Introduction to Stellar Astrophysics

PHYCS/ASTRO 3060/5590

 

Prof. D. B. Kieda

Fall Semester 2006

 

 

Course Instructor:  Prof. D. B. Kieda

                                           Office: 230 INSCC

                                           Phone: x1-5220

                                 Email: kieda@physics.utah.edu

Web Page:               http://www.physics.utah.edu/~kieda/p5590.htm

 

Lectures:              MWF 8:35-9:25 am

                                          JTB 120

Office Hours:       MW 1-3 pm or by appointment

 

Grader:                  Eric Twarog

                                           Office: 2nd floor, South Physics

                                           Office Hours T,H 12 noon -2 pm

       Email: elric@physics.utah.edu

 

Course Description:  This course provides an introduction to Stellar Astrophysics, including concepts regarding observational techniques, stellar structure, star formation, stellar evolution, supernovae, and formation of black holes, white dwarfs, and neutron stars.

The course uses mathematical concepts from classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, and relativity.  A background in Modern Physics similar to Physics 3910 is assumed.

 

Textbook: An Introduction to Modern Stellar Astrophysics, Second Edition, Ostlie and Carroll , ISBN 0-8053-0348-0 (Addison Wesley, 2007).  Available at the bookstore as well as online at Amazon.com and other locations. This book is designed for a junior/senior level course beyond the initial introductory astronomy course. It provides a good bridge between initial courses and more specialized, graduate courses in Astronomy and Astrophysics. It is a worthwhile textbook investment.

 

MidTerms and Finals:

Midterms are scheduled for  weeks 7 and 12. The Final is scheduled

for Friday, December 15, 2006. Separate exams will exist for the 3060 and 5590 classes.

 

Exam

date

C&O Chapters

Solutions

Midterm #1

10/2/2006

1-6

Midterm #1

Midterm #2

11/10/2006

7-11

Midterm #2

Final Exam

12/15/2006

all

Final exam

Course Schedule:

 

Week #

Week Beginning

Topics

O&C

Chapters

Homework # handout

Homework Solutions #

1

8/23/2006

Celestial Mechanics

1,2

1

 

2

8/28/2006

Stellar Magnitudes, spectra

3

2

1

3

9/6/2006

Special Relativity

4

3

2

4

9/11/2006

Relativity,

Spectral Lines

5, Notes

4

3

5

9/18/2006

Spectral Lines, Optics

6

5

4

6

9/25/2006

Binary Systems, Spectra

7

6

5

7@

10/2/2006*

Stellar Spectra

8.1,8.2, 9.1, Notes

7

6

8

10/9/2006

Spectral Models

9.2-9.5

8

7

9

10/16/2006

Stellar Models

10,11

9

8

10

10/23/2006

Star Formation

12

10

9

11

10/30/2006

Stellar Evolution

13

11

10

12@

11/6/2006

Stellar Pulsation

14

12

11

13

11/13/2006

Supernovae, Gamma Ray Bursts

15

13

12

14

11/20/2006*

Neutron Stars, White Dwarfs

16

14

13

15

11/27/2006

Black Holes

17, Notes

15

14

16

12/4/2006*

Accretion disks, binary systems

18

 

15

 

* = no class on Friday of this week due to Holiday or Reading Day

@=week with a midterm exam

 

Notes:    The last day to drop a class is Friday, September 1

The last day to add a class or change to CR/NC or audit  is Tuesday, Sept 5

              The last day to  withdraw from a class is Friday, October 20

                        The last day to reverse CR/NC option is Friday, December 1

 

Homework Problems:

 

Homework problems will be handed out each Friday in Class, and will be collected 1 week later  at the end of the Friday Class. The solutions for the Homework will be published online Friday afternoon. No credit is given for handing in late homework. Homework is an important part of the final grade, and in general if you do the homework you should have no problem passing the course with a good grade.

 

 

Grading: 

 

 

Homework

50%

Midterm #1

15%

Midterm #2

15%

Final Exam

20%

Total

100%

 

Academic Integrity and Collaborative Policy:

 

In general I encourage students to meet outside of class to discuss classroom topics, homework problems, etc.  Individuals may help each other out only so far as one can help to explain to another student concepts, how to proceed in a problem, etc. In the process of discussing problems and solutions, one student should not 1) provide written solutions to the other individual, 2) calculate the answers for the other individual, 3) hand in `joint’  homework solutions.

 

Handing in another person’s work as your own is a serious violation of academic integrity and will be handled as academic misconduct. If you do not understand the problem and/or the solution you are handing in, and you hand in something somebody else is telling you is the correct answer, without understanding why, then you may be guilty of academic misconduct. The grader for the course will be on the lookout for evidence of copying or handing in work which does not represent your own effort.