Supernovae, Neutron Stars and Black Holes

 

 

Instructor:              Prof. Norbert Bartel, PSE 331,  bartel@yorku.ca  www.yorku.ca/bartel

Course Number:    PHYS 6210 1.0 F

Time/Location:       W 16:00 to 17:00 ?

 

Textbooks:             Astrophysics, J. Irwin, Wiley, 2007

Theory of Stellar Structure and Evolution, 2nd edition, D. Prialnik, Cambridge University Press, 2009

                               Pulsar Astronomy, fourth edition, A. Lyne, F.Graham-Smith, Cambridge University Press, 2012

Introduction to High-Energy Astrophysics, S. Rosswog, M. Brueggen, Cambridge University Press, 2007

Supernovae and Gamma-Ray Bursters, K. Weiler, Lecture Notes in Physics, Springer, 2003

 

Course Contents:        1. Supernovae

1.1  Classification and characteristics of supernovae

1.2  Explosion process

1.3  Shock front interaction with the circumstellar medium

1.4  Supernovae as distance indicators

 

2. Neutron stars

2.1  Structure and magnetosphere of neutron stars

2.2  Neutron star mass-radius relation for equations of state

2.3  Characteristics of pulsars

2.4  Pulsar emission mechanisms

2.5  Pulsars as clocks for tests of general relativity

2.6  Magnetars

2.7 Gamma-ray bursts

 

3. Black holes

3.1  Observational evidence for the existence of black holes

3.2  The event horizon

 

Evaluation:        In-class quizzes:           15% of final mark                                                     

                         Homework:                     35% of final mark

 Project:                          50% of final mark

 

 

Office hours: P331, MW 14:00-14:45