PHYSICS 728, RADIO ASTRONOMY

PHYSICS 728, RADIO ASTRONOMY
COURSE OUTLINE (Spring 2012)

Text for the course

Interferometry and Synthesis in Radio Astronomy
Second Edition, A. R. Thompson, J. M. Moran & G. W. Swenson (2001 Wiley-VCH)

ISBN-13: 978-0471254928

Time: TBD
Room: Tiernan 101
Prof. Dale E. Gary
Office: Tiernan 101
Office Hours: Mon. 2:00-4:00 pm
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 (M 01/23). Introduction to Radio Astronomy	Lecture Notes	Problem Set #1 (due 30 Jan)
Lecture 2 (F 01/27). Radio Emission Mechanisms	Lecture Notes	Problem Set #2 (due 03 Feb)
Lecture 3 (F 02/03). Radiative Transfer	Lecture Notes	Problem Set #3 (due 10 Feb)
Lecture 4 (F 02/10). Primary Antenna Elements	Synthesis Imaging: Chapter 3	Problem Set #4 (due 17 Feb)
Lecture 5 (F 02/24). Front End Receiving Systems	Lecture Notes	Problem Set #5 (due 02 Mar)
Lecture 6 (F 03/02). Fourier Synthesis Imaging	Synthesis Imaging: Chapters 2 and 7	Problem Set #6 (due 23 Mar)
Lecture 7 (F 03/02). The Receiving System for Interferometry	Synthesis Imaging: Chapter 8
Lecture 8 (F 03/09). More On Correlation	Synthesis Imaging: Chapter 4
NO CLASS (F 03/16). No Class (Spring Break)	Choice of Presentation Topic Due Partial List of Presentation Topics
Lecture 9 (F 03/23). Calibration	Synthesis Imaging: Chapters 5 & 10	Problem Set #7 (due 30 Mar) uvpts
Lecture 10 (F 03/30). Solar Radio Emission	Solar & Space Weather: Chapters 4, 6 & 14
NO CLASS (F 04/06). No Class (Good Friday)
Lecture 11 (F 04/13). Solar Radio Emission (cont'd)	Solar & Space Weather: Chapters 8, 9 & 10	Problem Set #10 (due 20 Apr)
Lecture 12 (F 04/20). Astronomical Radio Emission	Lecture Notes	Problem Set #11 (due 27 Apr)
Lecture 13 (F 04/27). Project Presentations	4-5 presentations (30 min each)
Lecture 14 (T 05/01). Project Presentations (cont'd)	4-5 presentations (30 min each)