High Energy Astrophysics (U01432)

? Credit Points : 10 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : PHY-5-HighEnAst

Many physical processes are important in the structure and emission of light from active galaxies. Starting from Maxwell's equations, this course develops the classical theory of radiation from an accelerated charge, and generalises to the relativistic case. Topics include: synchrotron radiation from relativistic electrons gyrating in a magnetic field; the acceleration of particles to relativistic energies; Faraday rotation and depolarisation; loss mechanisms and their effect on the observed radiation spectrum; relativistic beaming; the nozzle mechanism for relativistic jets; bremsstrahlung.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : At least 80 credit points accrued in courses of SCQF Level 9 or 10 drawn from Schedule Q, including Physical Mathematics (PHY-3-PhMath); prior attendance at Relativistic Electrodynamics (PHY-4-ElDyn) is desirable.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Undergraduate (School of Physics), (School of Physics, Schedule Q)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 5th year

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
07/01/2008	10:00	11:00			ROE - Lecture Theatre

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Monday	10:00	10:50	Other
Lecture	Thursday	10:00	10:50	Other

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

1) From Maxwell's equations, derive & solve wave equations for the electrostatic & magnetic vector potentials; discuss & apply the Lorentz condition;
2) Demonstrate that Maxwell's theory conforms to Special Relativity;
3) Define the distant zone; solve wave equation there;
4) Obtain electric & magnetic fields from the potentials in general, & in the distant zone;
5) Understand & apply the Poynting vector;
6) Derive Larmor's non-relativistic formula, & discuss effects of enhanced energy loss & beaming of radiation, for relativistically-moving charges;
7) Derive & apply the relativistic Larmor formula;
8) Demonstrate understanding of four-vectors, the summation convention, invariants;
9) Derive the orbit of a relativistic particle in a uniform magnetic field; compute its loss-rate;
10) Derive approximately the peak frequency of synchrotron radiation;
11) Show that the spectrum of synchrotron radiation is a power-law and a cutoff;
12) Argue that synchrotron radiation is polarised; derive the spectrum of radiation for a power-law energy distribution of electron; discuss synchrotron self-absorption;
13) Show that there is a minimum energy configuration to account for observed synchrotron emission;
14) Describe the physical process of diffusive shock acceleration, & derive the power-law energy slope for particles in non-relativistic shocks;
15) Derive Compton scattering effects using conservation of 4-momentum;
16) Describe inverse Compton scattering, & compute approximately its loss-rate & spectrum; describe the inverse Compton catastrophe & its importance in radio cores;
17) Discuss equipartition fields & the effect of losses on the spectrum;
18) Show how apparent superluminal motion may arise;
19) Derive & discuss Faraday rotation & its importance, & how to avoid its effects;
20) Derive the loss rate for Bremsstrahlung;
21) Discuss the physics of the Blandford & Rees jet model.