1. Course title

Galaxy Survey Cosmology


2. Course code

PAP352


3. Course status: compulsory or optional

-Which degree programme is responsible for the course?

Master’s Programme in Particle Physics and Astrophysical Sciences


-Which module does the course belong to?

PAP3002 Advanced Studies in Particle Physics and Cosmology
optional for

  • Study Track in Particle Physics and Cosmology


-Is the course available to students from other degree programmes?

yes


4. Course level (first-, second-, third-cycle/EQF levels 6, 7 and 8)


-Master’s level, degree programmes in medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine = secondcycle
degree/EQF level 7
-Doctoral level = third-cycle (doctoral) degree/EQF level 8
-Does the course belong to basic, intermediate or advanced studies (cf. Government Decree
on University Degrees)?,


5. Recommended time/stage of studies for completion


Master's studies; after Cosmology II


6. Term/teaching period when the course will be offered


Period III

7. Scope of the course in credits

5 cr

8. Teacher coordinating the course

Hannu Kurki-Suonio

9. Course learning outcomes




10. Course completion methods




11. Prerequisites

Cosmology I, Cosmology II, Mathematical Methods in Physics (Fysiikan matemaattiset menetelmät) Ia, Ib, IIa (Complex analysis, Fourier analysis, Special functions), or similar background

12. Recommended optional studies




13. Course content


Large scale galaxy surveys are the main observational tools to advance cosmology during the coming decade. These surveys determine the three-dimensional distribution of galaxies in the universe and, by measuring distortions of galaxy images due to gravitational lensing, map also the distribution of dark matter. From these distributions and their statistical measures, including 2- and 3-point correlation functions, power spectra and bispectra, the large-scale properties of the universe can be determined. One key question is the nature of dark energy, the cause for the accelerated expansion of the universe. It can be probed by measuring accurately the expansion history of the universe and the gravity-driven growth of large-scale structure. These galaxy surveys include the Dark Energy Survey (DES) and the future space missions Euclid and Roman. Finland (Universities of Helsinki, Turku, Jyväskylä, Oulu, and Aalto University) participates in Euclid. The course PAP352 Galaxy Survey Cosmology focuses on the distribution of galaxies and the course PAP353 Gravitational Lensing on gravitational lensing, especially on weak lensing (shear) surveys.


14. Recommended and required literature


Lecture notes by the lecturer will be provided on the course homepage. In addition, the following books will be useful

H. Mo, F. van den Bosch, and S. White (MBW): Galaxy Formation and Evolution (Cambridge University Press 2010)


15. Activities and teaching methods in support of learning

Four hours of lectures and written problem sets every week. The problem set session will led by the course assistant and there the correct solutions will be discussed and presented.

16. Assessment practices and criteria, grading scale


The homework will be graded and the grade for the course is based on this homework. To pass with grade 1/5 requires 45% of maximum points.

The highest grade 5/5 requires 85%.

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