PHYS377: Astrophysics I

Macquarie University 2008

Description

1st Semester 2008, 3 credit points.
PHYS377 is a core unit in the BSc Astronomy and Astrophysics program and is an option for students in the BSc program. The unit begins with a description of the basic properties of radiation and leads into a discussion of radiative transfer, and emission and absorption mechanisms. Stellar models and stellar spectra, stellar remnants, radio interferometry, and interstellar matter are covered in the second half of the course.

Prerequisites and Corequisites

PHYS201(P), PHYS202(P), and PHYS270(P) or PHYS271(Cr); MATH235 is a corequisite. If you do not have these please see Prof Mark Wardle.

Lecturers

Timetable

Lecture topics

Assessment

Assignments: Four assignments based on the lecture material will be set at regular intervals. As is usual with all physics courses the assignments are an integral part of the unit and aid your understanding of the material.

Practicals: Students will undertake a practical project involving observations at the observatory with subsequent data analysis, astrophysical interpretation, report and presentation. Analysis of data from other observatories may be possible alternatives. Analysis facilities will be available in the laboratory. The first two weeks will involve working through the use of UNIX via tutorial exercises. Students will be expected to attend the laboratory on a regular basis to report progress and receive tutorial assistance. Practicals start in Week 2. The following is a tentative timetable of Laboratories:

Final examination: The final examination will be of three hours duration plus ten minutes reading time. Battery or solar powered calculators which do not have a full alphabet on the keyboard will be allowed into the examination.

The weighting of the assessments is as follows:

Other Important Information

Generic Skills

1. Reading, interpreting and understanding reading resources;
2. numerical, quantitative and mathematical skills - assignment problems;
3. problem solving - assignments;
4. research and writing skills - practical project;
5. creativity - problem solving approach;
6. developing an appreciation of the nature of the physical world;
7. familiarity with UNIX and professional astronomical data analysis packages -- practicals.

Plagiarism

"Plagiarism involves using the work of another person and presenting it as one's own. Any of the following acts constitutes plagiarism unless the source of each quotation or piece of borrowed material is clearly acknowledged:

• copying out part(s) of any document or audio-visual material (including computer-based material);
• using or extracting another person's concepts, experimental results, or conclusions;
• summarising another person's work;
• in an assignment where there was collaborative preparatory work, submitting substantially the same final version of any material as another student.

A general discussion of plagiarism, definitions, examples, procedures that will be followed by the University in cases of plagiarism, and recommended penalties are available from the Student@Macquarie website at http://www.student.mq.edu.au/plagiarism/. The University expects students to familiarise themselves with the website.

Special Consideration

Information about special considerations and student services is available at http://www.physics.mq.edu.au/undergrad/services/.

Student Liaison Committee

The Physics Department values quality teaching and engages in periodic student evaluations of its units, external reviews of its programs and course units, and seeks formal feedback from students via focus groups and the Student Liaison Committee (SLC). Please consider being a member of this committee, which meets once during the semester (lunch provided), with the purpose of improving teaching via student feedback. The class will be asked to nominate two students as representatives for the PHYS 377 unit on the student liaison committee. This nomination process will be conducted during lectures and the lecturer will forward the names to the Head of Department. Summaries of the discussion will be reported to Physics Dept meetings where decisions on actions will be taken. These summaries will also be reported to the SLC as well as being posted.