Course description

This course is an introduction to Einstein's relativistic theory of gravity: general relativity.

The first term will cover fundamental concepts of relativity and its principal applications. We will develop the basic mathematical tools required to formulate general relativity, and apply them to the simplest spacetimes.

The second term will be focused on gravitational waves --- in fact, it will be the first term of the course Ph 237, Gravitational Waves. We will develop in more details the tools of general relativity that are especially relevant to gravitational-wave sources, including perturbative approaches like post-Newtonian expansion and black-hole perturbation theory. We will then introduce the astrophysics of gravitational-wave sources (i.e., what would be the most promising sources, how they might have formed, and how frequent/strong should we expect gravitational-wave events, and how can we best search for these waves --- given our understanding of their features.)

Course Procedures

Course Outline

Lectures:

Monday: 10:30 AM - 11:55 AM, 269 Lauritson
Friday: 2:30 PM - 3:55 PM, 269 Lauritson

Instructor:

Yanbei Chen, 318 Cahill (M/C 350-17). Email: yanbei@tapir
Office hours: Fridays after class, in the Theoretical Astrophysics Interaction Room, 319 Cahill.

Teaching Assistant:

Samuel Lee, 357 Cahill. Email: sklee@astro
Office hours: Monday 6PM.

Textbook:

During the first term, I will use Sean Carroll, Spacetime and Geometry: An Introduction to General Relativity, with supplementary reading materials. An earlier version of this book is available online from the author's website, as well as ArXiv.

Homework:

Homework problems will be uploaded to the course website late Monday night or early Tuesday morning. They will be due the following Tuesday at noon. Please hand in your homework to the TA's mailbox at 350-17 (third floor of Cahill).

Exams and Grading:

This class will be Pass/Fail by default, unles you request a letter grade with the registrar's office.
Final exams are only necessary if you would like to improve your grade.

Reading Materials:

This area of the website is available only to the class, because of copyright issues. When you link to the readings page, you will be prompted for a username and password. If you have problems accessing this page email the TAs.

Click here to access the password protected page.