PHY634:ASTROPHYSICS
L:4 T:0 P:0 Credits:4
Course Outcomes: Through this course students should be able to
CO1 :: define the fundamental concepts of astrophysics, general relativity and cosmology.
CO2 :: describe the theoretical understanding of hydrostatic equilibrium, radiative transfer, action
principle and blackhole.
CO3 :: explain the different phenomena of astrophysics and cosmology.
CO4 :: use the concepts of general relativity in cosmology to solve the fundamental cosmological
problems.
CO5 :: determine the cosmic distances and scalar mode of perturbation.
Unit I
Elements of stellar astrophysics: : astronomical coordinate system and length scale, theory of
radiative transfer, radiative transfer equation and its solution, magnitude scales, concept of optical
depth, thermodynamic equilibrium: virial theorem of star, Maxwellian velocity distribution, Boltzman &
Saha equations, local thermodynamic equilibrium, hydrostatic equilibrium, energy transport inside
star, constructing stellar models
Unit II
Gravitational collapse : degeneracy pressure of fermi gas, structure of white dwarfs,
Chandrasekhar limit, Lane- Emden equation, neutron stars and accretion disks, neutrino drips,
incompatibility of thermodynamic equilibrium and self gravity, Boltzmann equation for collisionless
system, Jeans equations and their applications, elements of plasma astrophysics: basic equations of
fluid mechanics, Jeans instability, magnetohydrodynamic equation, Alfven's flux freezing theorem
Unit III
Elements of general relativity : concepts of four vector, Lorentz transformations, action principle,
introduction to tensor and tensor calculus: tensor, algebra of tensor, symmetric and antisymmetric
tensor,, basics of curvature: parallel transport, metric tensor, Christoffel symbols, Ricci and
Riemannian tensor, Lagrangian formulation of general relativity, covariant differentiations
Unit IV
Einstein field equation and its applications : Einstein- Hilbert action, energy-momentum tensor,
solution of Einstein field equations, Schwarzschild solution,, Birkhoff theorem, blackhole: Eddington-
Finkelstein coordinates, Kruskal Spacetime, Penrose diagram, linearization of field equations and
gravitational waves, the geodesic equation, the equivalence principle, bending of light and
gravitational redshift
Unit V
Cosmic dynamics : Einstein model of universe, de-Sitter model of universe, Friedmann model of
universe: open, flat and close universe, cosmological distances: comoving distance, luminosity
distance, angular diameter distance, particle and event horizon, cosmological principle, redshift-
distance relation
Unit VI
Physics of early universe : accelerated expansion of the universe, dark energy and dark matter,
problems with standard cosmology: flatness and horizon problems, cosmic inflation and its theory,
elementary theory of cosmological perturbation, scalar, vector and tensor mode of perturbation, basic
idea of cosmic microwave background radiation, Hubble expansion law, thermal history of the
universe
Text Books:
1. GENERAL THEORY OF RELATIVITY by S. P. PURI, Pearson Education India
References:
1. AN INTRODUCTION TO ASTROPHYSICS by BAIDYANATH BASU, PHI Learning Pvt Ltd
2. THEORETICAL ASTROPHYSICS - VOL.II STARS AND STELLAR SYSTEMS by THANU
PADMANABHAN, CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Session 2024-25 Page:1/2
Session 2024-25 Page:2/2
