PH5622: Introduction to Astrophysics
Syllabus
Module 1: Tools of Astrophysics
Lecture hours: 10 · Tutorial hours: 0 · Lab hours: 0
The celestial sphere, Celestial mechanics, Sun and the planets, The continuous spectrum of light, Theory of special relativity, Interaction of light and matter, Telescopes .
Module 2: Interiors of Stars
Lecture hours: 6 · Tutorial hours: 0 · Lab hours: 0
Hydrostatic equilibrium, Radiative energy transport and stellar opacity, Nuclear reactions as the energy source, Radiative models of stars, Remarks on stellar convection, The Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagram; the main sequence .
Module 3: Stellar Atmospheres
Lecture hours: 1 · Tutorial hours: 0 · Lab hours: 0
Limb darkening, Formation of spectral lines .
Module 4: The Sun and the Heliosphere
Lecture hours: 1 · Tutorial hours: 0 · Lab hours: 0
The Sun and the heliosphere .
Module 5: End States of Stars
Lecture hours: 5 · Tutorial hours: 0 · Lab hours: 0
Stellar evolution and the HR diagram, White dwarfs: electron degeneracy, Chandrasekhar-Schoenberg limit, Neutron stars and black holes, Supernovae and pulsars .
Module 6: Binary Stars
Lecture hours: 2 · Tutorial hours: 0 · Lab hours: 0
Classification and mass determination, Extrasolar planets .
Module 7: Accretion onto Compact Objects
Lecture hours: 1 · Tutorial hours: 0 · Lab hours: 0
Accretion onto compact objects .
Module 8: Gravitational-wave Astronomy
Lecture hours: 1 · Tutorial hours: 0 · Lab hours: 0
Gravitational-wave astronomy .
Module 9: The Milky Way Galaxy
Lecture hours: 5 · Tutorial hours: 0 · Lab hours: 0
Morphology and kinematics, 21-cm radiation of neutral hydrogen, Differential rotation of the galaxy, The interstellar medium and its constituents, Jeans mass and star formation .
Module 10: Nature and Evolution of Galaxies
Lecture hours: 2 · Tutorial hours: 0 · Lab hours: 0
The Hubble sequence, Spiral and irregular galaxies; spiral structure, Elliptical galaxies, Galaxy interactions, Formation of galaxies .
Module 11: The Structure of the Universe
Lecture hours: 3 · Tutorial hours: 0 · Lab hours: 0
The extragalactic distance scale, Expansion of the universe, Clusters of galaxies .
Module 12: Active Galaxies
Lecture hours: 2 · Tutorial hours: 0 · Lab hours: 0
Observations of quasars and radio galaxies, Models of active galactic nuclei .
Module 13: Cosmology
Lecture hours: 3 · Tutorial hours: 0 · Lab hours: 0
Newtonian and relativistic cosmology, Cosmic background radiation, Big-Bang nucleosynthesis, Structure formation .
Study Materials
Textbooks
- An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics, Bradley W. Carroll and Dale A. Ostlie, 2017, ISBN: 978-1108422161
References
- The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Volumes 1, 2, and 3, Richard P. Feynman, Robert B. Leighton, Matthew Sands, 1963, ISBN: 978-9332580954