ASTR 5201 - Stellar Astrophysics and Radiation

Introduction to radiative transfer, including radiation mechanisms, and formation of spectral lines; discusses the physics of the cold interstellar medium and its relationship to star formation; and provides an overview of stellar evolution and stellar remnants, including white dwarfs, supernovae, and neutron stars.

Requisites:
Credit Hours: 3
Repeat/Retake Information: May not be retaken.
Lecture/Lab Hours: 3.0 lecture
Grades: Eligible Grades: A-F,WP,WF,WN,FN,AU,I
Learning Outcomes:

Be able to describe the dominant constituents of the cold interstellar medium and the primary means for their detection and measurement.
Be able to use the radiative transfer equation to describe the effects of light interacting with diffuse matter.
Have a quantitative understanding of the equations governing stellar structure.
Show familiarity with the nature of degenerate matter and its manifestations in stellar remnants.
Understand the phenomenology of stellar evolution.
Understand the physical basis of the dominant radiation mechanisms in astrophysical settings.
Understand the relationship between atomic structure and spectral lines, and the relationship between line broadening and the curve of growth.