University of Maryland Physics 798G: Special Topics in Experimental Gravitation and Astrophysics
Spring 2007
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Dr. Ho Jung Paik
Phone: (301)405-6086
Email: hpaik@physics.umd.edu

Office: Physics 4204B
Office Hours: TTh 1:00-2:00 p.m.


* Syllabus
* News
* Lecture Schedule
* Assigned Topics

News

1. Due to conflicts with their other commitments, the lecture schedule for external lecturers has been adjusted.  This resulted in moving the student seminars by one or two weeks ahead.

2. The maximum time you can have for your presentation is 30 minutes, plus 5 minutes for questions and answers.  Since you may be interrupted during your presentation, it would be safer that you prepare a 25-minute presentation.  You should submit your presentation in a PDF format right after your talk.

3. Student reports and presentations will be uploaded in the course website.

Lecture Schedule

Date Subject Lecturer Lecture Ref.
1/25 Gravitation and astrophysics: Introduction Paik File
1/30 From Newton’s law to General Relativity Jacobson File
2/1 General Relativity Jacobson File Ref
2/6 Theories beyond General Relativity Luty File
2/8 Classical and modern tests of General Relativity Paik File Ref
2/13 Tests of the Equivalence Principle and the 1/r2 law Paik File Ref
2/15 Null test of the 1/r2 law using an SGG Paik File Ref
2/20 Tests of the 1/r2 law at sub-millimeter distances Paik File Ref
2/22 Lunar laser ranging Merkowitz File
2/27 Satellite tests of GR: GP-B, STEP & TRIO Paik File Ref
3/1 Student seminars (SUSY, cosmic rays) Lockner, Kirn File File
3/6 Gravitation Lab tour Prieto

3/8 Determination of G Merkowitz File
3/13 Cosmic microwave background: COBE & WMAP Kogut File Ref
3/15 Neutrino astrophysics Goodman File
3/27 Gravitational waves: Introduction and sources Buonanno File
3/29 Student seminars (GW sources, binary pulsars) Kanner, Paoletti File File
4/3 Resonant-mass gravitational-wave detectors Paik File Ref
4/5 Student seminars (spherical antennas) Venkateswara File
4/10 Laser-interferometer gravitational-wave detectors Shawhan File
4/12 Gravitational-wave data anaysis Shawhan File
4/17 Student seminars (supernova, MACHOs) Twedt, Zimmerman File File
4/19 Student seminars (WIMPs, axion) Burrola, Becerra File File
4/24 X-ray astrophysics Strohmayer File
4/26 Student seminars (redshift, local Lorentz invariance) Norris, Scholten File File
5/1 Spaceborne gravitational-wave detector: LISA Stebbins File Ref
5/3 Student seminars (cosmological defect, neutron stars) Motesharrei, Schwartz File File
5/8 Gamma-ray astrophysics Ritz File
5/10 Gravitation and astrophysics: Tying the loose ends Paik File

Assigned Topics for Student Seminars

Date

Topic

Speaker

 Paper
3/1

Supersymmetry as a possible explanation for dark matter

Lockner File
Search for ultra high energy cosmic rays
 Kirn
 File
3/29
 Astrophysical sources of gravitational waves
 		Kanner
File
Binary pulsar timing and evidence of gravitational waves Paoletti File
4/5 Spherical antenna of gravitational waves Venkateswara File



4/17
 Supernova observation for accelerating expansion of the universe
 Twedt File
Search for MACHOs
 Zimmerman
 File
4/19 Search for WIMPs
 Burrola
 File
Cavity search for axion Becerra
 File
4/26
  Gravitational redshift experiment
 Norris
 File
Tests of local Lorentz invariance Scholten File
5/3
 Cosmic strings and cosmological defect
 Motesharrei
 File
Shear oscillation in neutron stars
 Schwartz
 File


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Questions and/or comments should be sent to Dr. Paik.
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