Instructor: Steven R. Cranmer   (email, web page)
Instructor's Office:   Duane Physics D111 (main campus), LASP/SPSC N218 (east campus)
Course Times:     Spring 2022, Mon./Wed./Fri., 9:05-9:55 am
Location: Duane Physics, Room E126
Office Hours: Mondays and Fridays, 1:10-2:10 pm (both Zoom & D111)
Syllabus: See the most up-to-date PDF version.

Summary

Stars are the basic building blocks of the universe, and they are responsible for the production of most elements via nucleosynthesis. In this course, we will explore the physical principles that govern stellar interiors, evolution, and atmospheres, with the Sun and its heliosphere often being used as the closest and best-studied example of a star. The course will cover energy generation and transport in stars, principles of stellar structure, stellar rotation, pulsation, and evolution up to supernova and compact object stages. The course will also include radiation transport in stellar photospheres, chromospheres, coronas, and winds. We will occasionally touch on topics in planetary science, especially in areas where the boundary lines between stars, brown dwarfs, and planets become somewhat ambiguous.

This course is an elective for APS graduate students. A definite pre-requisite is senior-level undergraduate physics. The catalog says that a recommended pre-requisite or co-requisite is Radiative and Dynamical Processes (ASTR-5120), but I won't assume that students have taken it.

Course Material

The primary "required readings" are my lecture notes, which will be posted below on this page as the semester progresses. Other resources for this course include:

Schedule

Below is a detailed schedule that will list the material covered in each class session, links to electronic copies of any handouts and problem sets, and various course deadlines.

  1. Mon., January 10: Introductory lecture; syllabus summary. Begin overview of stellar observations and the H-R Diagram.
    • Homework 1 (problem set) assigned, due Wed., January 26.
    • Lecture notes (00) for the introduction and observational overview.

  2. Wed., January 12: Continue overview of stellar observations and the H-R Diagram.

  3. Fri., January 14: Kinetic and thermodynamic properties of gases.
    • Lecture notes (01) for kinetic and thermodynamic properties of stellar gases.

      [Mon., January 17: Martin Luther King Holiday; no classes.]

  4. Wed., January 19: Kinetic and thermodynamic properties of gases.

  5. Fri., January 21: Finish kinetic and thermodynamic properties of gases. Start stellar energy sources.
    • Lecture notes (02) for stellar energy sources (grav contraction, virial theorem, nuclear energy generation).

  6. Mon., January 24: (Half) Recitation/discussion. (Half) Stellar energy sources, including gravitational contraction and the virial theorem.

  7. Wed., January 26: Stellar energy sources, including gravitational contraction and the virial theorem.
    • Homework 1 due.
    • Homework 2 (problem set) assigned, due Wed., February 9.

  8. Fri., January 28: Stellar energy sources, including nuclear energy generation.

  9. Mon., January 31: Stellar energy sources, including nuclear energy generation.

  10. Wed., February 2: Stellar energy sources, including nuclear energy generation.

  11. Fri., February 4: (Half) Stellar energy sources, including nuclear energy generation. (Half) Energy transport from core to surface: radiation and convection.
    • Lecture notes (03) for energy transport: radiation, conduction, convection.

  12. Mon., February 7: Energy transport from core to surface: radiation and convection.

  13. Wed., February 9: Energy transport from core to surface: radiation and convection.
    • Homework 2 due.
    • Homework 3 (problem set) assigned, due Wed., February 23.

  14. Fri., February 11: (Half) Recitation/discussion. (Half) Energy transport from core to surface: radiation and convection.

  15. Mon., February 14: Energy transport from core to surface: radiation and convection.

  16. Wed., February 16: Spherical stellar model interiors.
    • Lecture notes (04) on constructing spherical stellar interiors.

  17. Fri., February 18: Spherical stellar model interiors.

  18. Mon., February 21: Spherical stellar model interiors.

  19. Wed., February 23: Spherical stellar model interiors.
    • Homework 3 due.
    • Homework 4 (problem set) assigned, due Wed., March 9.

  20. Fri., February 25: (Half) Recitation/discussion. (Half) Non-spherical effects: rotation (maybe tides, dynamos, pulsations).
    • Lecture notes (05) on stellar rotation, dynamos, and tidal distortions.
    • Lecture notes (06) on stellar pulsations and asteroseismology (optional).

  21. Mon., February 28: Non-spherical effects: rotation (maybe tides, dynamos, pulsations).

  22. Wed., March 2: Star formation and pre-main-sequence evolution.
    • Lecture notes (07) on star formation and the earliest stages of stellar evolution.

  23. Fri., March 4: Star formation and pre-main-sequence evolution.

  24. Mon., March 7: Star formation and pre-main-sequence evolution.

  25. Wed., March 9: Star formation and pre-main-sequence evolution.
    • Homework 4 due.
    • Take-Home Midterm Exam assigned (see Canvas), due Fri., March 18.

  26. Fri., March 11: (Half) Recitation/discussion. (Half) Star formation and pre-main-sequence evolution.
    • Lecture notes (08) on pre-main-sequence stellar evolution.

  27. Mon., March 14: Pre-main-sequence evolution.

  28. Wed., March 16: Pre-main-sequence evolution.

  29. Fri., March 18: Main-sequence and post-main-sequence evolution.
    • Take-Home Midterm Exam due.
    • Lecture notes (09) on post-main-sequence stellar evolution and stellar death.

      [March 21-25: Spring Break; no classes.]

  30. Mon., March 28: Main-sequence and post-main-sequence evolution.

  31. Wed., March 30: Main-sequence and post-main-sequence evolution.
    • Homework 5 (problem set) assigned, due Wed., April 13.

  32. Fri., April 1: Main-sequence and post-main-sequence evolution.

  33. Mon., April 4: Stellar death: supernovae and compact objects.

  34. Wed., April 6: Stellar death: supernovae and compact objects.

  35. Fri., April 8: (Half) Recitation/discussion. (Half) Stellar death: supernovae and compact objects.

  36. Mon., April 11: Finish discussing compact objects. Begin radiative transfer and stellar atmospheres.
    • Lecture notes (10) on radiative transfer and stellar atmospheres.

  37. Wed., April 13: Radiative transfer and stellar atmospheres.
    • Homework 5 due.

  38. Fri., April 15: Radiative transfer and stellar atmospheres.

  39. Mon., April 18: Non-LTE processes in stellar atmospheres.
    • Lecture notes (11) on non-classical atmospheres and spectral lines.

  40. Wed., April 20: Stellar winds.
    • Lecture notes (13) on stellar winds.

  41. Fri., April 22: (Half) Recitation/discussion. (Half) Stellar winds.

  42. Mon., April 25: Time reserved for final presentations.

  43. Wed., April 27: Time reserved for final presentations.

      [Fri., April 29: Reading Day. Final Exam Week: April 30 to May 4.]

      Due date for final project paper: Monday, May 2.