![](/_resources/group1/M00/00/19/cxv0BF7Xhx2Af464AAG5jlvAVHs128.png)
![](/_resources/group1/M00/00/19/cxv0BF7Xhx2Af464AAG5jlvAVHs128.png)
Radiative Processes in Astrophysics
天体物理辐射过程
2019 Fall
Information
Teacher: Zhuo Li (黎卓) (Rm 108, KIAA bldg; zhuo.li@pku.edu.cn; phone 62754891).
Time: 9:00-12:00am, Wednesday in 2019 fall semester.
Place: Rm 2907, Dept of Astronomy, No. 2 Science Building (理科2号楼9层2907室).
Course description
This is a basic course for graduated students in major of astrophysics. Study the mechanisms that radiation is produced and the interactions of radiation with the medium radiation and matter during its propagation. We assume that the students have been well prepared with the four major physics courses, i.e., mechanics, statistical physics, electrodynamics, and quantum mechanics.
Textbook: “Radiative Processes in Astrophysics”, by George Rybicki and Alan Lightman. The course follows closely this book.
References: 《天体物理辐射机制》尤峻汉著; “The Physics of Astrophysics, Volume I, Radiation”, by Frank Shu.
Schedule (preliminary)
Teaching |
Discussion/Presentation |
|
Sep 11 |
RL 1, radiative transfer |
|
18 |
RL 1, radiative transfer |
RL 1.6 |
25 |
RL 2, radiation field |
|
Oct 2 |
No class – National Day |
|
9 |
RL 3, moving charges |
RL 2.4 (parag 2); P1 (by G1) |
16 |
RL 8, plasma |
RL 3.6 (parag 2) |
23 |
No class – meeting |
|
30 |
RL 4, relativity |
P2 (G2) |
Nov 6 |
RL 5, Bremsstrahlung |
P3 (G3) |
13 |
RL 6, synchrotron |
RL 5.3 |
20 |
RL 6, synchrotron |
P4 (G1) |
27 |
RL 7, Compton Scattering |
RL 6.5 |
Dec 4 |
RL 7, Compton Scattering |
P5 (G2) |
11 |
RL 7, Compton Scattering |
RL 7.7 (parag 3, page 221-222); P6 (G1) |
18 |
RL 9.5, 10.5-6, 11.1, lines; Y 7.2-4, recombination |
P7 (G3) |
25 |
Q&A |
|
Jan 1 |
New Year’s Day |
|
2 |
Exam (2-4pm, DoA2907) |
Discussion and Presentation
Discussion: parts of the contents are studied in the format of discussion in the class. The students should read the related parts of the text before the class.
Presentation: The students are required to present some references in the class, in order for them to get feeling how the physics of radiative processes learned is applied to observations. The presentations are each 30min (20min talk + 10min question). The students are divided into several groups:
- Group 1: 217, 220, 223, 226, 229
- Group 2: 218, 221, 224, 227,
- Group 3: 219, 222, 225, 228,
Papers:
- P1 (Group 1) RL 1.8, radiative transfer
- P2 (Group 2) First Detection of Polarized Scattered Light from an Exoplanetary Atmosphere
- P3 (Group 3) Rotation Measure of a FRB
- P4 (Group 1) mass profile measured via f-f emission from galaxy clusters (see also a more recent paper)
- P5 (Group 2) GRB synchrotron model (neglect section 4 on GRB971214)
- P6 (Group 1) inverse Compton emission from SNR RX J1713 (attention to the discussion section)
- P7 (Group 3) Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect in Coma cluster (see also original SZ effect paper)
Questions for Review
Some questions on the concepts discussed in the course.
Download: Ch 1 ch1.doc Ch 2+3+4+8
ch2+3+4+8.doc Ch 5
ch5.doc Ch 6
ch6.doc Ch 7
ch7.doc Y7
y7.doc
Grading
The final score is roughly according to:
Discussion & Presentation: 25%
Homework: 25%
Final exam: 50%