published_or_final_version / Physics / Master / Master of Philosophy

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-82). Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of Physics, August 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

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Thesis (M.Sc.). / Written for the Dept. of Physics. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2008/05/13). Includes bibliographical references.

Cheung Kai Chung Mars = 宇宙學中的題目 / 張啓聰. / Thesis submitted in: September 2005. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-95). / Text in English; abstracts in English and Chinese. / Cheung Kai Chung Mars = Yu zhou xue zhong de ti mu / Zhang Qicong. / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- "Hubble's Law, the cosmic scale factor and redshift" --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- The Big Bang Model and Cosmic Microwave Background --- p.3 / Chapter 1.3 --- An overview of the universe --- p.4 / Chapter 1.4 --- Current Observation Results and Motivation --- p.6 / Chapter 1.5 --- Review of CMB calculation --- p.7 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Friedmann Cosmologies --- p.8 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- The Perturbed Robertson-Walker Metric --- p.10 / Chapter 1.5.3 --- Boltzmann Equations --- p.13 / Chapter 1.5.4 --- Perturbative Einstein Equations --- p.16 / Chapter 2 --- Ionization History of The Universe --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1 --- Saha equation --- p.18 / Chapter 2.2 --- Peebles recombination --- p.19 / Chapter 2.3 --- RECFAST --- p.20 / Chapter 3 --- CMB Anisotropics --- p.22 / Chapter 3.1 --- The CMBA spectra --- p.23 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Tight Coupling Limit --- p.23 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Free Streaming --- p.25 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- The Anisotropy Spectrum --- p.27 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- CMBFAST --- p.28 / Chapter 4 --- Variation of Fundamental Constant and CMBA spectra --- p.30 / Chapter 4.1 --- The problem of units --- p.31 / Chapter 4.2 --- Modification of CMBFAST and conversion of units --- p.32 / Chapter 4.3 --- The constraints of varying constants using CMBA spectra --- p.35 / Chapter 4.4 --- Physics involved and variation of the spectra --- p.36 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Effect of Recombination --- p.36 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Variation of hP --- p.38 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Variations of e and me --- p.41 / Chapter 4.4.4 --- Variations of g and c --- p.48 / Chapter 4.4.5 --- Constraints on the constants --- p.57 / Chapter 5 --- MCMC and CMBA Spectra --- p.59 / Chapter 5.1 --- Method --- p.60 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Algorithm --- p.60 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Check of Convergency --- p.61 / Chapter 5.2 --- Likelihood function --- p.62 / Chapter 5.3 --- Results --- p.66 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- MCMC investigation of varying α in the temperature spectrum --- p.67 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- MCMC investigation of varying α in the polarization spectrum --- p.69 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- MCMC investigation of varying α and cosmological parameters --- p.71 / Chapter 5.3.4 --- Summary --- p.73 / Chapter 6 --- Extra Dimensions and Cosmology --- p.74 / Chapter 6.1 --- A review of KK cosmology --- p.74 / Chapter 6.2 --- Non-flat extra dimension universe --- p.80 / Chapter 6.2.1 --- Close Extra Dimensions and Flat Usual Dimensions --- p.83 / Chapter 6.2.2 --- Open Extra Dimensions and Flat Usual Dimensions --- p.87 / Chapter 6.2.3 --- Summary: Possibility of Extra Dimension(s) --- p.91 / Bibliography --- p.93

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of New South Wales, 2003. / Also available online.

Li Baojiu = 宇宙学和新物理学的交叉领域 / 李宝九. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-99). / Text in English; abstracts in English and Chinese. / Li Baojiu = Yu zhou xue he xin wu li xue de jiao cha ling yu / Li Baojiu. / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Some Basic Conceptions in Cosmology --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- "The Big Bang, Hubble's Law" --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- The Cosmological Principle and Robertson-Walker Metric --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- The Cosmological Redshift --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- The Friedmann Equations --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2 --- Big Bang Nucleosynthesis --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3 --- Dark Energy --- p.9 / Chapter 2 --- "Branes, Varying Constants and BBN" --- p.16 / Chapter 2.1 --- A Brief Introduction to Theories Involving Extra Dimensions --- p.17 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- The Kaluza-Klein Theory --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Large Extra Dimensions --- p.19 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Warped Extra Dimensions --- p.22 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Universal Extra Dimensions --- p.24 / Chapter 2.1.5 --- Cosmology in a Brane World --- p.27 / Chapter 2.2 --- BBN and Varying Constants in Brane Models --- p.29 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- The Low Energy Effective Action in Brane Models --- p.30 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- BBN with a Varying Higgs VEV --- p.34 / Chapter 2.3 --- Numerical Results --- p.38 / Chapter 2.4 --- Discussion and Conclusions --- p.47 / Chapter 3 --- "Universal Extra Dimensions, Varying Constants and BBN" --- p.49 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.50 / Chapter 3.2 --- The Low Energy 4-Dimensional Effective Actions --- p.50 / Chapter 3.3 --- Radion Dependence of Fundamental Constants --- p.54 / Chapter 3.4 --- Variations of Quantities Relevant For BBN Calculation --- p.57 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Neutron-proton Mass Difference --- p.57 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Weak Interaction Rates --- p.58 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Expansion Rate of the Universe --- p.58 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Nuclear Reaction Rates --- p.59 / Chapter 3.5 --- Numerical Results --- p.64 / Chapter 3.6 --- Discussion and Conclusions --- p.70 / Chapter 4 --- Dark Energy as a Signature of Extra Dimensions --- p.74 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.75 / Chapter 4.2 --- The Underlying Higher Dimensional Theory --- p.75 / Chapter 4.3 --- The Cosmic Evolution in Different Eras --- p.79 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- The Blazing Era --- p.79 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- The Radiation Dominated Era --- p.83 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- The Matter Dominated Era --- p.84 / Chapter 4.4 --- A Realistic Cosmology --- p.85 / Chapter 4.5 --- Discussions and Conclusions --- p.92 / Bibliography --- p.93

We use standard general relativity to clarify common misconceptions about fundamental aspects of the expansion of the Universe. In the context of the new standard Lambda-CDM cosmology we resolve conflicts in the literature regarding cosmic horizons and the Hubble sphere (distance at which recession velocity equals c) and we link these concepts to observational tests. We derive the dynamics of a non-comoving galaxy and generalize previous analyses to arbitrary FRW universes. We also derive the counter-intuitive result that objects at constant proper distance have a non-zero redshift. Receding galaxies can be blueshifted and approaching galaxies can be redshifted, even in an empty universe for which one might expect special relativity to apply. Using the empty universe model we demonstrate the relationship between special relativity and Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmology. We test the generalized second law of thermodynamics (GSL) and its extension to incorporate cosmological event horizons. In spite of the fact that cosmological horizons do not generally have well-defined thermal properties, we find that the GSL is satisfied for a wide range of models. We explore in particular the relative entropic &quoteworth&quote of black hole versus cosmological horizon area. An intriguing set of models show an apparent entropy decrease but we anticipate this apparent violation of the GSL will disappear when solutions are available for black holes embedded in arbitrary backgrounds. Recent evidence suggests a slow increase in the fine structure constant over cosmological time scales. This raises the question of which fundamental quantities are truly constant and which might vary. We show that black hole thermodynamics may provide a means to discriminate between alternative theories invoking varying constants, because some variations in the fundamental &quoteconstants&quote could lead to a violation of the generalized second law of thermodynamics.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Melbourne, School of Physics, 2001. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-135).