Times/days: TBD in Organizational Meeting 9am Monday Jan 7 in 219 Cahill.
Required:
Galaxy Formation and Evolution text pdf. Errata.
by Houjun Mo, Frank van den Bosch and Simon D.M. White
ISBN 978-0521857932
(2010, Cambridge University Press). This book tends to be more technical -- for some topics you may find it useful to consult one of the books below for an overview, as a first step.)
Supplementary:
Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology
by Peter Schneider
ISBN 978-3-642-54082-0
(2015 Springer)
Note that Caltech students have free access to the electronic version of the textbook, here
This is a very recently updated book that covers all/most of the material we cover in Ay127; it is also very well-illustrated, usually with figures reproduced directly from the relevant literature.
Observational Cosmology
by Stephen Serjeant
ISBN 978-0521157155
(2010, Cambridge University Press) Rather light on theory and calculation, but comprehensive, well explained and well-illustrated in full color.
The First Galaxies in the Universe
by A. Loeb and S. Furlanetto
ISBN 978-0691144924
(2013, Princeton University Press) Comprehensive text on early galaxy formation, including halo formation, baryon physics, non-linear evolution, the IGM, 21cm cosmology, etc. Many of the topics covered are relevant to a general understanding of galaxy formation. Includes discussion of both theory and observations.
Modern Cosmology
by Scott Dodelson
ISBN 978-0122191411
(2nd Ed, 2003, Academic Press) Errata here. This is the book if your interests are mainly on CMB data analysis. It has a very clear and comprehensive discussion of linear perturbations and their coupling to the radiation that produce CMB fluctuations. It does not mention the existence of galaxies.
Week 1: Jan 6-10 (PFH)
Introduction to observations of CMB and galaxies. Goal of rest of course is to explain and connect them.
Reading: MvdBW Ch 2
Week 2: Jan 13-17 (DCM)
Finish galaxy LF/cluster observations Start FRW.
Reading: MvdBW Ch 15, Ch 3.1-3.2
Week 3: Jan 20-24 (DCM) [Jan 20 is MLK Day, Caltech holiday]
FRW cosmology
Reading: MvdBW Ch 3.1-2.
Week 4: Jan 27-31 (DCM)
Thermal history
Reading: MvdBW Ch 3.3-3.6
Week 5: Feb 4-8 (DCM)
Growth of fluctuations, linear transfer functions, CMB flucts
Reading: MvdBW Ch 4, Ch 6.7
Week 6: Feb 11-15 (DCM) (essay topic outline and at least 4 references due by 5pm on Feb 14)
Finish Growth of fluctuations, linear transfer functions, CMB flucts
Reading: MvdBW Ch 5.1
Week 7: Feb 18-22 (PFH) [Feb 17 President's Day, Caltech holiday]
Start top-hat collapse, hierarchical clustering, redshift-space distortions, simulations.
Gravitational lensing (and applications in cosmology).
Reading: MvdBW Ch 5.6, 6.1-6.6.
Week 8: Feb 24-28 (PFH)
DM halos: Finish non-linear structure formation. Press-Schechter, halo mass functions, hierarchical mergers, redshift evolution. Lluis Mas-Ribas guest-lecturing.
Reading: MvdBW Ch 7.1-7.3
Week 9: Mar 2-6 (PFH)
Gaseous halos theory: cooling, galaxy formation. The IGM & cosmic backgrounds
Reading: MvdBW Ch 8.1-8.6, 8.8, 12.1-12.2, 16
Week 10: Mar 9-11 week (PFH) (essay due Mar 9; Mar 11 last day of classes)
Inflation. Open questions in cosmology (nature of DM, DE, value of H0, GW-cosmo)
Reading: Longair chapter 20 (not one of our standard texts but gives a better intro to motivation for these questions than in our text, see link). And more inflation notes here for the CMB implications of B-modes in particular.
Mar 9 (Monday): Essays Due. Final exams handed out and/or available online.
Mar 18 (Wednesday) 3pm: Final exams due in 244 Cahill (hand to Gita Patel).
HOMEWORK
There will be approximately weekly homework sets due on Fridays by 5pm, in Zhihui Li's mailbox in XXX Cahill , a literature research project , and a written final exam of the usual take-home variety. . On or before Feb 14, you must hand in an outline of your literature research project topic and at least 4 references you will use (in ADS format). The completed essay will be due on Monday, March 9. The final exams will be due by 3pm Wednesday, March 18. Your grade will be a mostly monotonic function of g = [0.40(sum of homework scores)/(total possible) + 0.20(score on essay)/ (total possible) + 0.40(score on final exam)/(total possible)].
LATE HOMEWORK POLICY
You get one `free' homework extension of up to one week, no questions asked. Just write on the homework that you are using your free extension when you hand it in. Other extensions can only be granted by Chris or Phil, and will be limited to 24 hours, except in special circumstances. No late homework will be accepted unless prior arrangement has been made. Unapproved late homework will not be graded.
COLLABORATION POLICY
Problem Sets: Collaboration on the homework is limited. You _must_ first try all the problems yourself. You may consult books and published papers, but not old assignments or those of other students, or any solutions to problems posted on the web. First try every homework problem BY YOURSELF without discussing it with anyone.
If you get stuck, you can TALK about the homework with the TA or your fellow students, but all exchanges of information must be general in nature and either exchanged verbally, or with modern replacements for talking (i.e. texting and emailing is ok too, as long as details are avoided -see below). For example the following QandA is ok Q: "I got a density of one atom per cubic parsec. Isn't that awfully low for a molecular cloud?" A: "Yup, sure is. Did you remember to convert solar masses into grams, and include Cosmic Ray heating as discussed in chapter X?" The following one is NOT OK: Q: "I'm stuck on problem 2. Can you help me?" A: "Sure. You take equation 3.12 of the text, insert equations 2.5 and 3.2, integrate and you should get the right answer which is V k squared over pi squared". Visual exchanges of information are strictly forbidden -you may not trade equations, graphs, or computer programs in any form.
After any discussion with others, you must write up your own homework by yourself, without reference to anyone else's.
In real research, no one else knows the answer to the problems you work on (otherwise why would you be doing them?), so the most important thing you can learn from homework is how to think and solve for yourself, and be confident in your answers.
Exams: All students must work alone on exams. Calculators are allowed. The textbook and class notes and your and the official class homework solutions are allowed. No access to the internet.
A+ = 95-100%; A = 85-95%; A- = 80-85%
B+ = 75-80%; B = 70-75%; B- = 65-70%
C+ = 60-65%; C = 55-60%; C- = 50-55%
F = < 50%
Image credit: Illustris TNG Collaboration