From Stars To Black Holes
Duration
- One Semester or equivalent
Contact hours
- 36 hours
2020 teaching periods
Hawthorn
| Higher Ed. Semester 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Dates: Results: Last self enrolment: Census: Last withdraw without fail: |
Prerequisites
Aims and objectives
To introduce students to the mathematical and physical basis that underlies modern stellar astrophysics. Students will build on their foundation of conceptual astronomy to gain a deeper understanding of key areas in stellar astrophysics. In particular the student will be introduced to the study of the physical basis underlying stars including stellar structure, radiation processes, star formation and evolution models, stellar evolutionary end-points (i.e. neutron stars and pulsars) and the physics of black holes.
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Describe the physical and mathematical basis of stellar structure;
2. Demonstrate an understanding of stellar life cycles from birth to death;
3. Communicate topics in modern astronomy research to a non-technical audience.
Unit information in detail
- Teaching methods, assessment, general skills outcomes and content.
Teaching methods
*Scheduled face to face: Lectures (24 hours), Tutorials (12 hours)
*Scheduled synchronous online Learning events N/A
Non-scheduled online learning events and activities (N/A)
Other non-scheduled learning events and activities including independent study (approx.114 hours)
Assessment
| Types | Individual or Group task | Weighting | Assesses attainment of these ULOs |
| Examination | Individual | 50% | 1,2 |
| Assignments | Individual | 25% | 1,2 |
| Research Report | Individual | 20% | 3 |
| Tutorial tasks | Group | 5% | 1,2 |
As the minimum requirements of assessment to pass the unit and meet all Unit Learning Outcomes to a minimum standard, a student must achieve:
(i) An aggregate mark of 50% or more, and
(ii) Obtain at least 40% in the final exam
Students who do not successfully achieve hurdle requirement (ii) will receive a maximum of 44% as the total mark for the unit and will not be eligible for a conceded pass.
General skills outcomes
During this unit students will receive feedback on the following key generic skills:
• Teamwork skills
• Analysis skills
• Problem solving skills
• Communication skills
• Ability to tackle unfamiliar problems
• Ability to work independently
Content
• Star formation – interstellar medium, protostars, pre-main-sequence evolution;
• Stellar atmospheres, stellar opacity, radiative transfer;
• Stellar interiors – hydrostatic equilibrium, energy transport;
• Physics of spectroscopy – absorption and emission lines;
• Stellar evolution – low and high-mass evolution;
• Variability – pulsation, helioseismology;
• Stellar remnants – white dwarfs, degenerate matter, neutron stars, pulsars;
• Black holes, introduction to the general theory of relativity;
• Spacetime, geodesics, metrics, event horizon, Hawking radiation.
Study resources
- Reading materials.
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required texts will be made available in the Unit Outline.