| source Harvard (X) |
level |
department Astronomy (X) |
This course provides an introduction to the physical principles describing the formation and evolution of stars and their planetary companions. Topics include thermal radiation and stellar spectra; telescopes; energy generation in stars; stellar evolution; orbital dynamics; the Solar system; and exoplanets. This course includes an observational component: Students will determine the distance to the Sun, and use the Clay Telescope atop the Science Center to study stellar evolution and detect exoplanets.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
Fluid and gas dynamics with applications drawn from astrophysical phenoma. Topics include: kinetic theory, diffusive effects, incompressible fluids, inviscid and viscous flows, boundary layer theory, accretion disks, fluid instabilities, turbulance, convection, gas dynamics, linear (sound) waves, method of characteristics, Riemann invariants, supersonic flow, non-linear waves, shocks, similarity solutions, blast waves, radiative shocks, ionization fronts, magnetohygrodynamics, hydromagnetic shocks, dynamos, gravitational collapse, principles of plasma physics, Landau damping, computational approaches, stability criteria, particle based (Lagrangian) methods, adaptive mesh refinement, radiation hydrodynamics.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
Laboratory and observational projects in astrophysics. Students choose two projects from a selection including: observational studies of the cosmic microwave background radiation, molecules in interstellar clouds, the rotation of the galaxy, galactic molecular sources with the submillimeter array (SMA), stars and clusters with the Clay Telescope; and laboratory experiments including super-conducting submillimeter detectors, x-ray CCDs, and hard x-ray imaging detectors and telescopes.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
A survey will be presented of the wide range of atomic, molecular and optical processes that occur in plasmas and their role in determining the physics, chemistry and dynamics of astrophysical enviroments will be discussed.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
Never be lost again! Find your way on sea, land, or air by employing celestial and terrestrial techniques. Acquire expertise in using navigators' tools (sextant, compass, and charts) while learning the steps to the celestial dance of the sun, moon, stars, and planets. This 107-year-old course continues to rely on practical skills and collaborative problem-solving, while utilizing historical artifacts (instruments, maps, captains' logs) and student-built devices.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
The cosmological principle: isotropy and homogeneity, cosmological world models, thermal history of the Big Bang, the microwave background, inflation, growth of density fluctuations, large scale structure and other topics at the frontiers of cosmology.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
The physical model describing the initial conditions, evolution, and ultimate fate of the Universe. Topics include cosmic dynamics; the Robertson-Walker Metric; curvature; estimating cosmological parameters; the accelerating universe; dark matter; gravitational lensing; the cosmic microwave background; nucleosynthesis; inflation and the very early universe; formation of structure. Note: Offered in alternate years.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
A survey of the rapidly-evolving field of the detection and characterization of planets orbiting other stars. Topics includes proto-stellar collapse and star formation; comets, meteorites, and protoplanetary disk structure; models of planet formation; methods of detecting extrasolar planets; composition and physical structure of planets; planetary atmospheres; habitable zones; greenhouse effect; biosignatures.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
Physical properties of interstellar medium, molecular clouds and their cores, young stellar objects in isolation and in clusters, dynamical processes in star formation and circumstellar disk evolution, properties of the primitive solar nebula and solar system development, extrasolar planetary systems.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
This course provides an introduction to the physical principles describing galaxies and the composition and evolution of the Universe. Topics include the interstellar medium; star clusters; the structure and dynamics of the Milky Way; other galaxies; clusters of galaxies; active galaxies and quasars; cosmology; and the early universe. This course includes an observational component: In addition to observing galaxies with the Science Center Clay Telescope, students will use the millimeter-wavelength telescope at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics to determine the mass of the Milky Way.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
An overview of extragalactic astronomy. Galaxy formation, evolution and properties, galactic dynamics, clustering, gas dynamics, star formation and other topics at the frontiers of extragalactic astronomy.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
Discussion of relativistic and high-energy astrophysical phenomena and observational techniques. Accretion onto compact stars (white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes); active galactic nuclei, galaxy clusters. Gamma-ray bursts and cosmic rays. X-ray and gamma-ray background.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
Nature of the Interstellar Medium (ISM): composition, energetics, densities and interactions; observations and theory. Processes leading to the formation of stars and planets, as well as studies of the feedback on the ISM from stellar deaths.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
In this course we will learn the basic tools of modern astronomical research, including telescopes, detectors, imaging, spectroscopy, and common software. Emphasis will be placed on both the theory behind telescopes and their use, and hands-on experience with real data. Using this basic knowledge we will analyze science-level astronomical data from a wide range of telescopes and review the basic properties of stars, galaxies, and other astronomical objects of interest. The course includes a trip to the F. L. Whipple Observatory on Mount Hopkins, Arizona, to gather data with various telescopes.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
How to design experiments and get the most information from noisy, incomplete, flawed, and biased data sets. Basic of Probability theory; Bernoulitrials: Bayes theorem; random variables; distributions; functions of random variables; moments and characteristic functions; Fourier transform analysis; Stochastic processes; estimation of power spectra:sampling theorem, filtering; fast Fourier transform; spectrum of quantized data sets. Weighted least mean squares analysis and nonlinear parameter estimation. Bootstrap methods. Noise processes in periodic phenomena. Image processing and restoration techniques. The course will emphasize a Bayesian approach to problem solving and the analysis of real data sets.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
Quantum mechanics with applications to atomic and molecular processes important in astronomical environments. Atomic and molecular structure; spectroscopy (selection rules, oscillator strengths, photoionization); scattering theory (elastic, inelastic, approximate methods); line broadening; collision processes (cross sections, rate coefficients) involving electrons, ions, atoms, and molecules.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
This course offers a survey of radiative processes of astrophysical importance from radio waves to gamma rays. Topics include thermal and non-thermal processes, including bremsstrahlung, synchrotron radiation, and Compton scattering; radiation in plasmas; and atomic and molecular spectra.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
Historical development; diffraction theory of antennas and interferometers; signal detection and measurement techniques. Thermal, synchrotron and spectral-line emission in the context of radio observations of the sun, planets, pulsars, masers, hydrogen clouds, molecular clouds, ionized regions, active galaxies, quasars, and the cosmic background. Observational projects carriedout with the Submillimeter Array and Haystack Observatory.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
Each week, a speaker (ordinarily faculty in the fall and students in the spring) will describe research in progress. Forum participants will discuss the ongoing work with the presenter, offering both questions and suggestions.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
This tutorial introduces students to research at the forefront of astrophysics, and provides opportunities for students to meet with research scientists and individuals active in science policy, education, and journalism. Students meet weekly for a lecture and discussion over dinner with a guest speaker, preceded by a reading and a preparatory seminar. Students will be mentored throughout the term on a research project of their choosing. The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics is home to one of the largest groups of astronomers in the world, providing extensive opportunities for undergraduate research.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
Learn the secrets of lecturing well, leading discussions, connecting to real-world applications, and creating tests in any scientific discipline as we focus on relevant educational research and case studies, plus engage in practical classroom activities.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
Graduate seminar on topical areas in modern astrophysics and cosmology. Each term a different topic of current special interest is selected. Participants in this seminar discuss papers given by seminar members (in rotation). Several faculty members also participate.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
For honors candidates in Astrophysics. Individually supervised reading and research leading to the senior thesis. The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics is home to one of the largest groups of astronomers in the world, providing extensive opportunities for undergraduate research.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
Introduction to techniques of modern solar system dynamics, applied to our own solar system as well as to extra solar planetary systems. Research component focuses on applications of solar system dynamics to data from Pan-STARRS-1.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page
Stars are the basic building blocks of galaxies and are responsible for the nucleosynthesis of most of the elements. Topics include the structure of self-gravitating objects; energy transport in stars; stellar atmospheres; asteroseismology; nuclear fusion in stars; stellar evolution; nucleosynthesis of the elements; the degenerate remnants of stars; black holes. This course will make use of thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, and quantum mechanics, but will review these subjects as necessary. Note: Offered in alternate years.
Score: 9.51884 Details | Listing | Web page