General relativity Fall 2017: Final project
The final exam will take the form of a project, in which you explore an
area related to general relativity of interest to you that was not
covered in class (or explore in more depth something covered in class).
I list a few possible projects below, but you may
choose something else provided you first ask for my
approval. Cosmology/cosmological perturbation theory will be covered in another
class and is not allowed as a possible project.
You will share what you have learned with your classmates in a pedagogical way, building on concepts that we
covered in class. The project should be focused enough that you do some
detailed calculation (e.g., study one modified-gravity theory in detail rather
than giving a shallow overview of all modified-gravity theories). The goal is for everyone to learn something new!
You will have to (i) type up a report, written in your own words, clearly laying out the steps starting from concepts learned in class, and
(ii) give a 15-minute blackboard presentation to the class, summarizing
your project. The grade will be based on both parts.
While this is not a research project, reports that merely reproduce existing
references are not acceptable. The report must contain an exhaustive
list of all references used for the project.
The project will take the place of the last 3 homeworks and should be of a
comparable workload.
You may collaborate, as long as the contribution
from each student is clearly identified and of comparable size (and
each part should be of order 3-homework workload).
Key dates and practical matters :
- Email me your chosen project by November 21. If it is not
one listed below, make sure to write a short paragraph explaining
what you intend to work on.
- Email me your report by December 11, with exhaustive
reference list and break down of contributions for collaborative projects.
- Oral presentations will be on December 12 and 14, from 9:15 to
10:50 am.
The slightly longer time is needed so everyone gets 15 minutes, and should be amply
compensated by not having a final exam on the following week.
We will strictly adhere to 15 minutes per person, so make sure
to plan for a 10-12-minute presentation to allow for
questions. Practice ahead of time to make sure you do get to the important concepts in those 10-12 minutes!
Attendance is required on both days (even if you are not presenting):
consider other students' presentations as part of the class.
In order to give everyone the same preparation time, your presentations
have to be ready for 12/12, and we will randomly draw the presenters one by
one. If you are collaborating on a project and the presentations
require a specific order, the first person will start as soon as someone
from the group is drawn.
Possible projects :
- Post-Newtonian perturbation theory and evolution of a binary
system.
- Black hole perturbations.
- The gravitational self-force and point-particles in relativity.
- Laser-interferometer gravitational-wave detectors.
- Pulsar timing arrays.
- Relativistic accretion disks.
- Neutron stars.
- Numerical techniques for solving Einstein's equations.
- Experimental tests of general relativity.
- Non-Schwarzschild black holes.
- Modified theories of gravity.
- Ideas for quantizing gravity.
Sign up
here.
A great resource of review articles is living reviews in relativity.