Astrophysics 3 (U03212)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : PHY-3-AstPhys3

Students are introduced to the physics of stars and their influence on their galactic environment. The basic observational properties of stars are reviewed including the HR diagram, followed by a discussion of the physical structure of stars on the Main Sequence to their final states as exotic objects: white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes. The interactions of stars with their surroundings are described. Topics covered are HII regions around young stars, stellar winds, and supernova remnants.

A broad introduction of the extragalactic universe. The
course covers the properties of our own Galaxy, the basic properties and evolution of other galaxies, the large scale structure of the Universe and the properties and physics of active galactic nuclei.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : Physics 2B: Waves, Quantum Physics and Materials (PHY-2-B); Foundations of Mathematical Physics (PHY-2-FoMP) or Principles of Mathematical Physics (PHY-2-PoMP).

? Prohibited combinations : Physics of Stars and Nebulae (pre-2006) Galaxies, Quasars and the Universe (pre-2006)

Variants

? This course has variants for part year visiting students, as follows

Astrophysics 3 (VS1) (Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2))
Astrophysics 3 (VS2) (Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4))

Subject Areas

Home subject area

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

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Full Year (Blocks 1-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 3 hour(s) per week for 22 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
18/09/2007	12:00	13:00			ROE Lecture Theatre

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Tuesday	12:10	13:00	Other
Lecture	Friday	12:10	13:00	Other

? Additional Class Information : Workshop/tutorial sessions, as arranged.

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, it is intended that the student will be able to :

1) Understand the physics behind the colour-magnitude diagram of stars.
2) Describe the physics of stellar structure, and apply hydrostatic equilibrium and radiative diffusion equations to get physical conditions and timescales.
3) Explain a star's energy production source and process, and describe how energy is transported out of a star.
4) Derive the equation of state of degenerate gas and describe the degeneracy pressure and support of white dwarfs and neutron stars.
5) Explain photoionization equilibrium, estimate the Stromgren radius and describe how the temperature and density of the intergalactic medium are measured.
6) Describe fluid dynamics equations, derive the sound speed and shock jump conditions, and explain the impact of stellar winds and supernovae on the intergalactic medium.
7) Correct for the effect on light of interstellar dust and the earth's atmosphere.
8) Describe in quantitative detail the morphology, content, structure and dynamics of the Milky Way and external galaxies.
9) Derive the basic formulae used to determine the velocity structure of the Milky Way, and to quantitatively describe the internal dynamics of stellar systems in general.
10) Explain how the masses of galaxies are deduced and how the distances to galaxies are established via the cosmological distance ladder.
11) Understand the physics of active galactic nuclei and be able to calculate order-of-magnitude estimates for key physical quantities.
12) Provide a quantitative description of the galaxy population at large, including galaxy number counts, luminosity functions, and clustering.
13) Describe in quantitative detail the evidence for an expanding and evolving Universe. Be able to derive and solve the basic equations describing the dynamics of the expansion.