ASTR 601, Radiative Processes
Fall 2023
The production and propagation of radiation, and its application
in a variety of astrophysical contexts. The class textbook is
Rybicki and Lightman, Radiative Processes in Astrophysics, and
the secondary text is Shu, The Physics of Astrophysics: Volume 1,
Radiation. I also recommend that you check out the
online notes by Joern Wilms
Policies and course outline
Hints about doing research in
astrophysics
The Ten Commandments of presentations
Additional hints about giving talks
What I hope you learn in the class
Examples of problems involving simplification
These are mainly from stellar astrophysics, but they can
serve as generally useful guides as well.
Practice problems involving the combination
of different opacities
Practice problems involving computer
programming
My lecture notes:
- Lecture 1: Introduction, approximations
and physical intuition in equations
- Lecture 2: Specific intensity RL 1.2, 1.3 Practice problems
- Lecture 3: Scattering and random walks
RL 1.7 Practice problems
- Lecture 4: Absorption and addition of opacities
RL 1.4 (see above for practice problems)
- Lecture 5: Transfer equation and blackbodies
RL 1.4, 1.5 Practice problems
- Lecture 6: Rate equations and detailed balance
RL 1.6 Practice problems
- Lecture 7: Quantum statistical mechanics Practice problems
- Lecture 8: Statistical equilibria, Saha
equation RL 9.5 Practice problems
- Lecture 9: EM wave equations RL 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 Practice problems
- Lecture 10: Polarization RL 2.4 Practice problems
- Lecture 11: Retarded potentials and radiation
RL chapter 3 Practice problems
- Lecture 12: Relativity RL chapter 4 Practice problems
- Lecture 13: Thomson and Rayleigh scattering
RL 3.4, 3.6 Practice problems
- Lecture 14: Compton scattering RL chapter 7 Practice problems
- Lecture 15: Bremsstrahlung RL chapter 5 Practice problems
- Lecture 16: Synchrotron radiation RL chapter 6 Practice problems
- Lecture 17: Plasma processes RL chapter 8 Practice problems
- Lecture 18: Statistics in astronomy Practice problems
- Lecture 19: Atomic structure RL chapter 9 Practice problems
- Lecture 20: Radiative transitions
RL 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 Practice problems
- Lecture 21: Bound-bound and bound-free
absorption RL 10.5 Practice problems
- Lecture 22: Line broadening RL 10.6 Practice problems
- Lecture 23: Molecules RL 11.1, 11.2 Practice problems
- Lecture 24: Rotational and vibrational
transitions RL 11.3, 11.4, 11.5 Practice problems
- Lecture 25: Neutrinos and gravitational
radiation
- Lecture 26: Tidal disruption events
- Lecture 27: Short gamma-ray bursts
- Lecture 28: What have we learned from gravitational waves?
Problem sets:
Send me to:
astro home page
Cole's home page