ASTROPHYSICS
Academic Year 2025/2026 - Teacher: Francesco LEONEExpected Learning Outcomes
The course aims to provide a sufficiently in-depth overview of the phenomena that take place in our Universe.
Particular attention will be paid to the quantitative description of the physical mechanisms that underlie these phenomena.
Due to the intrinsic interdisciplinarity of astrophysics, when necessary, concepts will be introduced, anticipating them in a heuristic manner, which will be fully addressed in other subjects subsequently.
The approach used in class will be observational-theoretical.
In addition, in reference to the so-called Dublin Descriptors, this course will help to acquire the following skills:
Knowledge and understanding
During the course the student will gain a critical understanding of the most advanced developments in Astrophysics in both observational and theoretical aspects.
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
During the course the student will refine his ability to identify the essential elements of the phenomena investigated in what constitutes the largest laboratory at our disposal: the Universe.
Making judgements
During the course the student will be encouraged to increase their ability to argue personal interpretations of what they have studied.
Communication skills
During the course the student will be encouraged to refine their ability to communicate the knowledge acquired with language skills, a skill that will be particularly important when they find themselves having to present their own research or review activity to an audience of specialists or lay people.
Learning skills
During the course the student will refine his ability to acquire adequate cognitive tools for the continuous updating of knowledge and the ability to access special scientific literature
Course Structure
The lessons will take place with the help of projections and the blackboard.
The lesson is intended in an interactive form and participation is encouraged through questions.
To guarantee equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students can request a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on the educational objectives and specific needs. It is also possible to contact the CInAP (Centre for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or DSA) contact teacher of the Department of Physics.”
Required Prerequisites
Essential knowledge required to take full advantage of the course and take the final exam:
- Differential and integral calculation of the functions of a variable
- Mechanics of material point systems.
- Thermodynamics.
- Electromagnetism
- Optics
Attendance of Lessons
Detailed Course Content
Methodology of investigation in astrophysics – Distance scale and units of measurement – Instruments for observation – Astronomical coordinate systems.
2 – The stars
– Generalities
Fundamental parameters of stars: mass, radius and luminosity - The magnitude scale – Spectral classification of stars – The Hertzprung-Russell diagram - The luminosity classes.
– Stellar atmospheres
Radiation transport – Gray atmosphere model – Edge darkening - Formation of spectral lines – Boltzmann and Saha equations* – Einstein coefficients – Mechanisms of row broadening – Analysis of abundances.
– Internal structure
The equations of stellar structure – Mass-luminosity relationship – Nuclear fusion processes – Energy transport mechanisms – Schwarzschild criterion for the establishment of convection.
– Stellar evolution
The Virial Theorem* - Jeans' criterion for gravitational collapse and star formation - Pre - and post-main sequence evolution of stars - Degenerate Fermi gas* – Final stages of evolution: white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes - Pulsating variable stars.
3 – The Sun: a typical main sequence star
Solar atmosphere: photosphere, chromosphere, corona – Convection zone – Differential rotation – Alfvén theorem* - Dynamo mechanism for the generation of magnetic fields – Outcrop of magnetic flux tubes and solar activity (spots, faculae, protuberances, flares) - Solar neutrinos.
4 – The interstellar medium
Dense and diffuse interstellar clouds and the medium internobuids – Gas and dust – Cloud heating and cooling processes - H II regions – Interstellar chemistry in the gas phase and on the surface of dust acting as catalysts.
5 – Our galaxy
Morphology, dynamics and physical characteristics of the galaxy – Globular clusters and open clusters – Stellar populations – Dark matter - the supermassive Black Hole – Cosmic rays.
6 – The galaxies
Hubble morphological classification – Physical characteristics and formation processes of elliptical and disk galaxies – Active Galactic Nuclei (radiogalaxies, QUASARs etc.) – Clusters and superclusters of galaxies - Extragalactic evidence of the presence of dark matter.
7 – Cosmology
Main observational evidence: Hubble's law of the expansion of the universe, the cosmic microwave background – Cosmological principle - Newtonian cosmology - The Friedmann equation and that of the cosmological fluid – Inflation and primordial fluctuations – Radiation-dominated universe, dominated by matter and vacuum – Models of the Universe - Dark energy – The cosmological constant - Large and small scale anisotropies in the microwave background - Thermal history of the Universe.
Textbook Information
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
Learning verification methods
The exam will be carried out orally; should the conditions so require, verification of learning can also be carried out electronically.
The exam will tend to ascertain the level of overall knowledge acquired by the student and the ability to critically address the topics studied.
The attribution of the final grade will take into account equally the mastery shown in the qualitative and quantitative arguments.
The exam dates will be available in the exam calendar of the three-year degree course in Physics.
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
The course topics are all possible subjects of examination.
The following questions do not constitute an exhaustive list but represent only a few examples:
- Telescopes, instruments and methods for astronomical measurements
- Physics of Stellar Atmospheres
- Photometric and spectroscopic properties of stars and galaxies
- The Solar Corona
- Star formation
- Equation of the stellar structure
- Stellar evolution
- Chemistry of the Galaxy
- Observational evidence of the expansion of the Universe