Syllabus for |
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| FAS010 - Astrophysical dynamics |
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| Owner: TTFYA |
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5,0 Credits (ECTS 7,5) |
| Grading: TH - Five, Four, Three, Not passed |
| Level: C |
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Department: 75 - EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCES
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Teaching language: English
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Credit distribution |
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Examination dates |
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Sp1 |
Sp2 |
Sp3 |
Sp4 |
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No Sp |
| 0101 |
Examination |
5,0 c |
Grading: TH |
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5,0 c
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Contact examiner, |
Contact examiner |
In programs
TTFYA ENGINEERING PHYSICS, Year 4 (elective)
Examiner:
Docent
Alessandro Romeo
Eligibility:
For single subject courses within Chalmers programmes the same eligibility requirements apply, as to the programme(s) that the course is part of.
Course specific prerequisites
The course is open to 4th/5th-year students (or students at an equivalent
level) and graduate students with background in physics and mathematics.
Aim
This course covers several multi-disciplinary issues of modern research on
astrophysical dynamics, and thus also of interest to physicists,
mathematicians and engineers. The major topic is gas dynamics, viewed in
context with stellar dynamics and plasma physics. Besides, the course gives
a friendly introduction to WAVELETS, which are becoming an increasingly
powerful tool not only for processing signals and images but also for
analysing fractals and turbulence, and which promise to have important
applications to dynamical modelling of disc galaxies.
Content
Basics about fluids. The equations of motion. Simple applications.
Instabilities. Turbulences and fractals. Astrophysical fractals:
interstellar medium and galaxies. Which thermal physics for gravitationally
unstable media? Shocks. Magnetic fields. Gas dynamics vs. stellar dynamics
and plasma physics. Birth, life (and death?) of a galaxy: a step-by-step
problem. Multi-scale relations in disc galaxies: spirals, bars and central
super-massive black holes. Wavelets: an innovative powerful tool for
physicists and astrophysicists. Dynamical modelling of disc galaxies:
towards an innovative approach.
Organisation
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Literature
Course notes, complemented by:
* Shu F.H., 1992, The Physics of Astrophysics - Vol. II: Gas Dynamics.
University Science Books, Sausalito
* Selected references on specific topics
Examination
The exam is in the form of a seminar. The topic is chosen by the student
from a selected list of issues with strong impact on modern research.