Research, talks & teaching

Formalizing slow-roll inflation in scalar-tensor theories of gravitation

Akın, K., Arapoğlu, A. S., Yükselci, A. E. · Physics of the Dark Universe

The viability of the slow-roll approximation is examined through the structure of phase spaces in scalar-tensor theories of gravitation, using a scalar field nonminimally coupled to the spacetime curvature as the example. The slow-roll field equations are obtained in the Jordan frame in two ways: by directly generalizing the minimal-coupling slow-roll conditions, and by conformally transforming the Einstein-frame slow-roll equations to the Jordan frame before applying the generalized conditions. The two methods are compared for the potentials V(φ) ∝ φ² and V(φ) ∝ φ⁴ through their n_s and r values in the light of recent observational data.

Theoretical and observational aspects of inflationary cosmology

Dynamical system analysis of quintessence models

Advanced physics project: dynamics of dark energy.

Inflationary cosmology in scalar-tensor theories of gravitation

Two parts. First a short tour of FRW cosmology and scalar-field models as an alternative to dark energy; then the analysis of inflationary models within general relativity and in alternative theories of gravitation, with the numerical techniques and tools used to carry it out.

Bibliography management with Mendeley

A short lecture in a public distance-learning series: how Mendeley organizes source files and how to build a bibliography in Word from it.

Cosmology: fundamental observations and cosmic dynamics

An introduction to cosmology. The dynamics of the universe are built up from general relativity and first principles, the evolution is derived for different energy and matter contents, and the present state of the universe is discussed against the latest observations.

Document preparation with LaTeX

A one-hour introduction to markup languages and to LaTeX, the typesetting system built for technical and scientific documents, ending with a live walk-through of a first document in TeXMaker on Linux.