Courses ¨

INTRODUCTION TO GRT AND
RELATIVISTIC ASTROPHYSICS
(M.I.Zelnikov)

  • Symmetries of an action
    • General variation formula
    • Action invariance under finite-dimensional transformations, 1st Noether theorem
    • Gauge invariance and the 2nd Noether theorem, constraints and Noether identities, degrees of freedom
    • Constraints and Noether identities in electrodynamics and gravity
  • Einstein equation solving using perturbation theory
    • Metric disturbances as gauge fields
    • Gauge transformations for metric disturbances, Lorentz gauging, cross-traceless gauging
    • Linearized Riemann tensor, linearized Einstein equations
    • Short-wave approximation, propagation of gravitational waves, gravitational energy-momentum tensor, gravitational emission
  • Spherically symmetric solutions
    • General form of spherically symmetric metric
    • Generalized Birkhoff theorem
    • Spherically symmetric vacuum solution of Einstein equations, Schwarzschield metric and black holes
    • Singularities in the center of the Schwarzschield metric and on its gravitational radius, acceleration of a rest observer
    • Radial falling of massless and massive particles, gravitational red and violet shifts, trajectory classification
    • Formula derivation for shift of the Mercury perihelion
  • Black holes
    • Black hole, horizon of events, singularity, trap surface, cosmic censorship, Hawking theorem
    • “Boldness” theorem for black holes, parameters of stationary black holes; Kerr, Kerr-Newman and Reisner-Nordstrom metrics
    • Space-time of the rotating Kerr black hole, horizon, static limit and ergosphere
    • Celestial mechanics in Kerr geometry, negative energy trajectories, Penrose idea on extracting of energy from rotating black holes
  • Maximally symmetric spaces
    • Algebra of Killing vectors and geometry
    • Homogeneity, isotropy and respective theorems; maximal symmetry and its connection with homogeneity and isotropy
    • Riemann tensor of the maximally symmetric space, constant curvature spaces, conformal flatness, coordinate equivalence
    • Metric of the maximally symmetric space; Lobachevsky, de Sitter and anti-de Sitter spaces
    • Metric of a space with a maximally symmetric subspace
  • Spatially homogeneous and isotropic solutions
    • Einstein equations in Robertson-Walker metric, constraints to be imposed on the matter
    • Friedmann solutions for radiation, dust and cosmological term
    • Galaxy scattering, motion of massless and massive particles in the expanding Universe, cosmological red shift
    • Measurement of distances in the expanding Universe, lens effect, Olbers paradox
  • Elements of cosmology
    • Hot Universe theory, relict radiation
    • Problems of flatness and horizon
    • Inflation as a solution of these problems
    • Scalar field as an inflation generator, inflation theory, full history of the Universe
    • Gravitational instability, Jeans theory; scalar, vectorand tensor modes, its meaning
     
  • LITERATURE:
    1. A. Lightman, V. Press, R. Price, S. Teukolsky. Collection of problems on GTR and gravity
    2. S. Weinberg. Gravity and cosmology
    3. Ch. Misner, K. Thorne, G. Wheeler. Gravity (Vol. 2-3)
    4. L.D. Landau, E.M. Lifshitz. The theory of field (Vol. 2)
    5. A.D. Linde. Physics of elementary particles and inflationary cosmology
    6. I.D. Novikov, V.P. Frolov. Physics of black holes

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