Text

• Modern Stellar Astrophysics, Ostlie and Carroll (Addison Wesley 1996)
• The Physical Universe, Shu (University Science Books, 1982)
• Introductory Astronomy and Astrophysics, Zeilik and Gregory (Brooks/Cole, 1997)

Description

This course serves as an overview of modern astronomy and as an introduction to basic astrophysical techniques. The goal is to provide the broad physical foundation, necessary to begin research in astronomy and astrophysics. Among the topics covered are: telescopes and observational methods; the physics of stars and stellar evolution; the physics of the interstellar medium. The course also covers some basic physical topics such as: black body theory and spectroscopy.

Objectives

After completing this course the student will be familiar with a broad range of astrophysical phenomena and methods, with some of mathematical physics applied to them. The student should be able to investigate actual astronomical problems with some basic physics and be roughly prepared to begin a directed research program in astronomy.

Grading

Grading is based on three exams, with each exam having a 25% weight, plus three quiz with a total weight of 25%. Problems in the exams and quiz will be based on examples encountered in class.

Contents

• Telescopes and instrumentation for Astronomy
  • Basic types of telescopes
  • Diffraction and power pattern of a telescope
  • Interferometry and interferometers
  • Telescopes for UV and X-rays
  • Detectors: incoherent and coherent detectors
• Black Body theory
  • Brief review of wave motion and energy carried by waves
  • EM waves and Poynting vector
  • Derivation of Planck's law
  • Main properties of Black Body emission
  • Definition of flux density and luminosity
• Introduction to spectroscopy
  • Historical introduction
  • Photoelectric effect and the Bohr atom
  • Emission and absorption of a photon: energy levels and degeneration
  • Energy transitions and spectral lines
  • Boltzmann and Saha laws: stellar spectra
  • Contributions to the line width
• Introduction to radiative transport
  • Opacity and column density
  • Equation of radiative transport
  • Optically thin and thick limits
• Fundamentals of stellar structure
  • The Virial theorem
  • Fundamental equations of stellar structure
  • Energy source and energy transport in a star
  • Application to the Sun
  • Nuclear fusion: pp and CNO cycles
  • He and heavier elements burning
• Stellar evolution
  • Evolutionary tracks on the HR diagram: from main sequence to supergiant phase
  • Iron crisis and supernova explosion
  • Degenerate states and Chandrasekhar limit
  • Final stages of massive stars: neutron stars and black holes
  • Main properties of Pulsars
• The interstellar medium
  • Interstellar extinction and interstellar dust
  • Hydrogen atomic and molecular gas: molecular clouds
  • Emission and absorption of interstellar molecules
  • Two-level model and Einstein coefficients: radiative and collisional processes
  • Emission and absorption of interstellar molecules
  • Symmetric and asymmetric top molecules

RIGHTS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
ACOMODO RAZONABLE
INTEGRIDAD ACADEMICA
HOSTIGAMIENTO SEXUAL

Jose F Nieves