• Welcome to Astronomy 386c, "Galaxies"

• Useful quick links
  • Selected Material from Lectures & Assignments
  • Course Outline/Calendar (Updated Nov 18/2014)
  • Student Corner (Updated Nov 8/2014)
  • Course Grade

• Check out the Astronomy Picture of the Day!

• Course Description: Astronomy 386c, "Properties and Evolution of Galaxies" is an upper division course designed for graduate students in astronomy and astrophysics. This core course covers fundamentals on galaxies such as their properties, physics, dynamics, and scaling laws. It will cover paradigms for the hierarchical formation of galaxies and large-scale structure and the physics of galaxy evolution (e.g., gas accretion, mergers, secular processes, feedback). From an observational perspective, I will review galaxy evolution from redshfit z~0 to z~4 (the last ~12 billion years), including the star formation history, star formation tracers (UV, IR, recombination lines, radio, X-ray), growth of stellar mass, merger history, chemical evolution, supermassive black holes, morphological evolution, dark matter, and the dependence on environment. I will conclude by looking at outstanding challenges for Lambda-CDM based galaxy evolution paradigms.

  For astronomy graduate students, as per the AtoZ, this course can count toward one of the nine graded courses required for entering PhD candidacy, and it can also count toward the seven "core" courses that have to be selected from categories A, B, or C. It is abbreviated in the AtoZ as "AST 386C/Galaxies"

• Pre-Requisites: This course is targetted at graduate students in astronomy and astrophysics. I will assume the following: (1) Standard undergraduate level physics preparation; (2) Undergraduate-level astronomy background on the properties, structure, and evolution of stars. If you have not taken Astronomy courses on this topic before, it is recommended that you start with the undergraduate-level material in the Appendix of "Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology" by Peter Schneider, Copyright 2006, Springer; (3) Mathematical physics background at the level of Arfken (1970) or Matthews and Walker (1970). Some useful mathematical background is reviewed in Appendix B of "Galactic Dynamics" by J. Binney and S. Tremaine, Second Edition, Copyright 2008, Princeton University Press.
  If you do not have some of the required pre-requisites it is your responsibiity to contact the professor during the first week of class and set up a plan to master the required background material.

• Class and Office Hours: This class meets Tuesday and Thursdays from 2.00 to 3.30 pm in RLM 15.216B. The instructor is Professor Shardha Jogee Please consult me during the office hours listed below if you have any questions on the course or associated research projects.

Hours: Office: Phone: Email:

Prof. Shardha Jogee Wed 1.00 to 2.00 or by appointment RLM 16.224 (512) 471-1395 sj@astro.as.utexas.edu

• Textbook and Reading: A number of textbooks listed below (abbreviated as GFE, FGU, GD, EAC) will be used for the course. The two main textbooks are GFE and FGU. Student are not required to purchase these books, but various options for free access and purchase are listed:
  
  
  • "Galaxy Formation and Evolution", by H. Mo, F. van den Bosch, and S. White, Copyright 2010, Cambridge University Press (abbreviated as GFE). Ten copies are available at the UT Coop for optional purchase. In addition, an electronic version is available for free from the UT library. UT student can read online, print 20% of the content, and/or download the book for 7 days. After 7 days the downloaded book disappears, but users can go back in and download it again.
  • "First Galaxies in the Universe" by A. Loeb & S. Furlanetto, Copyright 2013, Princeton University Press (abbreviated as FGU). An electronic version is available for free from the UT library. UT student can read online, print 20% of the content, and/or download the book for 7 days. After 7 days the downloaded book disappears, but users can go back in and download it again.
  • "Galactic Dynamics" by J. Binney and S. Tremaine, Second Edition, Copyright 2008, Princeton University Press (abbreviated as GD). One printed copy is on reserve in the PMA library.
  • "Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology" by Peter Schneider, Copyrigh 2006, Springer (abbreviated as EAC). This textbook is less advanced than GFE and FGU, and is useful as an introduction to the subject. Two printed copies are on reserve in the PMA library.

  Additional material not present in the textbook will be posted in the section "Selected Material from Lectures & Assignments " as the class proceeds.

• Course Calendar: The course outline/calendar provides an approximate sequencing of topics to be covered in class. The online calendar will be regularly updated, as needed. As per departmental policy, the professor is a professional astronomer who has research and service responsibilities and may be occasionally on travel in order to conduct research, present colloquia, and attend meetings. In such cases, there may be a schedule change and an appropriate replacement lecture or other assignment will be scheduled.

• Course Grade: I strongly recommend that you attend classes as assignments are primarily based on the lectures and your in-class participation count directly toward your final grade. The final grade will consist of
  60% Homeworks
  15% Midterm exam
  15% End-of-term exam
  10% In-class attendance, participation and activities (e.g., quizzes)
  
  
  When converting your final numerical scores to letter grades, I will use the scheme below or one that is slightly more lenient.

  Letter Grade A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F

  Grade Points 4.00 3.67 3.33 3.00 2.67 2.33 2.00 1.67 1.33 1.00 0.67 0.00

  Numerical Score 91% to 100% 86% to 90% 81% to 85% 76% to 80% 71% to 75% 66% to 70% 61% to 65% 56% to 60% 51% to 55% 46% to 50% 41% to 45% 0% to 40%

• Class and University Policies
  
  
  • Please turn off all cell phones before the start of class.
  • Late homeworks will be accepted for partial credit only if you have been granted an extension prior to the due date.
  • Requests for correction or re-grade of an assignment (homework, exam or quiz) will be accepted at latest two weeks after it is handed back to you.
  • There will be no final comprehensive exam.
  • There will be makeup exams only for students having a valid excuse and an official note from UT for the specific date and time of the missed exam. Makeup exams may be based on any part of the course.
  • You are encouraged to study with other students, but you must write up your own homework, exams, and quizzes. Cheating will be severely punished: if you copy someone's homework/quiz/exam or let someone copy yours, both of you will receive zero credit, and I will consider filing a report to the Dean of Students.
  • Students with disabilities may request appropriate academic accommodations from the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement,Services for Students with Disabilities (phone =512-471-6259).
  • By UT Austin policy, you must notify the professor of a pending absence at least fourteen days prior to the date of observance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project in order to observe a religious holy day, you will be given an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time after the absence.
  
  
  • Academic Integrity and the University Code of Conduct: A fundamental principle for any educational institution, academic integrity is highly valued and seriously regarded at The University of Texas at Austin. More specifically, you and other students are expected to maintain absolute integrity and a high standard of individual honor in scholastic work undertaken at the University.
    The University Honor Code states: "The core values of the University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the University is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community."
    Academic dishonesty includes: cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, falsifying academic records, misrepresenting facts, multiple submissions, and any other acts or attempted acts that violate the basic standard of academic integrity. Consequences of academic dishonesty can be severe. Grade-related penalties are routinely assessed but students can also be suspended or even permanently expelled from the University for scholastic dishonesty. Other potential consequences can be particularly far-reaching, such as the creation of a disciplinary record that may very well impact future opportunities. Furthermore, incidents of scholastic dishonesty diminish the overall value of scholastic achievements on this campus and reflect poorly on the University. Helpful resources:
    
    • Office of the Dean of Students:
    • Descriptions of plagiarism and Guide to Avoiding Plagiarism
  
  
  • Emergency Procedures: In the event of an evacuation, follow the instruction of faculty or class instructors. Occupants of buildings on The University of Texas at Austin campus are required to evacuate buildings when a fire alarm is activated. Students requiring assistance in evacuation should inform their instructor in writing during the first week of class. Familiarize yourself with all exit doors of each classroom and building you may occupy and remember that the nearest exit door may not be the one you used when entering the building. Do not re-enter a building unless given instructions by the following: Austin Fire Department, The University of Texas at Austin Police Department, or Fire Prevention Services office.
  
  
  • Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL): The Behavior Concerns Advice Line is a service that provides The University of Texas at Austin’s faculty, students and staff an opportunity to discuss their concerns about another individual’s behavior. This service is a partnership among the Office of the Dean of Students, the Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC), the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and The University of Texas Police Department (UTPD). An individual can either call the line 512-232-5050 or report online