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AST 383D
Syllabus
Course Calendar
Problem Sets
Courses
Syllabus

Course Objectives
The physics of the stars is a fantastic subject. We will cover: The basic principles of stellar structure. Stellar evolution from the Hayashi track to compact remnants. Stellar models. Stellar pulsations and oscillations. The formation of the first stars (Pop III), and their impact on cosmology.

Texts
The textbooks are available at the Co-op, and will be available on the reserve shelf of the astronomy department library (Peridier, RLM, 15th floor), as well as in the PMA main library (RLM, 4th floor).

The two required texts are:
  • Hansen/Kawaler/Trimble (HKT), Stellar Interiors (2nd edition), Springer (this will be the basic text for our course)
  • Kippenhahn (K100), 100 Billion Suns, Princeton University Press (a semi-popular introduction into the subject, written by one of the pioneers of the field)
In addition, there are two optional/recommended texts:
  • Kippenhahn/Weigert (KW), Stellar Structure and Evolution, Springer (a very thorough, encyclopedic reference for a lifetime of research in the field)
  • Phillips (Ph), The Physics of Stars (2nd edition), Wiley (advanced undergraduate level, a great introduction)
For the first stars part, we will use (copies provided in class):
  • Bromm/Larson (BL), The First Stars, Annual Reviews of Astronomy & Astrophysics
Grading
The student's final grade will be based on:

In-class Exam = 30%
Three homework assignments = 2x20%  + 1x30%
Homework
The homework assignments will contain analytical and numerical parts. I assume that you will know one language (C, Fortran, IDL, Mathematica,...), allowing you to solve problems numerically. I will give you a month or so to get up to speed if necessary. Feel free to ask me for help to get started.






 





8 August 2005
Astronomy Program · The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, Texas 78712
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