PHYSICS 728, RADIO ASTRONOMY

PHYSICS 728, RADIO ASTRONOMY
COURSE OUTLINE (Spring 2005)

Text#1 for the course
Synthesis Imaging in Radio Astronomy II
by G. B. Taylor (Editor), C. L. Carilli (Editor), Richard A. Perley (Editor)

Text#2 for the course
Solar and Space Weather Radiophysics
by D. E. Gary (Editor), C. U. Keller (Editor)

Time: Tues. 1:00-3:55pm
Room: Tiernan 105
Prof. Dale E. Gary
Office: Tiernan 403
Office Hours: Tues. 11:00-11:55 am
Phone: (973) 642-7878
e-mail: dgary@njit.edu
Course Web Page: http://web.njit.edu/~dgary/728

Readings: The reading assignments are listed below. Complete the readings before the corresponding lectures if possible. Lecture Notes will be placed on the web before the corresponding lecture, although in some cases it may be only hours before the lecture.
Homework: There will be several homework assignments, generally due one week from the time it is assigned, unless otherwise specified.
Presentations: There will be no exams in the course, but the final grade will be based largely on an oral and written presentation given at the end of the semester. You should get approval of the topic before committing to a particular topic.
Grades: The grades will be based on attendance (5%), homework assignments (35%) the oral presentation (20%), and written report (40%).

Lecture Number and Title	Reading Assignment	Homework Assignment
Lecture 1 (T 01/18). Introduction to Radio Astronomy	Lecture Notes	Problem Set #1 (due 25 Jan)
Lecture 2 (T 01/25). Radio Emission Mechanisms	Lecture Notes	Problem Set #2 (due 02 Feb)
Lecture 3 (W 02/02, 10 am ). Radiative Transfer (Note different day/time!)	Lecture Notes	Problem Set #3 (due 08 Feb)
Lecture 4 (T 02/08). Primary Antenna Elements	Synthesis Imaging: Chapter 3	Problem Set #4 (due 15 Feb)
Lecture 5 (T 02/15). Front End Receiving Systems	Lecture Notes	Problem Set #5 (due 22 Feb)
Lecture 6 (T 02/22). Fourier Synthesis Imaging	Synthesis Imaging: Chapters 2 and 7	Problem Set #6 (due 01 Mar)
Lecture 7 (T 03/01). The Receiving System for Interferometry	Synthesis Imaging: Chapter 8
Lecture 8 (T 03/08). More On Correlation	Synthesis Imaging: Chapter 4	Problem Set #7 (due 22 Mar)
NO CLASS (T 03/15). No Class (Spring Break)	Choice of Presentation Topic Due Partial List of Presentation Topics
Lecture 9 (T 03/22). Calibration	Synthesis Imaging: Chapters 5 & 10	Problem Set #9 (due 29 Mar)
Lecture 10 (T 03/29). Solar Radio Emission	Solar & Space Weather: Chapters 4, 6 & 14
Lecture 11 (T 04/05). Solar Radio Emission (cont'd)	Solar & Space Weather: Chapters 8, 9 & 10	Problem Set #10 (due 12 Apr)
Lecture 12 (T 04/12). Astronomical Radio Emission	Lecture Notes	Problem Set #11 (due 19 Apr)
Lecture 13 (T 04/19). Project Presentations	3 or 4 presentations (30 min each)
Lecture 14 (T 04/26). Project Presentations (cont'd)	3 or 4 presentations (30 min each)