Code
Φ-532
Level
Graduate
Category
B
Teacher
I. Vardavas
ECTS
5
Hours
4
Semester
Spring
Display
Yes
Offered
Yes
Teacher Webpage
Goal of the course
The class is an introduction to radiative transfer in stellar and planetary atmospheres. Radiation ultimately determines the climate of planets and the structure of stellar atmospheres. The course focuses on the physics of production and transfer of radiation through absorption, scattering, and emission from atmos and molecules. Students are given four homework sets, which constitute important elements of the class.
Program
Monday 13:00-15:00, Room 4
Friday 13:00-15:00, Room 4
Friday 13:00-15:00, Room 4
Syllabus
Radiation definitions
Specific intensity, mean intensity, flux, absorption, emission, and scattering (Rayleigh, Mie, Thomson, Compton), absorption coefficient, emission coefficient.
Transfer of Radiation
Radiative transfer equation; optical depth; source function; solution examples; Schwarzschild-Milne equations; Eddington approximations; two-stream, LTE-grey atmospheres, diffusivity aprroximation, diffusion approximation.
Production of Radiation
Thermal emission, thermal radiation, absorption and emission Einstein coefficients, spectral line broadening, bound-bound transitions, ionization, free-free transitions, Hydrogen lines.
Astrophysical applications
Nebulae, interstellar medium, X-ray sources, X-ray production mechanisms, evolution of solar luminosity.
Specific intensity, mean intensity, flux, absorption, emission, and scattering (Rayleigh, Mie, Thomson, Compton), absorption coefficient, emission coefficient.
Transfer of Radiation
Radiative transfer equation; optical depth; source function; solution examples; Schwarzschild-Milne equations; Eddington approximations; two-stream, LTE-grey atmospheres, diffusivity aprroximation, diffusion approximation.
Production of Radiation
Thermal emission, thermal radiation, absorption and emission Einstein coefficients, spectral line broadening, bound-bound transitions, ionization, free-free transitions, Hydrogen lines.
Astrophysical applications
Nebulae, interstellar medium, X-ray sources, X-ray production mechanisms, evolution of solar luminosity.
Bibliography
Radiation and Climate, I.M. Vardavas, and F.W. Taylor, International Series of Monographs on Physics Νο. 138, Oxford University Press, 2007.
Lecture notes.
Lecture notes.
