High Energy Astrophysics
Course outline
We will study the vast and continually evolving subject of high energy astrophysics: the science of extreme environments and their observable implications. We will focus on the physics of the phenomena, with background excursions into radiation, GR and gas dynamics.
The recommended books for the course are: Frank, King and Raine’s “Accretion Power in Astrophysics,” Rybicki and Lightman’s “Radiative Processes in Astrophysics,” and Longair’s “High Energy Astrophysics,” v 1 and 2. There will be ~5 homeworks and a final.
Course website: www.astro.princeton.edu/~anatoly/AST520
Subjects to be covered:
1. Spherical accretion
2. Radiation processes: bremsstrahlung, synchrotron, Compton
3. Neutron stars, WD and black holes. Internal structure, metrics, orbits
4. Accretion disks: thin, thick
5. Accretion in binaries: Roche lobe, disk stability, magnetic accretion
6. Thermonuclear energy release: X-ray bursts, novae
7. Nonthermal particles: acceleration processes, cosmic rays
8. Supernovae, Supernova remnant evolution
9. Gamma-ray bursts
10. Electrodynamics: pulsars, physics in strong fields
11. Electrodynamics: jet collimation, BZ effect