ASTRONOMY 2400. PHYSICS OF STARS
Instructor: David G. Turner
Office: AT319B
Telephone: (902) 420-5635
Email: turner@ap.smu.ca
Lecture Times: Tuesday, Thursday, 11:30-12:45 pm, AT305
1. Binary Stars and Stellar Parameters: classification of binary stars,
mass determinations from visual binaries, eclipsing binaries, and spectroscopic
binaries, the mass-luminosity relation.
2. The Classification of Stellar Spectra: formation of spectral lines,
Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution function, Boltzmann and Saha equations,
Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, the spectral sequence, the method of spectroscopic
parallaxes and spectral classification.
3. Stellar Atmospheres: description of the radiation field, stellar
opacity sources, radiative transfer, transfer equation, plane-parallel
atmospheres, optical depth, Eddington approximation, gray atmosphere, structure
of spectral lines, equivalent width, broadening sources, curves of growth and
abundance analyses.
4. The Interiors of Stars: hydrostatic equilibrium, conservation of mass
relation, pressure equation of state, ideal gas law, stellar energy sources,
Kelvin-Helmholtz time scale, nuclear reactions, proton-proton chain and CNO
cycle, energy transport and thermodynamics, radiative and convective processes,
stellar model building, the main sequence stage.
5. The Sun: solar interior, standard solar model, solar neutrino problem,
solar atmosphere, photosphere, chromosphere, corona, solar cycle and auroral
displays, energetics.
COURSE TEXTBOOK:
Foundations of Astrophysics, Barbara Ryden &
Bradley M. Peterson, Addison-Wesley
or
An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics, Bradley W. Carroll &
Dale A. Ostlie, Addison-Wesley
GRADING SYSTEM:
| COMPONENT | PERCENTAGE OF GRADE |
| Assignments | 30% |
| Exercises | 30% |
| Midterm Test (February) | 20% |
| Final Examination (April) | 20% |
| Total | 100% |
INSTRUCTOR SOLUTIONS, ASSIGNMENT 1:
INSTRUCTOR SOLUTIONS, ASSIGNMENT 2:
INSTRUCTOR SOLUTIONS, ASSIGNMENT 3:
INSTRUCTOR SOLUTIONS, LAB EXERCISE 2:
MIDTERM TAKE-HOME EXAMINATION:
EXAMPLES OF DIGITAL SPECTRAL CLASSIFICATION:
BINARY STARS INSTRUCTOR NOTES:
STELLAR SPECTRA INSTRUCTOR NOTES:
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES INSTRUCTOR NOTES:
STELLAR INTERIORS INSTRUCTOR NOTES:
ELEMENTARY LIGHT AND TELESCOPES: