Ay 101
Physics of Stars
(Fall Term 2007)

Class Logistics

Instructor: Lynne Hillenbrand (lah@astro)
Teaching Assistant: Laura Perez (lperez@astro)

Lectures: TIME = 1-2pm W/Th/F; LOCATION = 012 Robinson (down two flights of stairs and to the right)
Problem Sets: roughly weekly
Midterm Exam: The mid-term assessment will be an evaluation of conceptual understanding rather than problem solving ability.
Final Exam: The final will be open note, closed book, and during finals period. It will test both problem solving and conceptual understanding.


Policies

The material in this course naturally divides itself into three main topics: stellar interiors, stellar atmospheres, and stellar evolution. We will cover them in a logical sequence, incorporating a range of physics areas (nuclear, atomic/molecular, thermal, radiative transfer) in our discussions of the physics of stars.

Problem sets are a critical means of learning the material, not just "busy work." Collaboration on problem sets is permitted in the conceptual phase of completing an assigment, though students are expected to work out the final solutions themselves. Several of the problem sets will require use of computers for calculations and plotting of results. Exams are not collaborative but handwritten notes such as class notes may be permitted.

Grading will be based on the weekly assignments (~60%) mid-term exam (~15%) and final exam (~25%).


Resources

It is recommended that you review the relevant chapters in Carroll & Ostlie (Ay20 text) as a refresher on the basics. We will build upon and expand on this simple version of the material in the Ay 101 course.

For Ay101, two texts are required. They are appropriate at the upper level undergraduate / beginning graduate level.

  • Hansen, Kawaler, & Trimble, Stellar Interiors, 2004 (2nd edition)
  • Gray, The Observation and Analysis of Stellar Photospheres, 2005 (3rd edition) The previous 1992 (2nd edition) version is available in the library and has a list of corrections

    There are many many books on stellar physics, some of them even good ones. A few at about the right level for this course are the following. I do recommend the Bohm-Vitense series and Philipps for simple explanations but they don't quite reach the needed depth.

  • Bohm-Vitense, Stellar Astrophysics Vol. 2: Stellar Atmospheres, 1989
  • Bohm-Vitense, Stellar Astrophysics Vol. 3: Stellar Structure and Evolution, 1989
  • Phillips, The Physics of Stars, 1999
  • Bowers & Deeming, Astrophysics Vol. 1: Stars, 1984
  • Collins, Fundamentals of Stellar Astrophysics, 1989
  • Rutten, Radiative Transfer in Stellar Atmospheres, 2003
  • Binney & Merrifield, Galactic Astronomy, 1998

    The above along with several graduate-level texts are on reserve in the astrophysics library.

    A quick (daily) visit to the Astronomy Picture of the Day might broaden your astronomical horizons.


    Syllabus

    course syllabus and readings

    Problem Sets

    Please please please get your sets in on time. It is easiest on everyone (the professor, the TA, and - especially - your fellow students) if all homeworks are turned in by the due date/time so that they can be graded together and turned back to you with solutions in a timely manner.

    ps1 due 10 October

    ps2 due 17 October

    ps3 due 24 October

    ps4 due 31 October
    NOTE: I suggest getting an early start on this one as it may take a few days to ramp up on the procedures before you can actually answer the questions on the set.
    If you don't have your own copy of the HKT book with a cd in the back, here are the routines, along with a subdir for Mac 10.4 executables.

    ps5 due 7 November

    ps6 due 14 November

    ps7 due 21 November

    ps8 due 28 November

    ps9 due 5 December
    Needed material is here.

    Experimental convection

    [image from http://www.solarviews.com/eng/edu/convect.htm]

    Last Revised: 16 Sep by LAH