Kenneth’s Picnic

Ok, I’ve moved into my new house.  I’ve been to Denmark and Paris.  I’ve run the marathon.  And recovered.

Time to get back to work.

Today I downloaded the TMA02 markscheme and advice to my desktop.  I’ve also read through the books I have on GL (I have 3 decent books from Springer).  They’ve got some good summaries in.  I tracked down the original paper connecting H0 and GL, which is what I’m after.  I then need to track through interesting papers from then to the current, and into the future (obviously not papers from the future, even Google can’t do that, but papers detailing what’s expected).  I’m considering going paper-based for logging references, but may find something better this week.

I’ve dug out my Cosmology books to bring me back up to speed with the theory and the maths (though the Springer books are, in part, better than S357 at some treatments).  And my loft/study is now in much better order for study work during the week

All in all, a good resumation of study.  To do now:

• Check what’s needed in my plan, and in TMA02 assessment
• Revise Hubble, Cosmology and Lens models
• Skim read papers from Refsdal1964a,b, to present day and build reference list
• (Buy reference cards to support the above reading)

About 5 hours spent today, in between other things.

Next weekend is Bank holiday, so need to plan to take books/papers/machine with me to study.

I did it!

I hurt… :-S

I have a new course tutor, who is the same tutor I had last year.

I suspect this will mean I have to spend more time making things better than last year, which is annoying.  But he was a good tutor, so it’s ok.

Should spend some time this weekend on it.

Had a call from Mark Jones (I think), head OU guy on the course.  He wanted to clarify my course title, since I mentioned researching other cosmological parameters in my objectives.  I don’t really want to do that - I want to concentrate on the Hubble constant and strong lensing!  So that was cleared up very easily.

It seems my tutor Gary has disappeared.  I hope he’s ok. Mark wasn’t sure who was going to mark the last TMA, but said I should go on, and email him if required. Shouldn’t be a problem - house is getting to the almost-ready stage for work - just want to avoid worrying about it much until after the marathon April 13th.

Note to self:  check how close next TMA date is to April 13th!

Every year I plan not to do my coursework on the deadline night.  Every year I fail.  At least, in the end I do.

This year, I’m hoping the new house will give me the extra time I need to properly study it, so I don’t mind being late for now.

3 hours studying tonight.  I looked up some references and some people to find the 3 papers I have to review (and actually, they’re quite good).  Quick summaries, alas, of each one.  Then I reviewed my skills, and reckon I’m fine with a bit of revision.

I updated my plan from last year, and added in lots more time, and contingency (I was quite busy last year with work and other uni subjects, but it’s not so bad now).

I’ve thrown it all together and got it sent off in time! Yay!  It’s a load off the mind, even if it’s not the best work.  Hopefully I’ll reclaim those marks on the final report.

I need to create a record-card system for storing links to good resources, as I found a fair few good papers today.  That’s the next job!

The title?:  “Calculating the Hubble Constant from Gravitational Lensing effects.”