University of Toronto

Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics

RADIATION PROCESSES

Course Outline for AST1440F

  1. Review of Basic Concepts
    • Overview of Radiation Processes
    • Electromagnetic Waves
    • Power Spectra
    • Radiative Transfer
    • Blackbody Radiation
    • Thermodynamic Equilibrium
    • Kirchoff's Law for Thermal Emission
    • Einstein Coefficients
    • Polarization and Stokes Parameters
  2. Classical Radiation Theory
    • Single Particle Emission
    • Relativistic Treatment
    • Particle Ensembles
    • Thomson Scattering
    • Radiation From Oscillating Bound Charges
  3. Thermal Bremsstrahlung
    • Classical Treatment and Quantum Corrections
    • Case Study: HII Regions at Radio Wavelengths
  4. Synchrotron Radiation
    • Emission by a Single Particle in a Vacuum
    • Volume Emissivity of a Power-Law Distribution
    • Polarization of Synchrotron Radiation
    • Transition From Cyclotron to Synchrotron Emission
    • Synchrotron Self-Absorption
    • Case Study: Equipartition in Supernova Remnants
  5. Compton and Inverse Compton Scattering
    • Compton Scattering
    • The Inverse Process
    • Scattered Power
    • Maximum Brightness Temperature
    • Scattered Photon Field
  6. Plasma Effects
    • Dispersion
    • Faraday Rotation
    • Cerenkov Radiation
    • Razin Effect
  7. Emission and Absorption in Atomic Systems
    • Review of Basic Atomic Physics
    • Derivation of Radiative Transition Rates
  8. Astrophysical Examples of Line Processes
    • Spectra of Gaseous Nebulae
    • Emission by Interstellar Molecules
    • Interstellar Absorption Lines
  9. Radiatively Driven Winds from Hot Stars
    • Radiation Force Due to Metal Lines
    • Castor's Stellar Wind Model
    • Application to an O5f Star
  10. Protostar Accretion via Radiative Shocks
    • Initial Conditions for Protostar Collapse
    • Boundary Temperature of an Accreting Core
    • Radiative Transfer Across a Relaxation Layer
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