Course Structure This
course will be an exploration of current topics in astrophysics that can be
addressed with an assumed student background of first year physics and first
year calculus. The issues will be explored both from a theoretical and
observational point of view and the chosen topics will tie in somewhat to
actual astrophysical research being done at the UO.
There will be no assigned text book. However, there are copies of
Modern Astrophysics (Carroll and Ostlie) on reserve at the Science
Library. This book is also available at the bookstore but it is horribly
overpriced.
Bi-Weekly problem sets will be assigned. While some of these problems may be
standard cookbook physics problems in an astrophysics context, other problems
will involve the use of real data and will require data analysis.
Lectures will be a mix of computer based presentations and standard
blackboard lectures and derivations. Extensive notes for each lecture
will appear on the course web site:
http://zebu.uoregon.edu/2004/astr321.html
Course Grading will occur around the following guidelines:
- Homework Assignments: 30%
- Midterm Exam: 30%
- Final Exam: 40%
Finally, note that there are two instructors in this course and the course
will be taught in a true team manner. In general, both instructors will
be present for each topical lecture and both will be making contributions
so as the leverage each others expertise. Usually, one of the two
professors will be the lead lecturer for the topic of the week. This
is indicated in the lecture schedule below.
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Course Content
The first half of this course will be related to the structure of stars
and their evolution. We will focus on topics such as:
- The Observational Characterization of Stellar Evolution
- Stellar structure and stability
- Energy generation in Stellar Cores
- Degenerate Matter in Stellar Remnants
- Supernova
The second half of the course will focus on more cosmological issues
such as dark matter and dark energy as well as the standard big bang
model. Topics will include:
- The observational foundation of the big bang model
- The Cosmological Redshift and Space-Time
- The thermal history of the universe from the particle physics
point of view
- The evidence for dark matter
- The evidence for dark energy
A Rough schedule of weekly topics is given below.
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Weekly Topics:
Week 1: Astrophysical Units, Sizes and Scales in the Universe/
Observational Stellar Properties  Bothun
Week 2: Stellar Structure and Stability: Bothun/Frey
Week 3: Energy Generation in Stars/Solar Neutrinos:
Frey/Bothun
Week 4: Degenerate Matter in Stellar Cores/Black Holes: Frey
Week 5: Supernova and exotic processes: Bothun/Frey
Week 6: Review of Material: Midterm Feb 12
Week 7: Cosmological Redshift and Standard Big Bang Model:
Frey/Bothun
Week 8: Inflation, Quark-Gluon Fluid, Big Bang Nucleosynthesis: Frey
Week 9: The Evidence for Dark Matter/Particle Dark Matter: Bothun/Frey
Week 10: The Evidence for Dark Energy/The Nature of Dark Energy: Frey/Bothun
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Lecture Notes:
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Lec 01 Jan 06 Introduction
to making the HR Diagram
Lec 02 Jan 08 Basic
Stellar Properties: Mass Luminosity Relation
Lec 03 Jan 13
Modelling a Stellar Interior
Lec 04 Jan 15
Energy Generation I.
Lec 05 Jan 20
Energy Generation II
Lec 06 Jan 22
Energy Generation III (Bothun)
Lec 07 Jan 27 Neutrino Astrophysics
and Non-relativistic
Degeneracy.
Lec 08 Jan 29
Post Main Sequence Stellar Evolution.
Lec 09 Feb 02 Supernova Explosion Physics
Lec 10 Feb 05
Observational aspects of Supernova, Supernova detection, etc
Lec 11 Feb 10 Review of Material
Lec 12 Feb 12 Midterm
Lec 13 Feb 17 Observational
Foundation of the Big Bang
Lec 14 Feb 19
Cosmology:
The Metric and Curvature
Lec 15 Feb 24 Sachs-Wolfe
Effect and Microwave Anisotropies
Lec 16 Feb 26 Inflation, etc
Lec 17 Mar 02 Structure
Formation, etc
Lec 18 Mar 04 The
Discovery of Dark Matter
Lec 19 Mar 09
Particle Dark Matter
