| WEEK # | TOPICS | KEY DATES |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Geometric Viewpoint on Physics in Flat Spacetime: Vectors and Dual Vectors, Tensors Special Relativity |
Problem set 1 out |
| 2 |
Geometric Viewpoint on Physics in Flat Spacetime: Energy and Momentum, Conserved Currents, Stress Energy Tensor Transformation Law for Tensors |
Problem set 1 due Problem set 2 out |
| 3 |
Metric in a Curved Space Orthonormal and Coordinate Bases; Derivatives; Tensor Densities; Differential Forms and Integration Gauge/Coordinate Transformations |
Problem set 2 due |
| 4 |
Metric in a Curved Space (cont.) Orthonormal and Coordinate Bases; Derivatives; Tensor Densities; Differential Forms and Integration (cont.) Gauge/Coordinate Transformations (cont.) |
Problem set 3 out |
| 5 |
Connection and Curvature, Geodesics Introduction to Curvature |
Problem set 3 due Problem set 4 out |
| 6 |
Curvature Continued: Geodesic Deviation, Bianchi Identity Killing Vectors and Symmetries |
Problem set 4 due Problem set 5 out |
| 7 |
Einstein's Equation and Gravitation Cosmological Constant Hilbert Action |
Problem set 5 due Problem set 6 out |
| 8 |
Weak Field/Linearized General Relativity Gauge Invariant Characterization of Gravitational Degrees of Freedom Spacetime of an Isolated Weakly Gravitating Body |
Problem set 6 due Problem set 7 out |
| 9 | Gravitational Waves |
Problem set 7 due Problem set 8 out |
| 10 | Gravitational Lensing | Problem set 8 due |
| 11 |
Cosmology Friedmann-Robertson-Walker Solution; Distance Measures and Redshift Our Universe |
Problem set 9 out |
| 12 |
Schwarzschild Solution Birkhoff's Theorem, Metric of a Spherical "Star" |
Problem set 9 due Problem set 10 out |
| 13 |
Black Holes Collapse to Black Hole; Orbits of a Black Hole Kerr and Reissner-Nordstrom Solutions |
Problem set 10 due Problem set 11 out |
| 14 | Advanced Topics and Current Research in General Relativity | Problem set 11 due |