Spring 2008

Astronomy 402 Syllabus

italics indicate student presentation/discussion
bold indicates an assignment
BLUE UPPERCASE indicates an observing project date

DATE	TOPIC	READING (do before class!)
Th. 1/31	Introduction and Preview Question 1 (due Monday, 2/4): Describe the current picture of the Milky Way Galaxy's morphology and extent along with the observations that have led up to it.
M 2/4	Presentation & Discussion of Question 1 Structure of the Galaxy and the Interstellar Medium Question 2 (due Thursday, 2/7): How are stellar spectra classified? And why is the Sun not made mostly of sodium and calcium, despite the great strength of absorption lines from these elements? FIRST OBSERVING PROPOSAL ASSIGNED	A&A: 1280-1294; C&O: 881-885; Elmegreen: 2-6 (+ figure); *Kutner: Ch. 16; *Kwok book: Ch. 1; Z&G: 284-298
Th. 2/7	Presentation & Discussion of Question 2 Review of Stars, Stellar Spectra & Evolution PN Gallery demonstration Question 3 (due Thursday, 2/14): PN Gallery Exercise 2 on Extinction	C&O: 202-208, 219-220; *Kutner: Ch. 3, 10, 11.1
M 2/11	Relation Between Gas & Dust; Properties of the Dust; Interstellar Extinction & Reddening FIRST OBSERVING PROPOSAL DUE	Bradt: 306-320; D&W: 60-63; Elmegreen: 13-14, 18-23, 29-32; *Kutner: 237-246
Th. 2/14	Presentation & Discussion of Question 3 Radiative Transfer Question 4 (due Thursday, 2/21): See Question 4	Bradt: 112-119, 218-234, 333-338, 364-375; C&O: 231-237; D&W: 80-84; O&F: 395-399
M 2/18	Gas Laws; Thermal & Statistical Physics Basics	Bradt: 348-354; C&O: 204-219; Elmegreen: 123
Th. 2/21	Discussion of Question 4 The Bohr Atom; Atomic Physics; Quantum Mechanics Basics Question 5 (due Thursday, 2/28): PN Gallery Exercise 1 on Ionization	C&O: 111-137
M 2/25	Formation of Spectral Lines; Permitted and Forbidden Lines	Bradt: 354-364; D&W: 73-77; Kwok: 20-25; O&F: 67-77; Shu: 216-222, 226
Th. 2/28	Discussion of Question 5 Radio Astronomy; The 21 cm Line; Synchrotron Radiation SECOND OBSERVING PROPOSAL ASSIGNED -- due in my mailbox by 5PM on Friday, 3/7	Bradt: 344-347; C&O: 898-902; 913-915; Shu: 227-231; Sparke & Gallagher: 78-89
M 3/3	FIRST OBSERVING PROJECT PRESENTATIONS Radio telescope training
Th. 3/6	HOUR EXAM
M 3/10	Stromgren Spheres and Ionization Equilibrium Question 6 (due Thursday, 3/13): See Question 6	D&W: 77-79; Elmegreen: 108-110; O&F: 17-27; Shu: 216-222; PLUS this and this
Th. 3/13	Plasma Diagnostics: Temperatures and Densities in Photoionized Nebulae List of possible final paper topics distributed Question 7 (due Monday 3/31): PN Gallery Exercise 3 on Density	D&W: 84-85; Elmegreen: 103-107; O&F: 107-114, 121-127
	SPRING BREAK
M 3/31	Presentation & Discussion of Question 7 Abundances in Photoionized Nebulae THIRD OBSERVING PROPOSAL ASSIGNED	O&F: 142-148; *Kwitter & Henry reprint
Th. 4/3	Thermal Equilibrium in Photoionized Nebulae Final paper topics due	D&W: 72-73; O&F: 45-65
M 4/7	SECOND OBSERVING PROJECT PRESENTATIONS Formation of Planetary Nebulae THIRD OBSERVING PROPOSAL DUE	Balick article; Kaler article; Kwok: 124-125, 131-133
Th. 4/10	Guest Lecture by Dr. Steven Souza: Interstellar Molecules Question 8 (due Mon. 4/14): Describe the excitation modes available to molecules that are not available to single atoms and compare the typical energies involved in these excitation modes with atomic excitation. Also describe the kinds of objects and locations in the Galaxy in which transitions within these molecular modes have actually been detected. Finally, discuss the kinds of astronomical questions that can be addressed via observations such as these. Marcus, Rob, Katie D., Jordan, Amy, Katie S.	A&A: 1286-1294; O&F: 211-221; 433-436
M 4/14	Presentation & Discussion of Question 8: Marcus, Rob Supernova Remnants Question 9 (due Monday, 4/21): Imagine you have obtained an optical spectrum of a gaseous nebula about which you have no other information. The spectrum shows emission lines from various ions normally seen in gaseous nebulae. Now, it's not always possible to tell what kind of emission nebula you're looking at just from a spectrum, but there are characteristics that are suggestive of one type over another. So here's the question: based solely on the spectrum, how would you try to determine whether this object is an H II region, a planetary nebula or a supernova remnant? Be specific about which features or ratios or other spectral characteristics you would examine in order to make your determination, and why they are relevant to the question at hand. Grant, Steve, Emma, Alec, Paul	Elmegreen: 144-150, 153-154; O&F: 301-314
Th. 4/17	Dynamics of the ISM: Stellar Bubbles and Supernovae Final paper outlines/first drafts due Question 10 (due Thursday, 4/24): In what ways has the ability to observe in the infrared advanced our understanding of processes in and constituents of the ISM? Describe in some detail a specific example from the Spitzer website (not necessarily limited to our own Galaxy) incorporating relevant material from this class. Marcus, Rob, Katie D., Jordan, Amy, Katie S.	D&W: 95-99, 104-109, 129-135; Elmegreen: 124-127; O&F: 162-164
M 4/21	Presentation & Discussion of Question 9: Steve, Emma Infrared Observations of the ISM	explore Spitzer website; Bernard-Salas article (choose PDF or HTML in upper right); Hora et al. article
Th. 4/24	Presentation & Discussion of Question 10: Jordan, Amy, Katie S. High-Energy Observations of the ISM	Explore the Chandra website; FUSE website, in particular, page on N66
M 4/28	THIRD PROJECT PRESENTATIONS Evolution of the ISM in the Milky Way and Other Galaxies	Chiappini article; Wakker & Richter article
Th. 5/1	FINAL PAPER PRESENTATIONS - 1 Jordan: The Local Interstellar Medium Marcus: N49 Katie D.: The Crab Nebula
M 5/5	FINAL PAPER PRESENTATIONS - 2 Emma: Magnetic Fields in the Galaxy Amy: NGC 6369 Grant: Determination of Ro Katie S: Interstellar Diamonds
Th. 5/8	FINAL PAPER PRESENTATIONS - 3 Rob: Interacting Winds Alec: Nucleosynthesis in Supernovae Steven: M2-9 Paul: The Galactic Center ALL FINAL PAPERS DUE	Rob, Alec, Steven, Paul