Radiative Processes

Astro 305

MF 4:30-5:50 AAC 107

(yes I apologize for the time!)

The textbook for this course is Rybicki and Lightman: Radiative Processes in Astrophysics J. Wiley 1979. Please purchase this book from Amazon or your local bookstore. Grades will be based on problem sets (50%), in class open notes midterm (20%) and in class open notes final (30%).

Problem Sets

Problem sets will be a mix of RL (solutions in the back) and 1 or 2 supplementary problems per week.

Problem Set 1 (due Oct 6)
Problem Set 2 (due Oct 13)
Problem Set 3 (due Oct 20)
Midterm (open notes; closed book; bring calculator Oct 27)
Problem Set 4 (due Nov 3)
Problem Set 5 (due Nov 10 in LASR mbox; no class)
Problem Set 6 (due Nov 17)
Problem Set 7 (due Nov 27)
Problem Set 8 (due Dec 1)

Supplemental Notes

We will be taking the RL chapters slightly out of order and in the sequence of the following class notes -- not intended for public consumption:

Radiative Transfer

Statistical Mechanics

Thermal Physics

Thermodynamic Equilibrium

Classical E&M and Plasma Effects

Relativity [for review, likely omitted in lectures]

[Midterm]

Classical and Semiclassical Oscillator

Compton Scattering

Bremsstrahlung

Synchrotron

[Final]