Schedule for ASTR 320 -- Spring 2009

(all dates and topics subject to revision)
DATES SHIFTED DUE TO SNOW DAY JAN 27!

A. Gravity

Jan. 27 - Introduction; Newton's Laws of motion; conservation of momentum; Newton's law of gravity
Jan. 29 - Definition of one-body problem; cylindrical coordinates; conservation laws and constants of motion (energy, angular momentum)
Feb.  3 - One body problem cont.: solution of one-body problem -- classification and shapes of orbits (elliptical, hyperbolic, parabolic)
Feb.  5 - One body problem cont.: terminology for bound orbits (semi-major and -minor axes; eccentricity); relation of Newton's solution to Kepler's Laws; epicyclic approximation analysis

Lecture notes on the one-body problem


Feb. 10 - Two-body problem: definition of two-body problem; relation of two-body problem to one-body solution (reduced mass and CM)
Feb. 12 - Two-body problem cont.: application to binary systems; types of binaries; observables of binary systems; extrasolar planets

Lecture notes on the two-body problem


Feb. 17 - Two-plus-one- and three- body-problems: hierarchical systems; equations in rotating frame; Coriolis and centrifugal forces; Lagrange points; Roche radius
Feb. 19 - Three- and two-plus-one- body-problems cont.: effective potential; stability of equilibria; trojan satellites; chaos

Lecture notes on the two-plus-one and three-body systems


Feb. 24 - N-body systems: virial theorem; potential and kinetic energies of stellar systems; application to analysis of star clusters, galaxies, galaxy clusters
Feb. 26 - N-body systems cont. - evolution of collisionless systems: cosmological collapse and virialization; violent relaxation

Lecture notes on n-body systems, the Virial Theorem, and applications


Mar.  3 - N-body systems cont. - two-body relaxation
Mar.  5 - N-body systems cont. - dynamical friction; dynamical evolution

Lecture notes on two-body relaxation and dynamical friction


Mar. 10 - N-body systems cont. - galactic dynamics: constants of motion; families of galactic orbits; precession; relation of orbits to galactic structure

Lecture notes on orbits in galaxies


SPRING BREAK- Mar. 16-20


Mar. 26 - Midterm Exam

B. Gas physics


Mar. 24 - Macroscopic properties of gases and thermodynamics; microscopic properties of gases and statistical mechanics: Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution functions; ideal gas properties
Mar. 26 - Statistical mechanics cont.; Thermal radiation -- pressure, energy density, temperature

Lecture notes on thermodynamics and statistics of matter and radiation gases


Mar. 31 - Cosmological expansion -- Friedmann equation; solutions for radiation-dominated, matter-dominated, cosmological constant-dominated universe
Apr.   2 - Stages of evolution of the Universe; thermal evolution; decoupling of matter and radiation

Lecture notes on cosmological evolution


Apr.   7 - Hydrostatic equilibria: stellar and planetary atmospheres, galactic and circumstellar disks
Apr. 9- Hydrostatic equilibria cont. -- self-gravitating equilibria

Lecture notes on hydrostatic equilibria


Apr. 14- Waves and instabilities -- buoyancy and convection in stars; Jeans instability and gravitational collapse

Lecture notes on instabilities in gaseous systems

C. Quantum processes
Apr. 16 - Quantum principles; quantum particle in a box; counting states

Lecture notes on quantum principles and counting states of free particles


Apr. 21 - Fermion and Boson gases; Planck function; cosmic neutrinos

Lecture notes on Fermi & Bose distributions


Apr. 23 - Electron degeneracy; the Chandrasekhar mass; white dwarfs and neutron stars
Apr. 28 - White dwarfs and neutron stars cont.

Lecture notes on degenerate gases and white dwarfs

D. Model synthesis
Apr. 30 - The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, principles of stellar structure
May  5 -  Stellar energy sources: nuclear reactions, Coulomb barrier
May  7 -  Interaction of matter and radiation; diffusive processes; hydrostatic equilibrium; explaining the main sequence mass/luminosity/effective temperature relations

Lecture notes on main sequence stars -- M, L, T, R scalings


May 12 -  Open for catch-up/special topic


May 18 - Final Exam (10:30AM-12:30PM)