PHY568 - General Relativity - Physics
This course is an introduction to general relativity, the relativistic theory of gravitation.
The course will begin with a brief presentation of special relativity and the motivations that lead to go beyond the Newtonian theory of gravitation. Then, we will introduce the geometrical tools indispensable for the study of general relativity: tensor calculus, covariant derivative, curvature tensors. These objects will allow for writing Einstein's equations, which determine the geometry of space-time according to the distribution of matter.
The second part of the course will be devoted to several physical applications of general relativity, with illustrations from the current scientific activity. We will start with historical examples: the movement of planets in the solar system, the deviation of light rays, the time delays etc. We will then study compact stars: relativistic stars and black holes. Finally, we will discuss relativistic cosmology and gravitational waves.
Course Language : English
- Teaching coordinator: Petropoulos Marios
- Teaching coordinator: Renaux-Petel Sébastien