HIGH ENERGY ASTROPHYSICS

Academic Year 2023/2024 - Teacher: ALFIO MAURIZIO BONANNO

Expected Learning Outcomes

knowledge of fundamentals elements of standard model of cosmology and the most common astrophysical sources

Course Structure

Face-to-face lessons with slide presentations and chalkboard explanations. Occasionally, we will critically analyze literature articles, and there will be 'question and answer' sessions at the end of the main topics."

Required Prerequisites

Elementary particle, radiation matter interecation

Attendance of Lessons

obbligatoria

Detailed Course Content

Universe structure: measurement techniques of astronomical distances, the Milky Way, large scale universe structure, galaxies classification, galaxies rotation curves, local group, galaxies clusters and super-clusters, universe expansion,

Hubble law, red-shift, outlines on big bang.
2.Stellar evolution: star photometric quantities,

Hertzprung-Russel diagram, historical development of star evolution theories, pp and CNO cycles, star clusters and star populations, star formation, star evolution, brown dwarfs, white dwarfs, giant stars, binary systems, Cepheids.

3.Supernovae: evolution, collapse, explosion, supernovae remnants, SN 187A, new stars generation.

4.Gamma astronomy: transparency of universe to e.m. radiation, gamma sources, Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, EGRET, Fermi satellite, non identified gamma sources, diffusion gamma radiation component, pulsars, Active Galactic Nuclei, dark matter.

5.Pulsars and black holes: properties and operation models of pulsars, binary pulsars, accreting disks, characteristics and detection techniques. Magnetars, PNS, dynamo action in PNS.

6.Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN): radio-galaxies, unified model of AGNs, Seyfert galaxies, BL-Lac, quasars, blazars, detection techniques.

7.Gamma ray burts: first observations, BATSE, Beppo-SAX, localization models, time characteristics, generation models, collapsars, Fermi-LAT observations.

8. Gravitational Waves

Textbook Information

George B. Rybicky, Alan P. Lightman: "Radiative Processes in Astrophysics", Wiley

Malcolm S. Longair: "High-Energy Astrophysics", Cambridge University Press

J. Frank, A. King & D. Raine: "Accretion Power in Astrophysics", Cambridge University Press

Gabriele Ghisellini: "Radiative processes in high energy astrophysics", Springer, Lecture Notes in Physics 873

Learning Assessment

Learning Assessment Procedures

Orale exam or a small research project.

Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises

A pulsar has a period of 2 milli-seconds and a slow-down rate of 10−19 s/s.
1. (a) Estimate the age of the neutron star.
2. (b) Estimate the magnetic field of the neutron star.
  
  2). A cluster of galaxies has an X-ray luminosity of 1043 erg s−1 and a gas temperature of 108 K. The radius of the X-ray emitting region is 0.2 Mpc. Estimate the density and mass of the hot gas in the cluster, assuming that the density and temperature are roughly constant.

Degree Course in

Physics