cosmological tests (pdf file, 6 MB)
    • The Cosmological Parameters 2010 - a good summary by O.Lahav & A. Liddle (pdf file), also linked at astro-ph/0601168
    • Report of the Dark Energy Task Force (pdf file), also linked at astro-ph/0609591
    • LBL Supernova Cosmology Project and the High-Z Supernova Team
    • EAA article on Hubble diagram (pdf file)
    • B. Leibungut, "Cosmological Implications from Observations of Type Ia Supernovae" ARAA, 39, 67 (2001)
    • J. Carlstrom, G. Holder, & E. Reese, "Cosmology with the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect" ARAA, 40, 643 (2002)
    • "The Cosmic Symphony", a Sci.Am. article by W. Hu & M. White (2004) (pdf file, 1.9 MB)
    • "Cosmic Sound Waves Rule", by D. Eisenstein & C. Bennett, Physics Today, April 2008 (pdf file, 2.7 MB)
  
  

• Apr. 11: Radiation-Dominated Era
  • Chris's slides (1.1 MB pdf file)
  • Some links:
    • Books: Longair, Chapter 10. (Note: g_* in the lecture notes and most of the literature is denoted by 2χ in Longair). A somewhat older text, but with very detailed physics, is Kolb & Turner, The Early Universe (Perseus Books, 1990), Chapters 3 and 4.
    • Subir Sarkar's BBN page (includes code).
    • A recent discussion of the observations is provided by Steigman (2007).
    • Lithium anomalies: a recent update to the ⁷Li problem. The ⁶Li problem is reported in Asplund et al (2006).
  
  

• Apr. 13: CMB Spectrum and Recombination
  • Chris's slides (8.3 MB pdf file)
  • CMB spectrum:
    • Double-Compton emission as described by Lightman (1981) and Thorne (1981).
    • Everything you ever wanted to know about FIRAS. The "final" CMB temperature paper is Fixsen & Mather (2002).
  • Recombination:
    • The original papers by Peebles and Zel'dovich, Kurt, & Sunyaev.
    • The modern calculation by Seager, Sasselov & Scott (1999).
    • A summary of post-1999 developments can be found in Wan Yan Wong's thesis.
    • Why lithium never recombines.
    • Good textbook-level discussions can also be found in Peebles, Principles of Physical Cosmology (Princeton Univ. Press, 1993), Chapter 6.
    • Recfast -- the "standard" public recombination code.
  • Post-recombination:
    • A brief summary of thermal evolution.
    • Pre-galactic H₂: the detailed calculation. Some groups have built quite sophistocated pregalactic chemical reaction networks.
  
  

• Apr. 18 and 20: Introduction to Perturbations
  • Chris's slides (1.5 MB pdf file)
    • Wayne Hu's resources (pedagogical).
    • The major computer codes to obtain transfer functions and CMB power spectra are CMBFAST (Seljak & Zaldarriaga, 1996+) and CAMB (Lewis & Challinor, better maintained).
    • If you really want to see full GR perturbation theory, have a look at Ma & Bertschinger (1995).
  
  

• Apr. 25 and 27: CMBR Anisotropies
  • Chris's slides (8.5 MB pdf file)
    • Lambda: Cosmic microwave background observations, data, etc. Includes a table of links to ground and balloon experiments.
    • Satellites: WMAP and Planck.
    • Galactic emission models by Angelica de Oliviera-Costa et al. and Doug Finkbeiner et al..
  
  

• May 2: CMB Polarization and Nonlinear Structure Formation
  • Chris's slides (9.3 MB pdf file)
  
  

• May 4: LSS observations, redshift surveys, biasing, peculiar velocities
  • George's slides (8 MB pdf file)
    • V. Springel, C. Frenk, & S. White, "The Large-Scale Structure of the Universe", 2006, Nature 440, 1137, available at astro-ph/0604561
    • O. Lahav & Y. Suto, "Measuring our Universe from Galaxy Redshift Surveys", Living Reviews in Relativity, v. 7, no. 8 (2004) also available at astro-ph/0310642 *
    • J. Peacock, "Large-scale surveys and cosmic structure", 2002 Tenerife Winter School lectures, available at astro-ph/0309240 * (local pdf file)
    • M. Strauss & J. Willick, "The density and peculiar velocity fields of nearby galaxies", 1995, Phys.Rept. 261, 271, available at astro-ph/9502079 * (local pdf file)
    • J. Peacock, "The evolution of clustering and bias in the galaxy distribution", Roy. Soc. London Phil. Tr. A, v. 357, p.133 (1999), available at astro-ph/9805208
    • M. White's links on the probes of Large Scale Structure
    • EAA articles on Local Group * Galaxy groups * Superclusters * Large scale structure * 2dF Galaxy redshift survey (pdf files)
  
  

• May 9: Contents of the Universe
  • George's slides (5.6 MB pdf file)
    • J. Bregman, "The Search for the Missing Baryons at Low Redshift", ARAA, 45, 221 (2007) (local pdf file)
    • "Missing Baryons and the Warm-Hot Intergalactic Medium" by F. Nicastro et al., 2008, Science, 319, 55 (pdf file)
    • J. Feng, "Dark Matter Candidates from Particle Physics and Methods of Detection", ARAA, 48, 495 (2010) (local pdf file)
    • L. Bergstrom, "Dark Matter Candidates", available at arXiv/0903.4849
    • "Dark Matter and Dark Energy" a review by M. Kamionkowski (pdf file) * arXiv link
    • "Dark Matter Theory" a review by J. Silk (pdf file)
    • "Dark Energy: Seeking the Heart of Darkness", an article from New Scientist, Feb. 16, 2007 (pdf file)
    • "The Enigma of the Dark Matter" by S. Khalil and C. Munoz, a review paper published in Contemp.Phys. 43 (2002) 51-62, also at hep-ph/0110122
    • "The Cosmological Constant" a good review by S. Carroll, Living Rev.Rel. 4 (2001) 1, also astro-ph/0004075, and here is another one (from an OCIW symposium; local pdf file)
    • "Dark Energy", a nice article by R. Caldwell
    • "ThePhysicsof CosmicAcceleration", by R. Caldwell & M. Kamionkowski, 2009, Ann. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. in press = arxiv/0903.0866
    • "Dark Energy and the Accelerating Universe", by J. Frieman, M. Turner, & D. Huterer, 2008, ARAA, 46, 385 = arxiv/0803.0982
    • "The Yellow Book on Dark Energy", an on-line proceedings of a 2001 workshop
  
  

• May 10: Galaxy clusters
  • George's slides (11 MB pdf file)
    • S. Allen, A. Evrard, & A. Mantz, "Cosmological Parameters from Observations of Galaxy Clusters", available at arXiv/1103.4829
    • P. Schuecker, "New Cosmology With Clusters of Galaxies", available at astro-ph/0502234
    • M. Arnaud, "X-Ray Observations of Clusters of Galaxies", available at astro-ph/0508159
    • R. Gal, "Optical Detection of Galaxy Clusters", available at astro-ph/0601195
    • A. Diaferio et al., "Clusters of Galaxies: Setting the Stage", available at astro-ph/0801.0968
    • P. Rosati, S. Borgani, & C. Norman, "The Evolution of X-Ray Clusters of Galaxies" ARAA, 40, 539 (2002)
  
  

• ????: Gravitational lensing
  • George's slides (11 MB pdf file)
  • Chris's old slides on weak lensing (0.9 MB pdf file)
    • M. Bartelmann, "Gravitational Lensing", available at arXiv/1010.3829
    • T. Treu, "Strong Lensing by galaxies", ARAA, 48, 87 (2010) (local pdf file)
    • A. Refregier, "Weak Gravitational Lensing by Large-Scale Structure", ARAA, 41, 645 (2003)
    • Y. Mellier, "Probing the Universe with Weak Lensing", ARAA, 37, 127 (1999) also available at astro-ph/9812172 and also "Cosmological Applications of Gravitational Lensing", available at astro-ph/9901116
    • M. Bartelmann & P. Schneider, "Weak Gravitational Lensing", Phys. Rep. 340, 291 (2001), also available at astro-ph/9912508
    • J. Wambsganss, "Gravitational Lensing in Astronomy", Liv. Rev. Relativ., Vol. 1, No. 12 (1998) also available at astro-ph/9812021
  
  

• May 17: Intergalactic medium and its evolution, absorption systems (guest lecture by W. Sargent)
  • Wal's slides (3.8 MB pdf file)
  • George's slides from 2009 (5.2 MB pdf file)
    • EAA articles on QSO absorbers * Ly-alpha forest * IGM
    • A. Wolfe, E. Gawiser, & J. Prochaska, "Damped LyA Systems" ARAA, 43, 861 (2005) * (local pdf) *
    • S. Veilleux, G. Cecil, & J. Bland-Hawthorn, "Galactic Winds" ARAA, 43, 769 (2005)
    • M. Rauch, "The Lyman-alpha Forest in the Spectra of Quasistellar Objects" ARAA, 36, 267 (1998)
    • P. Petitjean, "QSO Absorption Line Systems", available at astro-ph/9810418
    • J. Charlton & C. Churchill, "Quasistellar Objects: Intervening Absorption Lines", available at astro-ph/0006002
    • P. Madau, "The Intergalactic Medium", available at astro-ph/0005106
    • J. Bechtold, "Quasar Absorption Lines", available at astro-ph/0112521
  
  

• May 18: Galaxy formation and evolution, star formation history (guest lecture by B. Robertson)
  • Brant's slides (9.5 MB pdf file)
  • Brant's slides (4.3 MB Quicktime movie)
    • B. Robertson et al., "Early star-forming galaxies and the reionization of the Universe" Nature, 468, 49 (2010) (local pdf)
  
  

• May 23: Galaxy evolution, scaling laws, star formation history
  • George's slides (10.5 MB pdf file)
    • EAA articles on Galaxy evolution * Stellar population synthesis * Galaxy mergers * Hubble Deep Fields * High-z clusters * Starbursts * Extragalactic background light
    • H. Ferguson, M. Dickinson, & R. Williams, "The Hubble Deep Fields" ARAA, 38, 667 (2000) also available at astro-ph/0004319
    • On-line access to Bruzual-Charlot GISSEL models is available at http://www.cida.ve/~bruzual/bcXXI.html and the latest GALAXEV code is at http://www.cida.ve/~bruzual/bc2003
    • On-line access to Leitherer et al. Starburst99 models is available at http://www.stsci.edu/science/starburst99/
    • A number of other web resources for stellar population modeling (and other stuff) is available at http://iau-c35.stsci.edu/Resources/
    • A. Renzini, "Stellar Population Diagnostics of Elliptical Galaxy Formation" ARAA, 44, 141 (2006)
    • K. Freeman & J. Bland-Hawthorn, "The New Galaxy: Signatures of Its Formation" ARAA, 40, 487 (2002)
    • M. Hauser & E. Dwek, "The Cosmic Infrared Background: Measurements and Implications" ARAA, 39, 249 (2001)
    • T. Soifer, G. Helou, & M. Werner, "The Spitzer View of the Extragalactic Universe" ARAA, 46, 201 (2008)
    • G. Lagache, J.-L. Puget, & H. Dole, "Dusty Infrared Galaxies: Sources of the Cosmic Infrared Background" ARAA, 43, 727 (2005)
    • A. Blain et al., "Submillimeter Galaxies", Phys. Rep., 369, 111 (2002): local pdf * astro-ph/0202228
    • M. Giavalisco, "Lyman-Break Galaxies" ARAA, 40, 579 (2002)
  
  

• May 24: AGN, their phenomenology, evolution, models, high-energy backgrounds
  • George's slides (12.8 MB pdf file)
    • F. Hartwick & D. Schade 1990, "The Space Distribution of Quasars", ARAA 28, 437
    • P. Hewett & C. Foltz 1994, "Quasar Surveys", PASP 106, 113
    • L. Ho, "Nuclear Activity in Nearby Galaxies" ARAA, 46, 475 (2008)
    • W. Brandt & G. Hasinger, "Deep Extragalactic X-Ray Surveys" ARAA, 43, 827 (2005)
    • Diffuse X-ray Background:
      • An old but good review by A. Fabian & X. Barcons 1992, ARAA 30, 429
      • A good review of Rosat results is by Hasinger et al., available at astro-ph/9901103
      • A good review of some Chandra/XMM results is by Brandt et al., available at astro-ph/0202311
      • And another one by Hasinger, astro-ph/0202430
    • A note from Vaso Pavlidou about the current (2011) status of the interpretation of the CGRB
    • EAA articles on QSO surveys * AGN * AGN observations * Seyferts * QSOs * 3C273 * SMBHs in normal galaxies * SMBHs in AGN * AGN unification
    • Wikipedia article on AGN * and on QSOs
  
  

• May 25: AGN-galaxy co-evolution, reionization, the first stars and black holes
  • George's slides (12 MB pdf file)
    • L. Ferrarese, "Black Hole Demographics", astro-ph/0203047
    • A. Cattaneo et al., "The role of black holes in galaxy formation and evolution", Nature, 460, 213 (2009) (local pdf)
    • S. G. Djorgovski, "High-Redshift Quasars as Probes of Galaxy and Cluster Formation", ASPCS, 193, 397 (1999), available at astro-ph/9910251
    • F. Hamann & G. Ferland, "Elemental Abundances in Quasistellar Objects: Star Formation and Galactic Nuclear Evolution at High Redshifts", ARAA, 37, 487 (1999) also available at astro-ph/9904223
    • EAA articles on Galaxy formation * High-z galaxies * Protogalaxies
    • C. Pritchet: "The Search for Primeval Galaxies", PASP, 106, 1052 (1994)
    • For the early history of PG searches, here is a note from one of the pioneers, Dave Meier
    • "Primeval Galaxies", a SciAm article by D. Meier & R. Sunyaev (Nov. 1979!)
    • V. Bromm et al., "The formation of the first stars and galaxies" Nature, 459, 49 (2009) (local pdf)
    • X. Fan, C. Carilli, & B. Keating, "Observational Constraints on Cosmic Reionization" ARAA, 44, 415 (2006)
    • V. Bromm & R. Larson, "The First Stars" ARAA, 42, 79 (2004)
    • A. Loeb & R. Barkana, "The Reionization of the Universe by the First Stars and Quasars" ARAA, 39, 19 (2001)
    • R. Barkana & A. Loeb, "In the Beginning: The First Sources of Light and the Reionization of the Universe", Phys. Rep. 349, 125 (2001), also available at astro-ph/0010468
    • M. Rees, "First Light in the Universe; What Ended the Dark Age?", Phys. Rep. 333, 203 (2000), also available at astro-ph/9912345
    • S.G. Djorgovski, "Black Holes From the Dark Ages: Exploring the Reionization Era and Early Structure Formation With Quasars and Gamma-Ray Bursts", in Proc. X Marcel Grossmann Meeting on General Relativity, eds. M. Novello et al., Singapore: World Scientific, 2005, p. 422, available at astro-ph/0409378
    • S.G. Djorgovski et al., "The Origins and the Early Evolution of Quasars and Supermassive Black Holes", in Proc. XI Marcel Grossmann Meeting on General Relativity, eds. H. Kleinert et al., Singapore: World Scientific, 2008, p.340, available at http://arxiv.org/abs/0803.2862
  
  

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Some other useful lecture notes and links:

• Ned Wright's CosmoCalc
• Ned Wright's cosmology notes (pdf file)
• John Peacock's cosmology notes (pdf file)
• M. Trodden & S. Carroll cosmology lectures (pdf file)
• V. Mukhanov's "Physical Foundations of Cosmology" (pdf file)
• B. Ratra & M. Vogeley's "Resource Letter on the Beginning and Evolution of the Universe" (pdf file) * arXiv link
• E. Linder's "Resource Letter on Dark Energy and Acceleration of the Universe" (pdf file) * arXiv link
• L. Ancordoqui's lectures on astrophysics and cosmology (pdf file) * arXiv link
• Carnegie Obs. Astrophysics Symposia (lots of good review articles)
• NED Level 5 "A Knowledgebase for Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology"
• A. Heavens: "Statistical techniques in cosmology" (2009), available as arxiv/0906.0664
• CosmoCoffee (lots of good resources)

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Last changed: 31 May 2011, SGD