Structure of the Stars - ASTROPHYSICS 514
Spring 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION

Welcome to Astrophysics 514 Structure of the Stars.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Class Meets: Tuesday and Thursday, 3:00 - 4:20 p.m. (plus backup days and times).

Professor:

                    Adam Burrows

                    Office:        Peyton Hall, Room 105
                    Phone:         609-258-3590
                    Office Hours:  By appointment
                    email:         burrows@astro.princeton.edu 
                    WWW:           Class Web Page: http://www.astro.princeton.edu/~burrows/classes/514


Course Description: This course surveys the essential physics of stellar structure, interiors, and evolution. The emphasis is on the physical and dynamical processes in stars, on the equations of stellar structure and evolution, on their approximate solution, and on stellar systematics. To that end, we focus on timescales, polytropes, energetics, scaling relations, thermodynamics and equations of state, radiative transfer and opacities, convection theory, nuclear reactions and rates, nucleosynthesis, white dwarf and neutron star structure, stellar endpoints, and the various distinctive stellar phases. Moreover, since astrophysicists should be trained as generalists, we will aim throughout the course to impart a better physical and intuitive understanding of the essential meaning of the equations, processes, and principles that govern stars of all sort, and of their universality.

Prerequisites: A good knowledge of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy at the 1st-year Graduate level


Syllabus


Textbooks:

No required textbook for Astrophysics 514

Recommended Textbooks (not required):


MESA Source Information


Class Supplementary Notes (important resource)


Mid-term Paper Suggestions: "Classic" Papers and Possible Topics


Homework: Homework will be assigned approximately once every two weeks and will be due on the noted Thursday. Late homeworks will not be accepted.

Homework Assignments


Examinations and Grading: The grade for this course will be based upon performance on the assigned homeworks (30%), a midterm paper (30%), and a final exam (40%). The course will be graded on a curve. Class participation will be factored in. The final examination will be cumulative and will cover all the material of the course (including textbook, relevant online notes, and classroom lectures).


Last modified: Saturday, January 21, 2023