Details of PH4218 (Spring 2026)

Level: 4 Type: Theory Credits: 4.0

Course CodeCourse NameInstructor(s)
PH4218 Cosmology Golam Mortuza Hossain,
Raghunath Ghara

Syllabus
1. Observed Universe (6): Review of FLRW cosmology; horizons; cos-mic distances and the distance ladder; the Hubble constant; accelerated expansion; the ACDM cosmology

2. Thermal History and Relic Abundances (8): Thermodynamics in the early Universe and equilibrium statistics; decoupling and nucleosyn-thesis; Boltzmann equations; freeze-out and relics of dark matter.

3. Challenges for the Standard Big Bang Model (2): Flatness, horizon,and monopole problems; motivation for new physics and inflation.

4. Cosmological Perturbations (10):
Newtonian and relativistic perturbations theory; Applications to CMB temperature fluctuations; baryon acoustic oscillations; matter power spectrum; linear growth of perturbations, The Sachs-Wolfe and Integrated
Sachs-Wolfe Effects, and Silk Dampig

5. Structure Formation (5): The interpretation of Observational Constraints derived from fluctuations in the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR) and their direct relation to cosmological parameters. Late-time perturbations, Geometric effects, and redshift-space distortions.

6. Inflationary Perturbations (3): Generation of primordial fluctuations; observational signatures.

Prerequisite
PH4113 General Theory of Relativity

References
Recommended Books:
Cosmology - S. Weinberg
Cosmology - D. Baumann
The Early Universe - Kolb and Turner

Theoretical Astrophysics, Vol. III (Galaxies and Cosmology) - Padman-
abhan

Physical Foundations of Cosmology - V. Mukhanov
Modern Cosmology - Scott Dodelson
The Cosmic Microwave Background - R. Durrer
Cosmology - Coles and Lucchin
Introduction to the Theory of the Early Universe: Hot Big Bang Theory -
V. A. Rubakov and D. S. Gorbunov

Course Credit Options

Sl. No.ProgrammeSemester NoCourse Choice
1 IP 2 Elective
2 IP 4 Elective
3 MP 2 Not Allowed
4 MP 4 Not Allowed
5 MR 2 Elective
6 MR 4 Elective
7 MS 10 Elective
8 MS 4 Not Allowed
9 MS 6 Not Allowed
10 MS 8 Elective
11 RS 1 Elective
12 RS 2 Elective