ASTR 320, Theoretical Astrophysics
Spring 2003
Introduction to theoretical astrophysics, with a number of
applications. The class textbook is
Shore, The Tapestry of Modern Astrophysics.
Policies and course outline
Hints about doing research in
astrophysics
What I hope you learn in the class
A valuable resource:
Doug Hamilton's orbit integration page
My lecture notes:
- Lecture 1: Intuition and Order of Magnitude
Estimates
PDF version
- Lecture 2: Units, limits, and symmetries
PDF version
- Lecture 3: Laws of motion and conservation
laws
PDF version
- Lecture 4: One-body gravitation
PDF version
- Lecture 5: One-body gravitation, continued
PDF version
- Lecture 6: Two-body problem
PDF version
Shore, section 1.2.1
- Lecture 7: Three objects, Lagrange points
PDF version
Shore, sections 1.2.5 and 5.3
- Lecture 8: Accretion and tidal force
PDF version
Shore, sections 1.2.3, 5.3, 5.4, and 5.5
- Lecture 9: General three-body interactions
PDF version
- Lecture 10: N-body problem: virial theorem
PDF version
Shore, sections 1.2.7 and 1.5
- Lecture 11: N-body: relaxation
PDF version
- Lecture 12: General potentials and Gauss's law
PDF version
Shore, sections 1.2.2, 1.A, and 7.2
- Lecture 13: Special topic: binary supermassive
black holes
PDF version
- Lecture 14: Thermodynamics
PDF version
Shore, section 1.3
- Lecture 15: Statistical physics
PDF version
Shore, section 1.3
- Lecture 16: Equilibrium
PDF version
Shore, section 4.4.1
- Lecture 17: Failure of hydrostatic equilibrium
PDF version
Shore, section 6.8
- Lecture 18: Application: Evolution of
the universe
PDF version
Shore, sections 8.4 and 8.5
- Lecture 19: Hydrodynamics
PDF version
Shore, section 1.4
- Lecture 20: Waves and instabilities
PDF version
Shore, section 6.8
- Lecture 21: Principles of quantum mechanics
PDF version
- Lecture 22: Quantum order of magnitude
estimates
PDF version
- Lecture 23: The Schrodinger equation
PDF version
- Lecture 24: Hydrogen atom structure
PDF version
- Lecture 25: Quantum statistics
PDF version
- Lecture 26: Astrophysical modeling: stars
PDF version
- Lecture 27: Astrophysical modeling: gamma-ray
bursts
PDF version
Problem sets:
Send me to:
astro home page
Cole's home page