Astrophysics I
ETH Course - Fall 2014
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Lectures: Alexandre Refregier
Substitute lecturer: Chihway Chang
Teaching Assistants:
Andrina Nicola (coord.)
Claudio Bruderer
Anna Weigel
Conor Francois
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1. Overview
Astrophysics: Physics of cosmic phenomena
Physics Astronomy
Specificity of Astrophysics
‣ Observational science: no controlled experiments
‣ Wide range of scales
‣ Nearly all areas of physics relevant
‣ Laboratory for Gravity
Gravity
This Course
Experimental Kernfach 3rd year course:
Introduction to Astrophysics
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Pre-requisites: 1st-2nd year Physics, no prior
knowledge of Astrophysics required
Planets Stars Galaxies Universe
Gravity ✦✦ ✦✦ ✦✦ ✦✦
Radiative
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
Processes
Statistical
✦✦ ✦✦
Mechanics
Plasma/Fluid
✦✦ ✦ ✦✦
Dynamics
Quantum
✦ ✦
Mechanics
Nuclear
✦✦ ✦
Physics
Particle
✦
Physics
Solid State ✦✦
Syllabus
1. Overview
2. Basic Concepts
3. Interaction of Radiation with Matter
4. Stars
5. Our Galaxy, ISM, Star and planet formation
6. Stellar Dynamics
7. Plasma Astrophysics
8. Galaxies
9. Cosmology
10. Extra Topic (TBD)
11. Conclusions
Bibliography
Main Text:
‣ Choudhuri, A.R., Astrophysics for Physicists, 2010, Cambridge Univ.
Press (available online and in library)
Additional Texts:
‣ Harwitt, M., Astrophysical Concepts, 2006, Springer
‣ Caroll, B.W. & Ostlie, D.A., 1996, Modern Astrophysics, Addison
Wesley
‣ Padmanabhan, T., 2006, An Invitation to Astrophysics, World
Scientific
‣Unsöld, A. & Baschek, 1999, Der Neue Kosmos, 6 ed., Springer
Organisation
‣3 hours of lectures per week
‣2 hours of exercise session per week
‣Weekly Homework set (hand out on Tuesday,
due following Tuesday)
‣Oral Exams during session period
Course website:
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www.astro.ethz.ch/education/courses/Astrophysics_1
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