Fundaments of High-Energy Astrophysics and Particle Astrophysics
Course content
This course will cover fundamental concepts in high-energy and particle astrophysics. Students interested in acquiring a general background on the engines powering astrophysical sources, their microphysics, as well as the interpretation of related astronomical observations are encouraged to attend the course. Students at the MSc or PhD level will also benefit from taking this course, if they intend to pursue research in astrophysics and particle astrophysics.
We will cover the basic processes trough which particles, including neutrinos, photons, gravitational waves and cosmic rays are produced in astrophysical sources and how such particles power the sources themselves. We will explore the formation and evolution of a wide range of astrophysical transients and build up a useful theoretical toolkit to enable the further development of the attending students as experienced researchers in related fields.
Key subjects in the course are:
- Order of magnitude estimations in astrophysics and particle astrophysics.
- Particle physics in compact objects (white dwarfs, supernovae, neutron stars, compact binary mergers).
- Particle acceleration and energetics in astrophysical environments.
- Photons, neutrinos, gravitational waves and cosmic rays as probes of high-energy astrophysical sources.
MSc Programme in Physics
Knowledge:
After attending this course, students are expected to be able to:
- Explain the processes powered by particles at work in astrophysical sources and the energetic of the source.
- Pinpoint the amount of energy carried out by particles in astrophysical sources and their detection imprints.
- Explain particle acceleration mechanisms in astrophysical sources and the main features characterizing the spectral energy distribution of neutrinos, photons, and cosmic rays.
Skills:
After attending this course, the students are expected to be able to:
- Carry out estimations of the main mechanisms leading to particle acceleration and particle production in astrophysical sources.
- Pinpoint the processes powering astrophysical sources and their observables.
- Understand fundamental research papers in the field.
Competences:
This course will provide students with the tools to work in a variety of topics in high-energy astrophysics, cosmology, particle astrophysics, and interpret astronomical observations.
One assignment per week or student presentations are foreseen. The assignments constitute a crucial component of the learning experience for this course and 1/3 of the final grade will be based on the assignments.. Some of the assignments will be analytical; some other assignments will involve computer exercises that could be done using Matlab, Python, or any other language that the students find useful.
See Absalon for final course material.
Lecture notes will be provided.
The students are strongly encouraged to consult the following books:
- Probes of Multimessenger Astrophysics, Spurio, Springer.
- Cosmic Rays and Particle Physics, Gaisser, Engel, Rasconi, Cambridge University Press.
- High Energy Astrophysics, Longair, Cambridge University Press.
- Theoretical Astrophysics, Padmanabhan, Cambridge University Press.
Students will benefit from being familiar with basic notions in
Calculus, Thermodynamics, Special Relativity, and Statistical
Physics. General knowledge in Particle Physics and General
Relativity is also welcome but not mandatory.
Students interested in this course that would like to revise the
subjects above before the course begins are encouraged to contact
the course responsible to discuss useful readings.
Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is
recommended.
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
Oral examination, 25 minutes (no preparation time)Continuous assessment
- Type of assessment details
- The final grade will be based on two components:
(i) 5 homework assignments (1/3 of the final grade).
(ii) Oral exam without preparation time (2/3 of the final grade).
The two parts do not have to be passed separately. - Aid
- All aids allowed
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
Several internal examiners
- Re-exam
-
The re-exam consists of two parts:
i) If the student has not passed the homework assignments in the ordinary exam term, this part of the exam will be replaced by an additional 15-minute oral examination where the student will go through the solution of an unknown problem, with no preparation time and no aids allowed (1/3 of final grade).
ii) Oral examination, 25 minutes with no preparation time (2/3 of final grade)
Criteria for exam assessment
See Learning outcome
Single subject courses (day)
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 40
- Preparation
- 126
- Exercises
- 40
- English
- 206
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- NFYK18003U
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Programme level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
-
1 block
- Placement
- Block 4
- Schedulegroup
-
C
- Capacity
- No limitation – unless you register in the late-registration period (BSc and MSc) or as a credit or single subject student.
- Studyboard
- Study Board of Physics, Chemistry and Nanoscience
Contracting department
- The Niels Bohr Institute
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Science
Course Coordinator
- Irene Tamborra (8-78657166737676654472666d326f7932686f)
Teacher
Irene Tamborra
Martin Elias Pessah
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