01-02 LS&A Bulletin

Courses in Astronomy (Division 326)

ASTRO 401. Solar System Astrophysics.: Phys. 140 (or 160) and Math. 116, and prior or concurrent enrollment in Phys. 240 (or 260). II. (3).; Studies the properties of the planets, comets and asteroids, their formation, composition, chemistry, geology, and atmospheric activity.
ASTRO 402. Stellar Astrophysics.: Math. 216, and prior or concurrent enrollment in Phys. 340. I. (3).; This course examines the appearance, structure, and evolution of stars. We examine the basic physical processes that cause stars to have their observed structures; a study of the energy generation through nucleosynthesis; the basic physical laws that lead to the structure of stars; the transfer of radiation through the outer parts of the star; how spectroscopic information informs us as to the composition and motion of stars; and an in-depth look at the late stages of stellar evolution and stellar death.
ASTRO 403. Astrophysics of the Interstellar Medium.: Math. 216, and prior or concurrent enrollment in Phys. 240 (or 260). I. (3).; The interstellar medium (the gas between stars) comprises a wide variety of material that interacts closely, and often violently, with individual stars and the host galaxy. The underlying atomic and molecular physics is developed; we examine how gas is ionized by hot stars and supernova remnants; we analyze the content of the cold pervasive atomic and molecular gas in the galaxy, how it often lies in spiral arms, and why giant molecular clouds are the most active sites of star formation. Recent discoveries are highlighted.
ASTRO 404. Galaxies and the Universe.: Math. 216, and prior or concurrent enrollment in Phys. 340. II. (3).; Examines the properties of galaxies, large-scale structure in the universe, and cosmological models. The basic aspects of galaxies are explained, orbital theory, spiral arms, the missing mass in galaxies, galaxy evolution, and the starburst phenomenon. The clustering of galaxies, the hot intracluster medium and the dynamical evolution of clusters. Expansion of the universe, the cosmic microwave background, the inflationary universe, Big Bang nucleosynthesis, and the origin and growth of structure in the universe.
ASTRO 405. High Energy Astrophysics.: Math. 216, and prior or concurrent enrollment in Phys. 340. I. (3).; Examines the accretion disk and jets of plasma around black holes and other compact objects. How stellar-mass black holes form the rapidly variable x-ray binary sources and how supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies produce quasars. The explosions of massive stars (supernovae) and the possibly resulting neutron star or black hole. The origin of x-ray and gamma-ray background radiation fields, the origin of gamma-ray bursts, and the nature of cosmic rays.
ASTRO 406. Computational Astrophysics.: Math. 216, prior or concurrent enrollment in Phys. 240 (or 260), and some knowledge of programming. II. (3).; Develops a practical working knowledge of the most widely used numerical methods in astrophysics. Theory is put into practice by development and use of numerical routines (some already written) in the personal computer or workstation environment. Interpolation, curve fitting, root finding, quadrature, numerical integration of differential equations, and matrix solutions of sets of linear equations. Fourier methods. Numerical statistical analysis, with particular emphasis on the peculiarities and pitfalls associated with real astronomical data.
ASTRO 500. Theoretical Astrophysics: Light and Matter.: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. (3).; The major theme of this course is the physical basis behind much of modern astrophysics, emphasizing thermal and non-thermal radiation mechanisms, radiative transfer, fluid mechanics and plasma physics. Atomic and molecular structure will be developed, along with the variety of transitions that occur and are observed, while the treatment of non-thermal radiation fill focus on synchrotron and Compton scattering.
ASTRO 501. Modern Astronomical Techniques.: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. (3).; The physical, mathematical, and pratical methods of modern astronomical observations at all wavelengths are covered at a level that prepares students to comprehend published data and prepare for their own observations. Major topics include: noise sources and astrophysical backgrounds; astronomical optics and aberrations; the physical basis of coherent and incoherent photon detectors; design and usc of imaging, spectroscopic, and polarimetric instruments; coordinate and filter systems; antenna theory; aperture synthesis and image reconstruction techniques; and further topics of interest at the discretion of the instructor.
ASTRO 520. Cosmochemistry.: Astro. 401, 402, and 404. Permission of instructor. II. (3).; An introduction to the nuclear and chemical processes responsible for the origin of the chemical elements in planets, stars, and galaxies. Open to advanced undergraduates.
ASTRO 531. Stellar Astrophysics.: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. (3).; This course deals with the internal structure and evolution of stars and with stellar atmospheres, the interpretation of stellar spectra. The first part surveys observations and theory relevant to stellar interiors. Then follow the physics of stellar models--equations of state, energy transport, energy production; model computations; and stellar evolution from the main sequence to final states. The second part of the course treats the basic hydrostatic equation in optical depth, stellar hydrodynamics, opacity and the continuum, the physics of absorption-line profiles, model atmosphere computations, and the construction of spectral syntheses to obtain abundance of the chemical elements in stars.
ASTRO 532. The High Engery Universe.: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. (3).; The most energetic phenomena in the universe arise either through dramatic explosions of compact stars or through the infall of material into deep gravitational potentials. One theme of the course is the nature of accretion disks, which play a central role in the release of energy as material is acereted onto white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes. In these compact objects, magnetic fields are of critical importance in producing the observed radiation through a variety of processes, which will be explored. Another theme is the nature of exploding stars, supernovae, and the particles accelerated in their shocks. Gamma-ray bursts, the most extreme shock events known, and a rapidly moving field, will be discussed. Among the other topics will be the X-ray emission from very hot gas in galaxies and galaxy clusters, as well as the X-ray and gamma-ray backgrounds.
ASTRO 533. The Structure and Content of Galaxies.: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. (3).; This course provides a detailed introduction to the stellar content gaseous content, and kinematics and dynamics of the Milky Way and of other external galaxies. The course offers an introduction on the basic properties and demographics of normal galaxies in the local Universe, including systems within the Local Group and Local Superduster. The taxonomy and fundamental physical properties of Active Galactic Nuclei are also presented. The course also provides a rigorous introduction to galactic dynamics, including basic properties of the collisionless Boltzmann equation, relaxation processes, orbits in a galactic potential, the Virial theorem, epicyclic orbits, and realistic stellar distribution functions. The course also explores fundamental issues regarding galaxy-scale dynamical instabilities and resonances.
ASTRO 534. The Extragalactic Universe.: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. (3).; This course provides an overview of the study of the physical universe as a whole and in terms of its component structures (galaxies and larger structures). It focuses particularly on the universe in the matter dominated epoch, and places emphasis on the dark matter component of the universe. Topics will include the structure and dynamics of the matter dominated universe, classical tests of the model, the early universe and the microwave epoch, probes of dark matter, estimation of cosmological parameters, gravitational lensing, clustering and large scale structure and formation and evolution of structure.
ASTRO 535. Astrophysics of the Interstellar Medium.: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. (3).; In this course, we will discuss atomic and molecular processes, along with interactions of radiation and matter and the latest pertinent observations, will be applied toward understanding the physical, ionization, thermal, chemical, emission, and absorption properties of the interstellar medium. Attention will be given to fill regions, planetary nebulae, supernova remnants, cool neutral gas, molecular clouds, hot or X-ray-emitting gas, and particulate "dust" grains. In addition, the global and evolutionary properties of gas and dust in our Galaxy will be carefully examined.
ASTRO 604. Atmos Sun and Stars II.: Astro. 504. (3).
ASTRO 605. Gaseous Nebulae II.: Astro. 505. (3).
ASTRO 606. Stellar Structure and Evolution II.: Astro. 506. (3).
ASTRO 607. Galactic Structure II.: Astro. 507. (3).
ASTRO 609. Solar Physics II.: Astro. 509. (3).
ASTRO 690. Theoretical Astrophysics.: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. (1-4).
ASTRO 691. Observational Astrophysics.: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. (1-4).
ASTRO 699. Special Problems.: Graduate standing and permission of instructor. (1-8). (INDEPENDENT).
ASTRO 901. Research in Theoretical Astrophysics.: Graduate standing. (1-8). (INDEPENDENT).
ASTRO 902. Research in Observational Astrophysics.: Graduate standing. (1-8). (INDEPENDENT).
ASTRO 990. Dissertation/Precandidate.: Election for dissertation work by doctoral student not yet admitted as a Candidate. Graduate Standing. (1-8; 1-4 in the half-term). (INDEPENDENT). May be repeated for credit.; Election for dissertation work by doctoral student not yet admitted as a Candidate.
ASTRO 995. Dissertation/Candidate.: Graduate School authorization for admission as a doctoral Candidate. Graduate Standing. (8; 4 in the half-term). (INDEPENDENT). May be repeated for credit.; Graduate School authorization for admission as a doctoral Candidate. N.B. The defense of the dissertation (the final oral examination) must be held under a full term Candidacy enrollment period.

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