Physics 612
"High Energy Astrophysics"
Spring 2004
Meets: Tues 2:50PM-4:10PM (ARC 206) Fri 1:10PM-2:30PM (ARC 108)
Text: "High Energy Astrophysics" (2nd edition) by Malcolm Longair
(Cambridge University Press) Vols 1 and 2.
Available used at abebooks.com
Additional Texts: "Exploring the X-ray Universe" by Charles and
Seward (Cambridge); "Radiative Processes in Astrophysics" by Rybicki
and Lightman (Wiley)
General Description
The Universe is filled with diverse objects and phenomena ranging from
those with very low characteristic temperatures, such as the 2.7 K
Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation, to the ultrahigh energy cosmic
rays in which a single particle can carry 10 J or more of energy.
Accordingly in order to attempt a complete understanding of cosmic
objects and events, astrophysicists have been driven to conduct
studies over the entire electromagnetic spectrum. In this course, the
focus will be on the study of high energy astrophysics, that is to
say, the field of astronomy that concerns itself with objects and
phenomena having a characteristic temperature greater than about 10^6
K or equivalently 0.1 keV. This includes the X-ray and gamma-ray
bands of the electromagnetic spectrum, cosmic rays, and neutrinos from
the Sun and supernovae. The field is relatively new: cosmic rays were
discovered in 1912 (although not explained as high energy particles
until 1929) and, although, X-rays were discovered by Rongten in 1895,
X-ray astronomy wasn't born until 1949 when the Sun was discovered as
the first extraterrestrial X-ray source. In general the history of
X-ray and gamma-ray astronomy has paralleled the history of space
exploration. Neutrino astronomy is even younger, commencing with the
Homestake gold mine experiment in the 1970's which gave rise to the
famous "solar neutrino" problem.
This course is intended to provide the student with sufficient
background material and knowledge in order to appreciate current
research literature in high energy astrophysics. It will draw on
graduate level physics and astronomy as prerequisites. Although the
text listed above is required, some course material will be taken from
other sources, such as "Radiative Precesses in Astrophysics" by
Rybicki and Lightman (Wiley), particularly for lectures on radiative
processes. Students might consider looking at the readable book on
X-ray astronomy "Exploring the X-ray Universe" by Charles and Seward
(Cambridge).
Assessment
The grading criteria for this course are divided between problem sets
(40%), a written observing proposal (40%), and attendance and class
participation (20%). Each submitted proposal must conform precisely
to the requirements of the most recent Announcement of Opportunity for
the mission or observatory that the class, as a whole, has selected.
The class will choose between Chandra and XMM-Newton as the possible
missions. [N.B., the class decided on Chandra.] An oral presentation
to the class where you describe and defend your proposal will also be
required. Criteria for grading of proposals will be based on
- the description of the overall scientific goal of the proposal
- the extent to which the proposed observations are effective at meeting
the proposed science goals
- the technical feasibility of the observations
- the accuracy of supporting simulations
- your defense of the proposal
Here is an example of a successful Chandra
proposal. You should choose the topic of your observing proposal in
consultation with Professor Hughes. Proposals will be due on Monday
April 12 at 12 noon EST. As with all real proposals, this deadline
will be strictly enforced.
For more information on these missions please go to their respective
web sites. There is extensive material on-line for proposers.
Near-term list of topics to be covered and already completed with reading assignments
(N.B. L1 = Longair, volume 1; L2 = Longair, volume 2;
R&L = Rybicki and Lightman)
- Jan 20 - Introduction - L1 Chap 1
- Jan 23 - Ionization losses - L1 Chap 2 & Section 7.2
- Jan 27 - Photoelectric effect - L1 Sections 4.1 & 4.2
- Jan 30 - Compton scattering and Electron-positron pair production -
L1 Sections 4.3.1, 4.3.2, 4.4, & 4.7
- Feb 3 - Detectors - L1 Sections 6.4 & 6.5 (Gas proportional Counters)
- Feb 6 - Detectors (continued) (X-ray CCDs)
- Feb 10 - Detectors (continued) (Quantum Calorimeters) See article "Quantum Calorimetry"
in Physics Today; link given below)
- Feb 13 Reflectivity, optical constants
- Feb 17 X-ray telescopes, gratings (See Aschenbach 1985,
Rep. Prog. Phys. 48, 579).
- Feb 20,24 Thermal bremsstrahlung (L1, chap 3; R&L chap 5)
- Feb 27 - Radiative recombination, Milne relations (R&L p.284ff)
(See also, Osterbrock "Astrophysics of Gaseous Nebulae and Active
Galactic Nuclei" Appendix 1)
- Mar 2 - Ionization rates, Dielectronic recombination, collisional
ionization equilibrium
- Mar 5 - Nonequilibrium ionization, H- and He-like emission lines
- Mar 9 - Line emission processes, Cyclotron radiation (L2, 18.1.2)
- Mar 12 - Synchrotron radiation (heuristic derivation) (L2 Chap 18)
- Mar 23 - Synchrotron radiation (detailed derivation) (L2 Chap 18)
- Mar 26 - Polarization of synchrotron radiation (L2, 18.1.6), Intro to
Crab Nebula (see Kennel & Coroniti 1984 for a model of the Crab Nebula)
- Mar 30 - Energy loss from pulsars (Ostriker & Gunn 1969), Min energy
condition in pulsar wind nebula (L2, 19.5)
- Apr 2 - Lifetime of synchrotron radiating electrons (Pacholczyk "Radio
Astrophysics", p.147ff)
- Apr 6 - Synchrotron self-absorption (L2 p.256ff), Inverse Compton (L1,
4.3.3)
Useful references
N.B. Some of the links given below are through the Rutgers IRIS gateway and therefore may only work from RU computers
-
HIFLUGCS (The HIghest X-ray FLUx Galaxy Cluster Sample)"
-
"A Flux-limited Sample of Bright Clusters of Galaxies from the Southern Part of the
ROSAT All-Sky Survey: The Catalog and log N-log S"
De Granid et al., ApJ, 514, 148 [1999].
-
"X-ray Emission from Clusters of Galaxies"
Sarazin, Rev. Mod. Phys., 58, 1 [1986].
-
"Confinement of the Crab pulsar's wind by its supernova remnant"
Kennel & Coroniti, ApJ, 283, 694 [1984].
-
"On the Nature of Pulsars. I. Theory"
Ostriker & Gunn, ApJ, 157, 1395 [1969].
-
"Supernovae. Part II: the aftermath"
Trimble, Rev. Mod. Phys., 55, 511 [1983].
-
"Supernovae. Part I: the events"
Trimble, Rev. Mod. Phys., 54, 1183 [1982].
-
"Bremsstrahlung, Synchrotron Radiation, and Compton Scattering of High-Energy
Electrons Traversing Dilute Gases"
Blumenthal & Gould, RMP, vol 42, p 237 [1970].
-
"Cosmic Magnetobremsstrahlung (Synchrotron Radiation)"
Ginzburg & Syrovatskii, ARA&A, 3, 297 [1965]
-
"Cosmic Magnetobremsstrahlung (Synchrotron Radiation)"
Ginzburg & Syrovatskii, ARA&A, 3, 297 [1965]
-
"Overview of Collisional Plasma Modeling"
Smith & Brickhouse, published on CXC Web site [June 2002].
-
"Effect of Iron Ionization Balance on X-ray Spectral Analysis"
Masai, Astron. Astrophys., 324, 410 [1997].
-
"Quantum Calorimetry"
Stahle & McCammon, Physics Today, vol 52, issue 8, p 32 [August 1999].
-
"Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS) Instrument on the Chandra X-Ray
Observatory" Garmire et al, SPIE [2002].
-
Rise time rejection in the ASCA GIS instrument,
ABC Guide to ASCA Data Analysis.
-
"X-ray astronomy missions"
Bradt, Ohashi, & Pounds, ARA&A, volume 30, page 391 [1992].
-
"Principles of operation of multiwire proportional and drift chambers"
Sauli, CERN Yellow Report 77-09 [1977].
-
"The Einstein (HEAO 2) X-ray Observatory"
Giacconi, et al., ApJ, volume 230, page 540 [June 1979]
-
"Instrumental technique in X-ray astronomy"
Peterson, ARA&A, Volume 13, page 423 [1975].
-
"The collisionless nature of high-temperature plasmas"
O'Neil & Coroniti, RMP, vol 71, p S404 [March 1999].
-
"Cosmic rays: the most energetic particles in the universe"
Cronin, RMP, vol 71, p S165 [March 1999].
-
"X-Rays from the rest of the Universe"
Helfand, Physics Today, vol 48, issue 11, page 58 [November 1995].
-
"Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen and the glimmer of light"
Seliger, Physics Today, vol 48, issue 11, page 25 [November 1995].
- Special issue: "X-Rays 100 Years Later"
Physics Today, vol 48, issue 11 [November 1995].
Recent results in High Energy Astrophysics
Possible topics to be covered
- Overview/Historical introduction
- Ionization losses of high energy particles
interacting with matter
- Photon interactions with matter: Photoelectric
effect, Compton scattering
- Photon interactions: pair production
- High energy particle and photon detectors
- Telescopes and Observatories
- Bremsstrahlung
- Radiative recombination (Milne relation)
- Line radiation, ion & recomb rates, ionization balance
- Cyclotron radiation
- Synchroton radiation
- Blackbody radiation
- Inverse Compton scattering/Kompaneets eqn.
- SNe (Supernovae): Rates/Types/progenitors/Explosion mechanisms
- SNRs (Supernova Remnants): thermal emission, shock waves, Sedov solution,
other evolutionary models, Coloumb equil., nonequilibrium ionization, cosmic
ray shock acceleration
- Binary X-ray sources: evidence for the black hole event horizon?
- COGs (Clusters of Galaxies): Optical/X-ray classifications,
luminosity functs, correlations, origin of Fe, Physical processes:
sound speed, mean free paths, T equilibration timescales, heat
conduction, convective stability, radiative cooling, X-ray structure,
temp, binding masses, SZ effect, clusters as cosmological probes
- AGN: Unified Scenario/Broad Fe lines
The address of this page is
http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/~jackph/2004s/
Please send any comments to Jack Hughes,
jph@physics.rutgers.edu.
Revised April 7, 2004