FYSS7320 General Relativity (9 cr)

Study level:
Advanced studies
Grading scale:
0-5
Language:
English, Finnish
Responsible organisation:
Department of Physics
Curriculum periods:
2024-2025, 2025-2026, 2026-2027, 2027-2028

Description

  • Special relativity and differential geometry in the flat spacetime

  • Differential geometry in curved spacetimes

  • Covariant derivative, parallel transport, geodesics, Riemann tensor

  • Einstein equations, Newtonian limit, action of general relativity

  • Schwarzschild solution: dynamics, applications

  • Schwarzschild black hole: event horizon, causal structure, coordinate transformations, maximally extended solution

  • Gravitational waves: linear perturbations around the Minkowski spacetime, equation of motion for gravitational waves, impacts on test masses, sources of gravitational waves  
  • Maximally symmetric spacetimes, RW metric

Learning outcomes

After the course the student should be able to:

  • Explain the basic features of the special and general relativity and their differences.

  • Compute the transformation of tensor components under coordinate transformations, take covariant derivatives of tensors, compute distances in the space-time and compute the connection coefficients and components of the Riemann tensor.

  • Determine the geodesic equations, explain their meaning and solve them in specific cases.

  • Explain the structure and contents of the Einstein equations, derive them by varying the action.

  • Write down the solution for the Schwarzschild spacetime, compute trajectories of test particles and gravitational redshifts in it.

  • Write down the metric for a Schwarzschild black hole inside the event horizon, form the maximally extended solutio and explain its causal structure.

  • Derive equations of motion for gravitational waves around the Minkowski solution, investigate how gravitational waves distort mutual distances of test masses, and compute the gravitational wave signal of a circular binary star system.  

Description of prerequisites

FYSA2004 Modern Physics, part B (special general relativity might be useful)

Study materials

lecture notes, course book

Literature

  • S.M. Carroll, Spacetime and Geometry (Addison Wesley 2004)

Completion methods

Method 1

Description:
Given every other year.
Evaluation criteria:
Exercises and exam.
Time of teaching:
Period 2, Period 1
Select all marked parts

Method 2

Description:
This completion method is intended for students for whom method 1 is not possible for specific reasons (e.g. language, living elsewhere). Contact the teacher before enrolling to the course via this completion method.
Evaluation criteria:
Exam
Select all marked parts
Parts of the completion methods
x

Teaching (9 cr)

Type:
Participation in teaching
Grading scale:
0-5
Evaluation criteria:
<p>exam, exercises&nbsp;</p>
Language:
English, Finnish
Study materials:

lecture notes, course book

No published teaching
x

Independent study (9 cr)

Type:
Independent study
Grading scale:
0-5
Evaluation criteria:
Exam
Language:
English, Finnish
Study methods:

Self-study and exam. 

Teaching