PHYSICS 232 - STELLAR STRUCTURE AND EVOLUTION

LECTURE: T Th 11:00-12:15 HSSB Rm 2201
ANNOUNCEMENTS: http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/~phys132/f2006/
LECTURE SCHEDULE
HOMEWORK: Assignments and Solutions
Final Presentations

OFFICE HOURS:

Prof. Crystal Martin	Th/F afternoon	Broida 2015D	893-8760
TA: Mr. Victor Sciortino	M 3-4:30	Physics Study Center	n/a

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course covers the physics of stellar structure -- hydrostatic balance, equations of state, and heat transport -- and the processes driving stellar evolution -- nucleosynthesis and mass-loss. We will apply familiar physics in unfamiliar environments exploring such topics as the main sequence, the birth of stars and brown dwarfs, and the origin and cooling of compact objects. You should leave this class with a general understanding of the structure and evolution of all types of stars, be able to explain the lifecyle of a star starting from its formation to its end in a compact remnant, and comprehend the significance of topics in current stellar research.
Course Outline

PREREQUISITE: Undergraduate physics and basic programming skills.

2. Principles of Stellar Evolution and Nucleosynthesis , Donald D. Clayton, New York, NY 1983 (recommended)

3. Introduction to Stellar Winds , by. Henny J. G. L. M. Lamers, and Joseph P. Cassinellli, Cambridge, United Kingdom (useful)

4. Stellar Atmospheres , Dimitri Mihalas, 2nd edition, Freeman and Company, New York, NY (classic book on atmospheres)

5. Supernovae and Nucleosynthesis , D. Arnett, Princeton University Press, 1996 (comprehensive treatment of the origin of the elements)

6. Stellar Structure and Evolution , by R. Kippenhahn and A. Weigert, Springer-Verlag, Germany 1991 (nice plots and pictures)

7. The Physics of Stars , by A. C. Phillips, 2nd Edition, John Wiley and Sonds, Ltd. New York, NY (good undergraduate text)

GRADING:
Homework 50%
Final Presentation 50%

Policies:
See the Lecture Schedule; it will be updated with reading assignments periodically.
See the Homework Assignments; exercises will be posted roughly once a week.
Read assigned material before class. Participate in class discussions. Respect your peers in the classroom. Turn in your own work.
Homework is due at the beginning of class. If you will not be present, make arrangements with me in advance. Late homework is not accepted otherwise.
I may give a pop quiz on the homework material and grade that in place of the homework.

Some Common Units in Astronomy:
I will use cgs units throughout this course since that is the practice in astronomy. You should become familiar with some basic units such as the solar mass, solar luminosity, parsec, astronomical unit, and magnitudes.

1 M_ {\odot} = 1.989 x 10³³ g
1 L_{\odot} = 3.826 x 10³³ erg/s
1 pc = 3.0856 x 10¹⁸ cm
1 AU = 1.496 x 1013 cm
m_AB = -2.5 log f_ \nu - 48.60


Astro Surf Sites:
http://hubblesite.org/go/blackholes/
http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/CosmoCalc.html
http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/~seminars/astro/l
http://chandra.harvard.edu/
http://www.stsci.edu/resources/