FYSS7320 General Relativity (9 cr)
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
Method 2
Teaching (9 cr)
lecture notes, course book
Independent study (9 cr)
Self-study and exam.