Ay 101
Physics of Stars
(Fall Term 2011)

Class Logistics

Instructor: Wal Sargent (wws@astro)
Teaching Assistant: Michael Bottom (mbottom@astro)

Lectures: To be decided at the Astrophysics organizational meeting.
Office Hours: TBD
Exams: No midterm exam will be given. The final exam will be open note, closed book, and held during finals period. It will test both problem solving and conceptual understanding.

FINAL EXAM



Announcements

Syllabus has been posted! (07 Sept 2011)

E-book version of course text has been posted!(07 Sept 2011)

Course reserves updated! (26 Sept 2011)

Solutions to all problem sets will be posted below.


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%) and the final exam (~40%).

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, one text is required. It is appropriate for upper-level undergraduates.

  • Leblanc, Francis. An Introduction to Stellar Astrophysics, 2010 ISBN:978-0-470-69956-0

    Caltech has one electronic copy on reserve, which you may find here. Note that one person may view it at a time, under our current copyright.

    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
  • 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
  • Hansen, Kawaler, & Trimble, Stellar Interiors, 2004 (2nd edition)
  • 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.

    On-Line

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

    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 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.

    Problem Set 1 Solution Set 1