PY4A04

Module PY4A03 Interstellar Medium and Cosmology

Cohort: SS Physics and Astrophysics, SS Theoretical Physics (optional)

Credits: 5

Lecturer: Professor G. Harper, B. Espey

Duration: Hilary Term, Interstellar Medium, 12 lectures, Cosmology, 12 lectures

Assesment: End of Year Exam. The ‘Interstellar Medium’ part of the module PY4A04 may be assessed continuously in whole or in part. In this case, the number/weighting of the questions in the examination will be adjusted. Students will be informed of the exact assessment procedure at the beginning of the module (in Hilary Term).

Description: Part I: Interstellar Medium: The Milky Way and other galaxies contain vast quantities of gas and dust. The stars themselves are born from this medium and frequently interact with it during their life. This course emphasises both theoretical and observational aspects of the interstellar medium. Topics covered include radiation processes, heating and cooling, supernova remnants, stellar winds, jets from young stars, multiple-phase models, photoionised regions, gravitational collapse, and the global structure of the ISM.

Lecture Notes

Part II: Cosmology: Starting with basic cosmological observations and the basic postulates of the Cosmological Principle, this course derives far-reaching results using Newtonian principles. The implications of the most recent results concerning Dark Matter and Dark Energy are also discussed, together with possible future observational and research directions.