PHYSICS 133 - Galaxies/Cosmology

Winter 2008



SYLLABUS

LECTURE: M W F 9:00-9:50 GIRV 2115

LECTURE SCHEDULE

HOMEWORK: Assignments and Solutions
Summer Internships in Astronomy


OFFICE HOURS

Prof. Crystal Martin W 10-11am and 2-3pm Broida 2015D 893-8760

cmartin@physics.ucsb.edu

TA: Ms. Amanda Fournier Tue: 8-9:30 and Fri: 1-2 Physics Study Center n/a


Prerequisite: Physics 5

Required Text: Cosmology by Barbara Ryden

Additional Texts: Galaxies in the Universe by L. Sparke and J. Gallagher

Announcements: http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/~phys133/w2008/

Course Description: This course will introduce you to cosmology, the study of the universe as a whole. We study the empirical and theoretical foundations for the Big Bang, Friedmann models, the Hubble expansion, dark matter, dark energy, the thermal history of the universe, the origin of the light elements, the cosmic microwave background, reionization, and structure formation. The physics of galaxies -- stellar dynamics, spiral arms, galaxy evolution, and quasars, etc. -- will be covered in Physics 235 next fall.


Grading:
Homeworks 20%
Class Participation 10%
Midterm Exam I 15%
Midterm Exam II 15%
Cumulative Final Exam 40%

Policies:
Read assigned material before class. Participate in class discussions. Respect your peers in the classroom. Turn in your own work.
Homework is due at 5pm on Fridays. If you do not turn it in after class, please make arrangements (ahead of time) to give your paper to the TA no later than 5pm. Do not leave papers under my office door. No late homework will be accepted. Let me know on the first week of class if the midterm date or the final exam date presents a problem for you. Missed exams require a letter and contact phone number from a medical professional or legal guardian.

Please note that I will use cgs units in course since that is the practice in astronomy. You should become familiar with some basic units such as the solar mass, solar luminosity, parsec, astronomical unit, and magnitudes.

Some Common Units in Astronomy:
1 M_SUN = 1.989 x 1033 g
1 L_SUN = 3.826 x 1033 erg/s
1 pc = 3.0856 x 1018 cm
1 AU = 1.496 x 1013 cm
mAB = -2.5 log f_ \nu - 48.60


Astro Surf Sites:
http://hubblesite.org/go/blackholes/
http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/CosmoCalc.html
http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/~seminars/astro/l
http://chandra.harvard.edu/
http://www.stsci.edu/resources/
http://www.aip.org/history/cosmology/
http://cosmicweb.uchicago.edu/images/mov/bnr_full2.mpg