Astronomy 2. Celestial Navigation
Catalog Number: 2179 Enrollment: Limited to 30.
Philip M. Sadler and assistants
Half course (fall term). Tu., 11:30–1:30, and Tu., 7–10 pm. EXAM GROUP: 13, 14
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.
Note: Minimal lecturing; predominantly practical laboratory activities with individual attention from teaching staff. Math beyond high school trigonometry and geometry unnecessary. Some familiarity with sailing and/astronomy is helpful.
[Astronomy 5. Planets Orbiting Other Stars]
Catalog Number: 9578
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Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
It is only recently that astronomers have succeeded in detecting planets orbiting nearby, Sun-like stars. The underlying architecture of many of these planetary systems is suprisingly different than that of the solar system, an observation that has challenged our understanding of how planets form and evolve over time. The course begins with a survey of the solar system to introduce the dominant physical processes at work within it, and to provide a context for the recent discoveries. Techniques used to detect and characterize extrasolar planets, as well as the challenges that remain before we may attempt to detect an analog of the Earth will be discussed. Theories of planet formation as currently informed by these observations will be explored in the context of understanding whether small, rocky, habitable planets are likely to be commonplace in the Galaxy.
Note: Expected to be given in 2008–09.
Prerequisite: Students without high-school level math or physics should have previously taken at least one of Science A-35, Science A-47 or Science A-54.
Astronomy 7. Black Holes and the Violent Universe
Catalog Number: 6873
Julia C. Lee
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 10–11:30. EXAM GROUP: 12, 13
Observations of the Universe reveal a host of compact objects with deep gravitational potential wells: black holes, neutron stars, white dwarfs. A number of energetic phenomena are seen to be associated with these remarkable objects. The course will survey the field and will describe the underlying physical principles, including ideas from relativity, which allow us to understand the observations.
Prerequisite: Students without high-school level math or physics should have previously taken at least one of Science A-35, Science A-47, or Science A-54.
[Astronomy 9. The Origin and Evolution of the Universe] - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 8064
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Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
How did the Universe we observe come into being? How did the objects we see around us form? Scientist have now developed a comprehensive history of our Universe from its earliest moments. How have they done this? How far back can this history be trusted? What improvements can be expected in the future? In this course we will describe the history of our Universe as best we know it, and try to answer these questions. To understand this history, we will need to discuss quantum mechanics, relativity, high energy physics, nuclear and atomic physics and exotic phenomena such as the dark matter and dark energy. We will be careful to distinguish observational facts, well motivated extrapolations and wild speculations.
Note: Expected to be given in 2008–09.
Prerequisite: Students without high-school level math or physics should have previously taken at least one of ScienceA-35, Science A-36, Science A-47 and Science A-54.
Astronomy 16. Stars and Gas in the Milky Way
Catalog Number: 8813
Alexander Dalgarno and John P. Huchra
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 2:30–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
Introduction to the astronomical principles underlying the behavior of our Galaxy and its components. Basic physical concepts will be applied to orbits, the solar system, stellar spectra, stellar evolution, supernovae, black holes, interstellar gas and Galactic structure. The course involves a significant observational component: the new Clay Telescope at the Science Center will be used to study binary stars and asteroids, while the CfA millimeter telescope will be used to measure the mass of the Milky Way.
Prerequisite: Physics 15a, or equivalent ( may be taken concurrently).
*Astronomy 91r. Supervised Reading and Research
Catalog Number: 1545
James M. Moran and members of the Department
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Supervised reading and research in subjects not normally included in the regular course offerings of the department.
Note: Students must arrange for course supervision with an individual member of the Department. The course may not be counted for the concentration requirements except by special permission and may not be taken more than twice.
*Astronomy 97hf. Introductory Tutorial
Catalog Number: 6604
Christopher Stubbs
Half course (throughout the year). F., 2–4.
Students will learn the basic techniques of astronomical data analysis, and how measurable properties of stars relate to their physical properties. This is a hands-on class with an introduction to the Unix operating system, astronomical optics, detectors, signal to noise considerations, and image analysis. Culminates in a project at the end of the course, and a written paper.
Note: Open to sophomore concentrators and others (including freshmen with Physics 15a or advanced placement) considering the concentration or a combined concentration.
Prerequisite: Physics 15a, b or equivalent (may be taken concurrently).
*Astronomy 98hf. Tutorial — Junior Year
Catalog Number: 3121
Irwin I. Shapiro and members of the Department
Half course (throughout the year). Tu., 2–4.
Weekly lectures, assigned reading, and discussion meetings during the fall term, individually supervised program of reading and research leading to a paper and lecture on a chosen topic during the spring term.
Note: Normally a required course for junior concentrators in Astronomy. Open in special cases to concentrators in other physical sciences.
*Astronomy 99. Tutorial — Senior Year
Catalog Number: 5413
Irwin I. Shapiro and members of the Department
Full course. Tu., 2–4.
For honors candidates in Astronomy. Individually supervised reading and research leading to the honors thesis.
Prerequisite: Astronomy 98hf.
Astronomy 150. Radiative Processes in Astrophysics
Catalog Number: 8993
George B. Rybicki
Half course (fall term). M., W., 2–3:30. EXAM GROUP: 3, 4
Survey of radiative processes of astrophysical importance from radio waves to gamma rays. Thermal and non-thermal processes, including bremsstrahlung, synchrotron radiation, and Compton scattering. Radiation in plasmas. Atomic and molecular structure and spectra.
Prerequisite: Physics 143a (may be taken concurrently).
Astronomy 151. Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics - (New Course)
Catalog Number: 3025
Lars Hernquist
Half course (spring term). M., W., F., at 9. EXAM GROUP: 2
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.
Astronomy 191. Astrophysics Laboratory
Catalog Number: 3615 Enrollment: Limited to 16.
Patrick Thaddeus
Half course (spring term). F., at 2. EXAM GROUP: 7
Laboratory and observational projects in astrophysics. Students choose two projects from a selection including: measurement 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 Knowles Telescope; and laboratory experiments including super-conducting submillimeter detectors, x-ray CCDs, and hard x-ray imaging detectors and telescopes.
Note: Primarily for concentrators in astronomy and astrophysics or combined concentrators with physics. Students with physics as their primary concentration, but with a serious interest in astrophysics, may take this to satisfy their laboratory requirement (in lieu of Physics 191) upon petition to the Head Tutor in Physics.
Prerequisite: Physics 15c or equivalent.
Astronomy 192. Tools and Techniques of Astronomical Measurements
Catalog Number: 4741
Douglas Finkbeiner
Half course (spring term). M., W., 1:30–3.
Presentation of physical principles and techniques used for detection across the frequency domain of both electromagnetic and gravitational radiation. Description and analysis of the corresponding tools used for detection, including telescopes and basic instrumentation, present and (near-term) future. Discussion of different types of measurements—intensity, imaging, spectroscopic, polarimetric, astrometric, and interferometric—throughout the electromagnetic spectrum, including related parameter estimation and error analyses.
Prerequisite: Physics 15a, b, c and Applied Mathematics 105 (or equivalents).
[Astronomy 193. Noise and Data Analysis in Astrophysics]
Catalog Number: 4495
James M. Moran
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 13, 14
How to design experiments and get the most information from noisy, incomplete, flawed, and biased data sets. Basics of probability theory; Bernouli trials; Bayes theorem; random variables; distributions; functions of random variables; moments and characteristic functions; Fourier transform analysis; Stochastic processes; estimation of power spectra. Digital data processing: sampling theorem, filtering; fast Fourier tranform; spectrum of quantized data sets. Weighted least mean squares analysis and nonlinear parameter estimation. Noise processes in periodic phenomena. Image processing and restoration techinques.
Note: Expected to be given in 2008–09.
Prerequisite: Mathematics 21b or equivalent.
[Astronomy 201a. Stellar and Planetary Astrophysics]
Catalog Number: 4303
Dimitar D. Sasselov
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 16
Stars are studied as the elementary baryonic building blocks of the Universe, and the main source of the evolution of baryonic matter (nucleosynthesis). Planetary systems are studied in terms of the stellar environments for their formation and survival.
Note: Expected to be given in 2008–09.
Prerequisite: Astronomy 150 (may be taken concurrently).
[Astronomy 201b. Interstellar Medium and Star Formation]
Catalog Number: 4206
Irwin I. Shapiro
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
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.
Note: Expected to be given in 2008–09.
Astronomy 202a. Galaxies and Dynamics
Catalog Number: 8237
Abraham Loeb and Matias Zaldarriaga
Half course (spring term). M., W., 10–11:30. EXAM GROUP: 3, 4
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.
Astronomy 202b. Cosmology
Catalog Number: 2446
Abraham Loeb and Matias Zaldarriaga
Half course (fall term). M., W., 10–11:30. EXAM GROUP: 3, 4
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.
Astronomy 218. Radio Astronomy
Catalog Number: 2883
James M. Moran
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 2–3:30.
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.
Prerequisite: Astronomy 150 or Physics 153 recommended.
[Astronomy 219. High Energy Astrophysics]
Catalog Number: 1858
Ramesh Narayan and Jonathan E. Grindlay
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
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.
Note: Expected to be given in 2008–09.
Astronomy 225. Formation of Stars and Planets
Catalog Number: 0983
David J. Wilner
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 10–11:30.
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.
[Astronomy 251. Quantum Mechanics for Astrophysics]
Catalog Number: 5381
Alexander Dalgarno and Kate Kirby
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 12, 13
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.
Note: Expected to be given in 2008–09.
Prerequisite: Physics 143a or the equivalent, or permission of instructor.
*Astronomy 301hf. Research Forum
Catalog Number: 5224
Julia C. Lee 5305
Half course (throughout the year). Tu., 4–5:30.
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.
Note: Intended both as an opportunity for substantive discussion, and as training in the clear presentation of scientific ideas. To encourage an informal atmosphere and to facilitate interaction between speaker and audience. No visual aids other than a blackboard and a one-page handout will be allowed (e.g. no PowerPoint).
*Astronomy 302. Scientists Teaching Science
Catalog Number: 9869
Philip M. Sadler 2231
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2–3:30.
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.
Note: Open to graduate students in all areas of science and uses activities to draw upon research findings from the life, earth, and physical sciences.
Prerequisite: Experience as an instructor of science or as a teaching fellow.