PH5610 High Energy Astrophysics (2-0-0) ... (every 3^rd year) ... 2 Cr

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of instructor.

Last taught Fall, 2000. Next possible offering during the 2003-4 academic year.

Texts (Fall, 2000):

• High Energy Astrophysics, Volumes I & II, 2 ^nd ed., Malcolm S. Longair (ISBN 0521-38773-6 and 0521-43584-6)

• High Energy Physics phenomonology (quark model, Feynman diagrams, QED, QCD)
• Interaction of high energy particles with matter
• Nuclear interactions
• Cosmic ray flux
• Dynamics of charged particles in magnetic fields
• Large scale distribution of matter and radiation in the universe
• Big bang model
• Hubble's law
• Aspects of stellar evolution relevant to high energy astrophysics
• Supernovae
• Accretion
• Interstellar gas and magnetic fields
• Synchrotron radiation and emission of the Galaxy
• Origin of electron energy spectrum
• Origin of high energy protons and nuclei
• Acceleration of high energy particles
• Selected highlight topics (GRBs, X-ray binaries, toplogical defects...)

Course Rationale: This course provides an introduction to the concepts and important topics in astrophysics, cosmic rays, and particle astrophysics. It is intended to provide a foundation for further research for graduate students specializing in any of the subfields of astrophysics or closely related fields.