Cosmology Research Group

Courses offered by the cosmology group

1) Astrophysical Data Analysis

This course has an experimental approach and aims to discuss how to analyze experimental data and simulations in the field of Astrophysics and Cosmology. We will analyze data from observational projects and numerical simulations of galaxies and black holes. The course has the following main educational goals: (i) to understand recent and ongoing ground- and space-based missions from millimeter, to optical and X-ray wavelengths, including details of the detectors onboard and the structure of the delivered data; (ii) to learn advanced image processing techniques and spectroscopic analysis methods; (iii) to study numerical simulations of galaxy and black-hole co-evolution; (iv) to bridge the gap between observations and simulations in astrophysics.

2) Astrostatistics

TThis course deals with statistical data analysis, with an application towards astronomical and cosmological observations. Starting from Bayes' theorem, we show how it can be used for data-driven inference, including analytical, Monte Carlo, as well as machine learning implementations. Topics to be covered include: introduction to probability, maxlimum likelihood estimation, Bayesian vs classical frequentist statistics, parameter inference (analytic and Monte Carlo methods), model selection, likelihood free inference, data compression, regression, introduction to neural networks and simulation based inference. Examples will be given throughout, with a focus towards topical problems in astrophysics and cosmology.

3) Numerical Magnetohydrodynamics

This course introduces the equations of magnetohydrodynamics and examines their broad application to astrophysical systems. We study the different algorithms for solving these equations numerically and the suitability of each method to different environments. We close the course with hands-on sessions for performing numerical simulations using state-of-the art codes on high performance computing clusters.

4) Numerical techniques for cosmology and astrophysics

This Course aims at studying numerical methods for the solutions of problems in an astrophysical context, in particular focusing on the galaxy formation process on cosmological scales. The class provides a theoretical basis for the numerical integration of the equations of motion for self-gravitating N-body systems, along with the coupling between hydro and radiation dynamics. The numerical algorithms are presented with a particular attention to their scalability, cost, and efficiency, that are needed in order to exploit current high performance computing facilities.

5) Astrobiology

The aim of the Course is to provide a multi-disciplinary overview on the current state of knowledge about the origin and evolution of Life, from the formation of simple molecules in space to the development of prebiotic complex molecular systems and to the appearance of simple living organisms on Earth. The necessary conditions required for the development of Life in our Galaxy are investigated based on our knowledge about the Solar System. the nature of Life, its development and the modern experimental investigations are presented in terms of the basic molecular ingredients playing an important role in the known metabolic processes occurring in living organisms.

6) Frontiers of Cosmology and Astrophysics

The course aims at offering students a broad and diversified perspective of the open problems in the fields of Cosmology and Astrophysics, accompanied by a more general initial introduction. The goal of the course is to stimulate the students to study open questions at the forefront of the research in Cosmology and Astrophysical through the most advanced observational techniques.We will present some of the techniques used nowadays to observe the Universe on different scales and epochs. The thermal history of the Universe will be introduced, together with several investigation methods related to the study of the cosmic microwave background, signature of the "Recombination era" that drives the Universe in the so-called "Dark ages". Topics include also the thermal and ionization history of the intergalactic medium, galaxy formation and evolution, galactic structure and environment, the interstellar medium, black holes growth and evolution, super-massive black holes, and finally gravitational waves emitted from massive black holes. Special attention will be devoted to what can be learned from current and upcoming observational facilities.

7) Introduction to Physical Cosmology

Starting from physical basic principles, the Course introduces the key kinematic and dynamical properties of the cosmological model, covering the in detail the fundamental physical processes governing the early Universe evolution, as e.g. radiative processes, the formation and the role of molecules, the radiative transport, shock waves. The class aims at providing the theoretical basis for understanding cosmology, the large scale structure of the early universe, and galaxy formation. This course inspired the soon to be published book Introduction to Physical Cosmology.

8) Structure formation in the early Universe

This course covers the formation and evolution of the first galaxies. We begin with a brief introduction to the standard cosmological model and linear perturbation theory. The first half of the course will be devoted to the formation of non-linear dark matter structures. These will be statistically characterized using both analytic models and numerical simulations. In the second half, we will explore the physics governing the collapse of primordial gas and the formation of stars and galaxies. We will learn how these first astrophysical structures interacted with each other and the intergalactic medium. Finally, we will cover some promising observational signatures of the first galaxies and the intergalactic medium.

9) Astro Primer

The course provides a broad-spectrum introduction on the fundamental themes of astrophysics, which can potentially be preparatory to more specific courses of the master's degree or represent the basic background of every physicist on these subjects. The course will start from the discussion of the metrics used in astrophysics and astronomy, and will continue by deepening the fundamental points of stellar structure and evolution. The problems related to compact objects such as neutron stars and black holes will then be addressed. This will be followed by a general discussion of the properties of galaxies and the interstellar medium.