The class will be divided into four discussion sections, each with about 20 students and one TA. The sections will meet every other week. The purpose of these sections is to creatively discuss the section topics, while backing up your arguments with scientific reasoning — feel free to use whatever you've learned in Ph 1, Ch 1, and other courses.
The sections are listed below. You can find topics and section enrollment by clicking the section number. Please sign up for a section by Wednesday at 5PM. By Thursday at 5PM, if you are not listed in any section, you need to contact Gwen as soon as possible.
| Section | TA Name | Location | Time | Office | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Gwen Rudie | 273 Cahill | Friday 2:00-3:00 PM | gwen@astro | 256 Cahill | x6857 |
| 02 | Vera Gluscevic | 312 Cahill | Friday 2:00-3:00 PM | vera@astro | 357 Cahill | x4801 |
| 03 | Drew Newman | 219 Cahill | Friday 2:00-3:00 PM | anewman@astro | 255 Cahill | x4987 |
| 04 | Abhiram Chivukula | 370 Cahill | Friday 2:00-3:00 PM | AbhiramC@caltech | Off Campus | Please email |
TA: Gwen Rudie
Location: 273 Cahill
Time: Friday 2:00-3:00
Office: 256 Cahill
Contact: gwen@astro, x6857
Topics:
A BANG in the Night: Supernovae and Massive stars
BANG! In this section, we will study the death of both young massive stars and older white dwarfs. These cosmic fireworks are among the brightest events in the universe and create some of the most beautiful local objects, supernovae remnants. We will discuss the evolution of stars that bring them to this fantastic end, the explosions themselves, the use of supernovae in cosmology to discover the Universe is accelerating, and the likelihood of us seeing such an event in our galaxy in our lifetime.
Section Roster:
TA: Vera Gluscevic
Location: 312 Cahill
Time: Friday 2:00-3:00
Office: 351 Cahill
Contact: vera@astro, x(TBD)
Topics:
Astrobiology
This section will explore the living universe. We will discuss the definition and origins of life on Earth, its extreme forms and its "catastrophic" history punctuated with mass extinctions, the fossil-record evidence for periodic cosmic hazards, and the habitability of the Solar System and the Galaxy. We will relate these questions to the prospects and means for contact with an alien civilization and seek potential solutions to the Fermi paradox. The goal is to gain awareness of many questions which the young science of astrobiology tackles, estimate its potential in the light of future space missions and technological developments, and practice distinguishing between evidence-supported theories and mere ideas, engaging both in widening our knowledge of the phenomenon of Life in its cosmic context.
Section Roster:
TA: Drew Newman
Location: 219 Cahill
Time: Friday 2:00-3:00
Office: 255 Cahill
Contact: anewman@astro, x4987
Topics:
The Dark Universe
Astronomers have come to the conclusion over the last two decades that 96% of the universe is made of mysterious kinds of matter and energy different from everything previously known to physics, and about which we know very little. What is the evidence for such an outrageous claim? Are there alterative explanations? Can we learn about physics at the smallest scales by studying the universe as a whole? By doing so, what we can say about how the universe began, and what its destiny may be? Whether it's Big Bang, Big Chill, Big Crunch, or Big Rip, come ready to speculate -- but with an eye on the evidence.
Section Roster:
TA: Abhiram Chivukula
Location: 370 Cahill
Time: Friday 2:00-3:00
Office: Off Campus
Contact: AbhiramC@caltech
Topics:
Gravity, Black Holes, and General Relativity
This section will pursue an elementary introduction to General Relativity, and the physics of Black Holes will motivate a mathematical and conceptual study of Gravity. We plan to cover the basic foundations of General Relativity to give the students enough tools to formulate and explore interesting questions related to Gravity/Black Holes/General Relativity. A heavily mathematical discourse is not necessary, rather, the mathematics will be used to motivate the conceptual exploration. Paper topics can be diverse, since Gravity plays a large role in the development of the universe.
Section Roster: