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University of Texas Rio Grande Valley College of Science and Mathematics Department of Physics Spring 2016 Course Syllabus for Astronomy 3301-01 “Stellar & Galactic Astronomy” Instructor: Satya R. Kachiraju, E-mail: [email protected] Office: SCIE 3.162; Phone 956-665-2578 Office Hours: MW 1:00 to 3:00 pm at SCNE 3.162, or by appointment (Note: Each student must meet the instructor at least TWO times during the semester) TIME/PLACE: MW 09:25 am – 10:40 am, SWOT 1.406 Textbook: The Cosmic Perspective, 7th Edition by Bennett, Donahue, Schneider, and Voit. Catalogue Course Description: ASTR 3301: This is an algebra/geometry/trigonometry/vector-based course in which students study stars and galaxies. Topics include: our Sun; star types, properties and evolution; our Milky Way Galaxy; galaxies types and general properties; Hubble’s Law; the expansion of the Universe; the Big Bang Model. Prerequisite: ASTR 1402 or ASTR 2301 Student Learning Outcomes, Core Curriculum, and Objectives: Astronomy is the study of the universe in which we live. The celestial bodies, including Earth, will be studied to improve our understanding of the origins, evolution, composition as well as the motion of these celestial bodies including: stars, planets, asteroids, comets, and meteors. Astronomers look at the universe and see a vast system of objects waiting to be discovered and understood. At the end of this course students will be able to: 1. Understand and apply method and appropriate technology to study astronomy. 2. To recognize scientific and quantitative methods and approaches used by astronomers to communicate findings and interpretation. 3. To identify and recognize scientific theories dealing with the creation of our universe (and our solar system in particular). 4. To demonstrate knowledge of the interdependence of science and technology and the effects on our modern culture. Today’s astronomical instruments and techniques are expanding our views of the earth and its place in the universe. 5. To apply quantitative methods in the analysis and study of astronomical objects. Page 1 of7 UTRGV Policy Statements: Students with Disabilities: If you have a documented disability (physical, psychological, learning, or other disability which affects your academic performance) and would like to receive academic accommodations, please inform your instructor and contact Student Accessibility Services to schedule an appointment to initiate services. It is recommended that you schedule an appointment with Student Accessibility Services before classes start. However, accommodations can be provided at any time. Brownsville Campus: Student Accessibility Services is located in Cortez Hall Room 129 and can be contacted by phone at (956) 882-7374 (Voice) or via email at [email protected]. Edinburg Campus: Student Accessibility Services is located in 108 University Center and can be contacted by phone at (956) 665-7005 (Voice), (956) 665-3840 (Fax), or via email at [email protected]. Mandatory Course Evaluation: Students are required to complete an ONLINE evaluation of this course, accessed through your UTRGV account (http://my.utrgv.edu); you will be contacted through email with further instructions. Online evaluations will be available Apr. 13 – May. 4, 2016. Students who complete their evaluations will have priority access to their grades. Scholastic Integrity: As members of a community dedicated to Honesty, Integrity and Respect, students are reminded that those who engage in scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and expulsion from the University. Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to: cheating, plagiarism, and collusion; submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person; taking an examination for another person; any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student; or the attempt to commit such acts. Since scholastic dishonesty harms the individual, all students and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced (Board of Regents Rules and Regulations and UTRGV Academic Integrity Guidelines). All scholastic dishonesty incidents will be reported to the Dean of Students. Sexual Harassment, Discrimination and Violence: In accordance with UT System regulations, your instructor is a “responsible employee” for reporting purposes under Title IX regulations and so must report any instance, occurring during a student’s time in college, of sexual assault, stalking, dating violence, domestic violence, or sexual harassment about which she/he becomes aware during this course through writing, discussion, or personal disclosure. More information can be found at www.utrgv.edu/equity, including confidential resources available on campus. The faculty and staff of UTRGV actively strive to provide a learning, working, and living environment that promotes personal integrity, civility, and mutual respect in an environment free from sexual misconduct and discrimination. Course Drops: According to UTRGV policy, students may drop any class without penalty earning a grade of DR until the official drop date April 13th. Following that date, students must be assigned a letter grade and can no longer drop the class. Students considering dropping the Page 2 of7 class should be aware of the “3-peat rule” and the “6-drop” rule so they can recognize how dropped classes may affect their academic success. The 6-drop rule refers to Texas law that dictates that undergraduate students may not drop more than six courses during their undergraduate career. Courses dropped at other Texas public higher education institutions will count toward the six-course drop limit. The 3-peat rule refers to additional fees charged to students who take the same class for the third time. Blackboard: Blackboard Learn (http://mycourses.utrgv.edu/) will be utilized to augment the teaching of the course. It will be specifically used by the instructor in making announcements, creating assessments related to advanced reading assignments, e-mailing students, initiating online discussion, posting course materials (e.g. syllabus, class schedules, lecture summaries, etc.) and grades. Students are required to have access to Blackboard Learn. All e-mail correspondences to the instructor regarding the course should be done through Blackboard. Text version of power point slides will be available for viewing and printing E-mail Correspondences: University policy requires all electronic communication between the University and students be conducted through the official University supplied systems; namely UTRGVMail for email or Blackboard for course specific correspondence. Please identify you by name and include ‘ASTR 3301-01’ and the section in the subject line. I will check email daily during the week and respond within 24–48 hours. Questions about assignments should be emailed two days before the due date to ensure you receive a timely response. Attendance and class participation:Attendance is mandatory. Students are expected to prepare for and actively participate in class. Excellence means being prepared, involved, and taking responsibility for your own learning. Since class Attendance and participation will be graded, students must attend the entire class period to earn full Attendance and participation credit. Students missing classes (or significant portions of classes) will have their grade reduced. One point will be reduced for each day missed, half point for each “half class”. Missing more than 3 days is automatic loss of all attendance points. ** Use of phones/tablets/computers in class will not be allowed. You will be asked to leave the classroom if the teacher sees you using any of these devices and a 1% penalty will be imposed on overall grade upon each time of violation. Page 3 of7 Grading Policy: 10 Hourly Lecture Exams ..……………………………. 50% 10 Home Assignments ……………………………….... 40% Attending class, contribution to discussion, engaging in class activities, etc.. (8%) and meeting with Instructor (2 x 1=2%)……………………..10% Note #1: As indicated above, we will have 10 (ten) exams. The lecture exams will be open-book (only textbook). Each exam will correspond to chapters of the textbook MAKE-UP POLICY MAKE-UP EXAMS will only be given if the instructor is contacted ON OR BEFORE THE DAY OF THE EXAM AND DOCUMENTATION OF A SERIOUS AND COMPELLING REASON FOR MISSING THE EXAM IS PROVIDED (e.g. serious illness in yourself or a close family member) Note #2: As indicated above, we will have 10 (ten) home assignments. Each home assignment will also correspond to a chapters of the textbook. Late assignments will be accepted only if they are submitted within 2 days of the due date (20 pts will be deducted from the maximum points available). Note #3: It is very much recommended that after the lectures for a given chapter(s) of the textbook have been completed, that the student work through the “Quantitative Problems” section of the given chapter(s). Any questions that arise to the student at this point may be addressed during classes or in office hours. Note #4: No Final Exam. I. Space and Time(Chapters S2of the Textbook) Relatives Velocities in Newtonian Mechanics. Inertial Rest Frames. Constancy of the Speed of Light. Relativity of Time. Special Theory of Relativity (SR). Lorentz Transformations. Time Dilatation in SR. Length Contraction in SR. Particle Momentum in SR. Kinetic Energy in SR. Doppler Effect in SR. Mass-Energy. Page 4 of7 II. Our Star (Chapter 14 of the Textbook) Nuclear Fusion. Nuclear Fission. Strong Nuclear Force. Mass-energy conversion. Solar Wind. Thermostat. Energy Emission from Sun’s Surface. Density (in Astronomy). Pressure. Gravitational Equilibrium. Plasma. Electron. Proton. Neutron. P-P Chain. Neutrino. Solar Neutrino Problem. Solar Activity (Solar Weather). Solar Vibrations. Sunspots. Magnetosphere. Spectral Line. Solar Prominences (Solar Loops). Solar Flares. Sunspot Cycle. Solar Minimum. Solar Maximum. III. Surveying the Stars (Chapter 15 of the Textbook) Nebula. Luminosity. Apparent Brightness. Luminosity-Distance Relation. Apparent Magnitude. Absolute Magnitude. Stellar Temperature and Thermal Emission. Parallax. Stellar Parallax. Parsec. Electromagnetic Wave. Wavelength. Frequency. Photon. Energy of a Photon. Momentum of a Photon. Doppler Effect. Doppler Shift. Blue-shifted. Redshifted. Binary System. Visual Binary. Eclipsing Binary. Spectroscopic Binary. Stellar Masses in Binary Systems. H-R Diagram. Main Sequence. Giants. White Dwarfs. Spectral Classes. Luminosity Classes. Degenerate Matter. Star Cluster. Open Cluster. Globular Cluster. Halo. Main Sequence Turn-Off. Big Bang. IV. Star Birth & Star Stuff (Chapter 16 and Chapter 17) of the Textbook) Galactic Recycling. Star Clusters. Stellar Life Cycle. Gravitational Equilibrium. Jean’s Mass. Nebula. Protostar. Jet (of a Protostar). Brown Dwarf. Electron Degeneracy Pressure. Main-Sequence Star. Low-Mass Star. Red Giant. Helium Flash. Double-Shell Burning. Planetary Nebula. White Dwarf. High-Mass Star. Supergiant. Multiple-Shell Burning. Main-Sequence Supernova (Type II). Neutron Star. Neutron Degeneracy Pressure. Black Hole. Supernova Remnant. P-P Chain. CNO Cycle. Binary System. Close Binary System. Accretion Disk. V. The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard (Chapter 18 of the Textbook) Stellar Life Cycle. Low-Mass Star. High-Mass Star. White Dwarf. Neutron Star. Black Hole. Main-Sequence Supernova (Supernova Type II). White Dwarf Supernova (Supernova Type I). Binary System. Accretion Disk. Nova. Isolated Star. Pulsars. X-ray Binary. X-ray Burster. Escape Velocity. Event Horizon. Schwarzschild Radius. Quasars. Gamma-ray Bursts. VI. Our Galaxy (Chapter 19 of the Textbook) Galaxy. Milky Way. Interstellar Medium. Ionization Nebula. Spiral Galaxy. Elliptical Galaxy. Irregular Galaxy. Galactic Disk. Spiral Arms. Halo. Galactic Bulge. Globular Clusters. Open Clusters. Density Wave. Heavy Element (in Astronomy). Disk Stars (Population I). Spheroidal Stars (Population II). Protogalactic Cloud. Star-gas-star cycle. Hot bubbles. Sgr A*. Supermassive Black Hole. Accretion Disk. Page 5 of7 VII. Galaxies and the Foundation of Modern Cosmology & Galaxy Evolution (Chapters 20 & 21 of the Textbook) Barred Spiral Galaxy. Lenticular Galaxy. Dwarf Galaxy. Giant Galaxy. Radar. Parallax. Standard Candle. Main Sequence Fitting. Local Group. Cepheids (Cepheid Variables). Period-Luminosity Relation (Cepheid Variables). Andromeda Galaxy. Light. Frequency (of light). Expansion of the Universe. Big Bang. Red Shift “z” (Newtonian and SR). Hubble’s Law. Observable Universe. Protogalactic Cloud. Galactic Evolution. Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). Quasar (QSO). VIII. Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe (Chapter 22 of the Textbook) Galaxy Group or Cluster. Supercluster. Dark Matter. Rotation Curve (in Spiral Galaxies). “Flatness” of a plotted Curve. Mass-to-Light Ratio. “Hot Gas” (found in between galaxies of a cluster). Gravitational Lensing. Baryonic Matter. Non-baryonic matter. Protons. Neutrons. Neutrinos. Photons. MACHOS (in Astronomy). WIMPS (in Astronomy). Large-scale structure. Protogalaxy. Recollapsing Universe. Critical Universe. Coasting Universe. Accelerating Universe. Dark Energy. IX. The Beginning of Time (Chapter 23 of the Textbook) Big Bang Theory. Particle Creation and Annihilation. Matter and Antimatter. Antiparticle. Fundamental Forces. Gravity. Electromagnetic Force. Weak Nuclear Force. Strong Nuclear Force. Superforce. GUT (Grand Unified Theory) Force. Planck Era. GUT Era. Electroweak Era. Particle Era. Nucleosynthesis Era. Nuclei Era. Era of Atoms. Era of Galaxies. Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB).Temperature and Wavelength of CMB. Large-Scale Structure. Inflation (in the Big Bang Theory). Critical Density (of the Universe). X. Life in the Universe (Chapter 24 of the Textbook). Greenhouse Effect. Runaway Greenhouse Effect. Heavy Bombardment. Isotope. Theory of Evolution. Natural Selection. DNA. Mutation. Prokarya. Eukarya. Bacteria. Archaea. Black Smoker. Ozone. “habitable” world. “habitable zone” (of a star). Kepler Mission. Planetary Transits. Rare Earth Hypothesis. SETI. Drake’s Equation. Page 6 of7 Tentative Schedule for ASTR 3301-01 (Subject to change): Week Date Week Lecture Date Lecture 1 Mon Jan 18 No class, MLK day 9 Mon Mar 14 No Classes. Spring Break 1 Wed Jan 20 Course Introduction /Topic 1 (Chapter S2) 9 Wed Mar 16 No Classes. Spring Break 10 Mon Mar 21 Topic 6 (Chapter 19) 10 Wed Mar 23 Topic 6 (Chapter 19) 11 Mon Mar 28 Exam #6 (Chapter 19) 11 Wed Mar 30 Topic 7 (Chapters 20 and 21) 12 Mon Apr 4 Topic 7 (Chapter 20 and 21) 12 Wed Apr 6 Exam #7 (Chapter 20 and 21) 13 Mon Apr 11 Topic 8 (Chapters 22) 13 Wed Apr 13 Topic 8 (Chapters 22) 14 Mon Apr 18 Exam #8 (Chapters 22) 14 Wed Apr 20 Topic 9 (Chapter 23) 15 Mon Apr 25 Exam #9 (Chapter 23) 15 Wed Apr 27 Topic 10 (Chapter 24) 16 Mon May 2 Topic 10 (Chapter 24) - Review 16 Wed May 4 Exam #10 (Chapter 14) 16 Thu May 5 No Classes. Study Days 2 Mon Jan 25 Topic 1 (Chapter S2) 2 Wed Jan 27 Topic 1 (Chapter S2) 3 Mon Feb 1 Topic 1 (Chapter S2) - Review 3 Wed Feb 3 Exam #1 (Chapter S2) 4 Mon Feb 8 Topic 2 (Chapter 14) 4 Wed Feb 10 Topic 2 (Chapter 14) - Review 5 Mon Feb 15 Exam #2 (Chapter 14) 5 Wed Feb 17 Topic 3 (Chapter 15) 6 Mon Feb 22 Topic 3 (Chapter 15) - Review 6 Wed Feb 24 Exam #3 (Chapter 15) 7 Mon Feb 29 Topic 4 (Chapters 16 and 17) 7 Wed Mar 2 Exam #4 (Chapters 16 and 17) 8 Mon Mar 7 Topic 5 (Chapter 18) 8 Wed Mar 9 Exam #5 (Chapter 18) Page 7 of7