ASTR410 TENTATIVE LECTURE SCHEDULE PLAN

Lecture Date
Meeting
No.
Lecture Topic
Reading
Chapter
Jan. 26
1
Introduction

Jan. 28
2
Overview of detection schemes: direct and heterodyne
Feb. 2
3
Heterodyne radiometers I: amplification and noise
Feb. 4
4

Mathematical tools: Fourier series and transforms


Feb. 9
5
Heterodyne radiometers II: frequency conversion
Feb. 11
6
Spectrometers
Feb. 16
7
The overall receiving system; the radiometer equation
Feb. 18
8
Antennas: diffraction in single dishes and interferometers
Feb. 23
9
Antennas: wire antennas, single dishes, optics, and feeds
Feb. 25
10
Antennas: interferometry and aperture synthesis
Mar. 1
11
Antennas: interferometry and aperture synthesis
Mar. 3
12
Practical observing and coordinate systems
Mar. 8
13

Midterm


Mar. 10
14

Radiation: energy, power, flux density, Janskys, and all that


Mar. 15
15
No class -- Spring Break

Mar. 17
16
No class -- Spring Break

Mar. 22
17
Radiation: spectra revisited; radiative transfer, optical depth
Mar. 24
18
Galactic continuum radiation: The Galaxy and other galaxies
Mar. 29
19
Galactic continuum radiation: Synchrotron emission, cosmic rays
Mar. 31
20
Galactic continuum radiation: Free-free emission and young stars
Apr. 5
21
The Interstellar Medium: Temperatures and line formation
Apr. 7
22
The Interstellar Medium: Neutral and ionized hydrogen
Apr. 12
23
The Interstellar Medium: Molecular clouds
Apr. 14
24
Galactic dynamics
Apr. 19
25
Stars and the Sun
Apr. 26
26
Pulsars
Apr. 27
27
Radio galaxies, quasars, and active galactic nuclei
May 3
28
Cosmology: discrete sources
May 5
29
Cosmology: dust continuum and protogalaxies
May 10
30
Cosmology: cosmic microwave background
May 17

FINAL EXAM (CSS 2428, 1:30 - 3:30 PM)

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