Introduction to Cosmology

G. Lazarides

Published 1999-04-30, updated 2002-04-26Version 2

The standard big bang cosmological model and the history of the early universe according to the grand unified theories of strong, weak and electromagnetic interactions are summarized. The shortcomings of big bang are discussed together with their resolution by inflationary cosmology. Inflation and the subsequent oscillation and decay of the inflaton field are studied. The density perturbations produced during inflation and their evolution during the matter dominated era are analyzed. The temperature fluctuations of the cosmic background radiation are summarized. Finally, the nonsupersymmetric as well as the supersymmetric hybrid inflationary model is described.