Programs by Campus
Bloomington
Astrophysics
Courses
• AST-G 630 Nuclear Astrophysics (3 cr.) P: A451, P453-P454, or con¬sent of instructor. R: A550, P511. Applications of nuclear physics to astronomy. Fundamental properties of nuclei and nuclear reactions. Element synthesis and energy generation in the big bang, stellar interiors, and supernovae. Discussion of current topics: cosmological nucleosynthesis, solar neutrino flux, explosive nucleosynthesis, high-energy nuclear processes.
• AST-G 650 High Energy Astrophysics (3 cr.) Covers cosmic rays from the perspective of astrophysics and high-energy particle physics. Examples of topics that may be included are the produc¬tion, propagation, and interactions of cosmic rays as well as the experimental detection of cosmic rays. Subtopics include atmospheric and solar neutrinos, magnetic monopoles, point sources of cosmic rays, neutrino oscillations, air showers, and stellar collapse detection.
• AST-G 750 Topics in Astrophysical Sciences (1-3 cr.) A seminar in astrophysics with special emphasis on subjects involving more than one department. Examples of such topics include plan¬etology, nucleosynthesis, nuclear cosmochronology, isotopic anomalies in meteorites, particle physics of the early universe, and atomic processes in astrophysical systems.
• PHYS-P 560 Modern Optics (3 cr.) Physical optics and electromagnetic waves based on electromagnetic theory; wave equations; phase and group velocity; dispersion; coherence; interference; diffraction; polarization of light and of electromagnetic radiation generally; wave guides; holography; masers and lasers; introduction to optical spectroscopy