Ay 101
Physics of Stars
(Fall Term 2008)

Class Logistics

Instructor: Lynne Hillenbrand (lah@astro)
Teaching Assistants: Gwen Rudie (gwen@astro) and Vera Gluscevic (vera@astro)

Lectures: TIME/LOCATION = 1-2:30 Tuesday in 106 Robinson AND 1-2:30 Thursday in 023 Robinson
Problem Sets: roughly weekly
Exams: The mid-term assessment will be an evaluation of conceptual understanding rather than problem solving ability. The final exam will be open note, closed book, and held 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 (~70%) and the final exam (~30%).


Resources

Books

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 recommend the Bohm-Vitense series and also Philipps for explanations of the phenomena at a simpler level than the above books, but they don't quite reach the needed depth for use as course texts.

  • 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 Millikan (we used to have these in the astrophysics library, but no more.

    On-Line

  • Hydrogen Fusion Simulator
  • Helium Fusion Simulator
  • Main Sequence Interiors Applet
  • Stellar Interiors via the "Starcode" Model
  • HR Diagram Simulator
  • Stellar Evolution

    Syllabus

    Ay 101 syllabus and readings

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


    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.

    Please write next to your name on submitted work how long it took *you* to do the set. Thanks to those of you who are doing this!

    ps1 due 9 October (TA = Vera)

    ps2 due 16 October (TA = Gwen)

    ps3 due 23 October (TA = Gwen)

    ps4 due 30 October (TA = Vera)
    NOTE 1: There is a copy of the relevant codes from the CD in the back of your HKT book here and all of the codes here. Former student Andy Green has kindly provided Mac 10.4 executables for BZMAS here.
    NOTE 2: Getting a head start on this problem set is a good idea. Vera has expressed interest in running a tutorial session on Monday in working with the code, so expect to hear from her and please try to be somewhat familiar with it by then.

    ps5 due 6 November (TA = Gwen)

    ps6 due 13 November (TA = Vera)

    ps7 due 20 November (TA = Gwen)

    ps8 due 27 November (TA = Vera)
    note this is thanksgiving, so turn in early if you are leaving campus

    ps9 due 4 December (TA = Vera/Gwen)
    Needed material is here.

    Experimental convection

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

    Last Revised: 24 October by LAH