Primordial cosmology

This book aims at giving the basis of primordial cosmology. The book is self-contained in the sense that all the elements for the derivations of the presented results are given. It can be used as a textbook to study cosmology. It is divided into 3 parts. Part 1 summarizes the fundamentals in theoretical physics needed in cosmology (general relativity, field theory, particle physics). Part 2 describes the standard model of cosmology and includes cosmological solutions of Einstein equations, hot big bang model, cosmological perturbation theory, cosmic microwave background anisotropies, lensing and evidences for dark matter, and inflation. Part 3 describes extensions of this model and opens up to today's research in the field: scalar-tensor theories, supersymetry, the cosmological constant problem and acceleration of the universe, topology of the universe, grand unification and baryogenesis, topological defects and phase transitions, string inspired cosmology including branes and latest developments. The book provides details of all derivations and leads the student up to the level of research articles. -- Back cover.

"Edition originale: Cosmologie primordiale, Editions Belin-Paris, 2005"--Title page verso

Foreword to the English edition -- Foreword to the French edition -- Introduction -- Part I: Overview of the theoretical basis. General relativity ; Overview of particle physics and the standard model -- Part II: The modern standard cosmological model. The homogeneous universe ; The standard big-bang model ; The inhomogeneous universe ; The cosmic microwave background ; Gravitational lensing and dark matter ; Inflation -- Part III: Beyond the standard models. Grand unification and baryogenesis ; Extensions of the theoretical framework ; Phase transitions and topological defects ; Cosmological extensions ; Advanced topics -- Appendix A. Numerical values -- Appendix B. Special functions -- Appendix C. Useful cosmological quantities.