Syllabus for ASTR/PHYS 328/428: Cosmology and Large-Scale Structure

(1) Review of Physical Cosmology
A homogeneous and isotropic universe and the Robertson-Walker metric. Redshift and dynamics of an expanding universe.

(2) The Cosmological Distance Scale
Measuring H0. Direct measures such as Sunyayev-Zeldovich effect, water masers and gravitational lensing. Cepheid distance to Virgo. SBF, PNLF and GCLF distances. Dynamical distance indicators -- Tully-Fisher and Dn-sigma. Supernovae type 1a, and type II.

(3) Inventory of the High-Redshift Universe
High-z galaxies, in clusters and the field. Field galaxies at moderate redshift. Clusters and the Butcher-Oemler effect. Dark matter on various scales. Big Bang Nucleosynthesis and non-baryonic dark matter. Baryons as f(z) -- ISM vs stars. QSO absorption line systems.

(4) Physical Cosmology
Redshift and dynamics of an expanding universe. Ages and times. Luminosity-distance test. Age of the Universe. Cosmic Background Radiation. Cosmological tests using CBR. Cosmological constant. Reionization.

(5) Structure (Galaxy) Formation from Observed Properties
Old stellar populations at low and high redshift. Age and metallicity. Starburst galaxies. How do ellipticals form? Clusters and large-scale structure.

(6) Structure Formation post-Big Bang
CDM/HDM. Hierarchial structure formation and cluster formation.