ASP3222 - Physics for astrophysics

Leader: Associate Professor Andrei Nikulin

Offered

Clayton Second semester 2008 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit consists of three 12-lecture sub-units and a 12-hour astrophysics laboratory component. The sub-units are:

1. Stellar atmospheres: features of spectra including line broadening and splitting which provide data on the characteristics of a star's atmosphere;
2. Elementary particles: spin, parity, isotopic spin, strangeness and baryon/lepton number, conservation laws of the fundamental interactions, symmetry theories; and
3. Nuclear physics: nuclear stability, shell model and angular momentum, radioactive decay selection rules, the neutrino and Fermi theory of beta decay, nuclear force; Astrophysics laboratory: analysis and simulation of trophysical phenomena.

Objectives

On completion of this unit, students will be able to: understand fundamental concepts used to relate stellar spectra to star structure and dynamics, to describe nuclear systematics, nuclear models and nuclear structure, the properties of elementary particles, their interactions and role in cosmological evolution, be able to identify, apply and compute using theoretical relationships that quantify stellar, nuclear and particle properties and to write a scientific report that presents results, analysis and a critical discussion based on a set of experimental stellar spectral data.

Assessment

Examinations (4.5 hours at 1.5 hours each): 72%
Assignments: 18%
Laboratory: 10%

Contact hours

Three 1-hour lectures and an average of one 1-hour tutorial and 1-hour laboratory per week

Prerequisites

PHS2011, PHS2022, MTH2010, MTH2032

Prohibitions

PHS3062