29:105 Special Topics in Physics: Reading Assignments

Conventions:
T: A. Taylor and J. Wheeler, Exploring Black Holes, Addison-Wesley, 2000.
W: R. Wald, Space, Time and Gravity, The Theory of Big Bang and Black Holes, University of Chicago Press, 1992.
O: H. Ohanian and R. Ruffini, Gravitation and Spacetime, Norton, 1994.

Enjoy Spring break!
Date Topic
Jan 21 Readings: W: Chapter 1; T: Chapter 1.
Jan 28 Readings: W: Chapter 2; T: Chapter 2.
Feb 4 Readings: W: Chapter 3 + Appendix ; T: Ch. 1 Exs. 3 and 6 .
Feb 11 Readings: W: Chapter 6 ; T: Ch. 3.
Feb 18 Readings: W: Chapter 7 and 8.
Homework: describe two topics or questions discussed in Wald's book that would like to understand in more detail. (PLEASE DROP THEM IN MY MAIL BOX!)
Feb 25 Readings: W: Chapter 9 and 10.
Homework: T Ch.2 Exs. 1 and 3 (not collected). (There will be a short quizz on March 4 on one of the four problems assigned up to now).
March 3 Readings: review. Try to attend March 10 Colloquium (3:30PM VAN 301) "Black Holes and Thermodynamics" by Prof. R. Wald.
March 24 Readings: W: Chapter 4
March 31 Readings: W: Chapter 5
April 7 Readings: T: Project G
April 14 Readings: Cosmic Inflation, by A. Albrecht http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0007247; see also http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0210527
April 21 Try to attend A. Allbrecht's colloquium 4/21 at 3:30 VAN 301