Astrophysics I

ETH Course - Fall 2016

Lectures: Alexandre RefregierSubstitute lecturer: Hamsa Padmanabhan

Coordinator: Tomasz KacprzakTeaching Assistants:Claudio Bruderer

Jörg HerbelSilvan Hunziker

1. Overview

Astrophysics: Physics of cosmic phenomena

Physics Astronomy

Specificity of Astrophysics

‣ Observational science: no controlled experiments

‣ Wide range of scales

‣ Nearly all areas of physics relevant

‣ Laboratory for Gravity

Gravity

This Course

Experimental Kernfach 3rd year course: Introduction to Astrophysics

Pre-requisites: 1st-2nd year Physics, no prior knowledge of Astrophysics required

Planets Stars Galaxies Universe

Gravity ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

Radiative Processes

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

Statistical Mechanics

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

Plasma/Fluid Dynamics

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

Quantum Mechanics

✦ ✦

Nuclear Physics

✦ ✦ ✦

Particle Physics

✦

Solid State ✦ ✦

Syllabus1. Overview

2. Basic Concepts

3. Interaction of Radiation with Matter

4. Stars

5. Our Galaxy, ISM, Star and planet formation

6. Stellar Dynamics

7. Plasma Astrophysics

8. Galaxies

9. Cosmology

10. Extra Topic (TBD)

11. Conclusions

BibliographyMain Text:

‣ Choudhuri, A.R., Astrophysics for Physicists, 2010, Cambridge Univ. Press (available online and in library)

Additional Texts:

‣ Harwitt, M., Astrophysical Concepts, 2006, Springer

‣ Caroll, B.W. & Ostlie, D.A., 1996, Modern Astrophysics, Addison Wesley

‣ Padmanabhan, T., 2006, An Invitation to Astrophysics, World Scientific

‣Unsöld, A. & Baschek, 1999, Der Neue Kosmos, 6 ed., Springer

Organisation‣3 hours of lectures per week

‣2 hours of exercise session per week

‣Weekly Homework set (hand out on Tuesday, due following Tuesday)

‣Oral Exams during session period

Course website: http://www.astro.ethz.ch/education/courses/astrophysics-111.html