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* * *  Astronomy 127 - Cosmology and Galaxy Formation - Spring 2009  * * *
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Course website:  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: Elisabeth Krause, ekrause[AT]astro.caltech.edu
             Office hours: by arrangement

Times and location:  Tue & Thu 10:30 - 12, in 219 Cahill

Textbook: M. Longair, "Galaxy formation", QB981 .L66 1998
          It will be supplemented by additional readings to be posted,
          especially for the observational results - a fast-changing field!
          There are many other good cosmology books, so feel free to explore.

Grading:  40% homeworks, 20% midterm, 30% final, 10% class participation

          Late homework penalty:  -50% per day or fraction thereof.  We will
          give indulgences only for really good reasons (sickness, if you have
          a note from the doctor; death in the immediate family; being abducted
          by a UFO, with a convincing proof; etc.).  No late exams will be
          accepted, except maybe for -very- serious health related reasons.

Collaboration policy:  NO collaboration is allowed for the final and midterm
          exams.  For the homeworks, you can discuss the problems with other
          students, but only in general terms, and you have to derive your
          own solutions.  You CANNOT use any old homework solutions from
          anyone or anywhere or anywhen.  The honor code applies.  

The anticipated schedule of lectures (subject to changes):

Tue Apr 7   C  FRW models; Friedmann equation; redshift and scale factor
Thu Apr 9   G  Hubble constant, ages, classical cosmological tests
    ditto*  G  The contents of the universe (observational)
Tue Apr 14  C  Radiation-dominated era, cosmic nucleosynthesis, CMB spectrum
Thu Apr 16  C  Recombination, decoupling, Dark Ages; evolution of sound speed
Tue Apr 21  C  Subhorizon perturb., Jeans length, growth fn., acoustic waves
Thu Apr 23  C  Transfer functions, matter power spectrum
Tue Apr 28  C  CMB anisotropies, polarization
Thu Apr 30  C  Nonlinear struct. formation: halos, mass fn., bias, merger trees
Tue May 5   G  LSS observations, redshift space, bias, lensing
Thu May 7   G  Galaxy clusters: virialization, ICM, SZ effect
Tue May 12  C  The nature of DM and DE, the origin of perturbations
Thu May 14  G  Galaxy evolution, part I
Tue May 19  G  Galaxy evolution, part II, diffuse backgrounds
Thu May 21  G  IGM and its evolution, abs. systems, chemical evolution, GRBs
Tue May 26  G  AGN phenomenology, unification, evolution
Thu May 28  G  Galaxy formation (obs.), the first stars, reionization
* = special make-up class, 2:30-4 pm on Apr 9