54 / FIELDS OF INSTRUCTION


ASI 6105C. Design of instrumentation for optical astronomy:
telescopes, photometers, spectrographs. Observational tech-
niques and data reduction. Includes laboratory exercises.
ASI 6115-Radio Astronomy Instrumentation (2) Prereq: ASI
6205. Survey of radio astronomy instrumentation, including
basic principles and methods of operation. Includes study of
antennas and arrays, interferometers, polarimeters, receivers,
recorders, and calibration devices.
ASI 6115L-Radio Astronomy Laboratory (1) Coreq: ASI
6115. Laboratory experiments and observatory sessions de-
signed to accompany ASI 6115.
ASI 6205-Basic Principles of Radio Astronomy (2) Prereq:
AST 3019. Coreq: PHY4322. Introduction to radio astronomy,
including early history, measurement parameters, applicable
radio physics, relevant mathematical techniques, properties
of band-limited gaussian noise, and limitations on radio tel-
escope sensitivity and resolution.
ASI 6206-Radio Astrophysics (2) Prereq: ASI 6205.
Astrophysical plasmas, radio source emission mechanisms
and spectra, principal types of results obtained in radio
astronomy and their astrophysical implications.
AST 5043-History of Astronomy (2) Prereq: AST 1002 or
2003C-2004C or 3019C. General survey of the history of
astronomy from the earliest times down to the present day.
AST 5113-Solar System Astrophysics I (2) Prereq: two years
of college physics. Survey of the solar system, including its
origin and laws of planetary motion. The earth as a planet:
geophysics, aeronomy, geomagnetism, and the radiation
belts. Solar physics and the influence of the sun on the earth.
AST 5114-Solar System Astrophysics II (2) Prereq: AST 5113.
The moon and planets; exploration by ground-based and
spacecraft techniques. The lesser bodies of the solar.system,
including satellites, asteroids, meteoroids, comets; the in-
terplanetary medium.
AST 5205-Stellar Spectra (2) Prereq: AST 3019C. Review of
stellar spectroscopy and an introduction to the classification
of stellar spectra at low dispersion.
AST 5210-Introduction to Astrophysics (3) Prereq: AST
3019C. Introduction to astrophysics with particular emphasis
upon the fundamentals of radiative transfer and detailed de-
velopment of Planck's expression for the specific intensity of
blackbody radiation. The basic equations of stellar structure
.-.e derived, and particular solutions of these equations are
considered along with their astronomical implications.
AST 5270-Introduction to Binary Stars (4) Prereq: AST
3019C. Introduction to the general study of binary star sys-
tem. Suitable for the nonspecialist who needs some familiar-
ity with the field and for the student who requires a basic
foundation for further, more specialized study of binary
stars. Includes an introduction to the fundamental data, phi-
losophy of orbital element analysis, morphology and classifi-
cation, mass exchange and other dynamical effects. Con-
cludes with the structure and evolution of binary stars.
AST 5273-Interacting Binary Stars (2) Prereq: AST 3019C.
Description of the various aspects of interacting binary stars
designed chiefly for students who plan to complete their
 dissertations in other branches of astronomy. Also suitable
 for undergraduate majors in the department.
 AST 5600-Computational Astronomy (4) Prereq: MAS 4104.
 Designed to familiarize the student with the statistical tools
 of astronomical data reduction and the empirical estab-
 lishment of the positional and kinematical parameters of the
 bodies in the universe, and the physical and geometric sig-
 nificance of these parameters. The laboratory consists of the
 numerical (and theoretical) solution of relevant problems.
 AST 6165-Radiopropagation and Ionospheric Physics I (2)
 Prereq: PHY 4322. Propagation of electromagnetic waves in
 magnetoionic media, with emphasis on the terrestrial
 ionosphere, and cosmic conditions such as solar corona and
 interstellar media.
 AST 6166-Radiopropagation and Ionospheric Physics II (2)
 Prereq: AST 6165. Ionospheric electron density and ion com-
 position profiles; diurnal, seasonal, and global variations;
 presunrise effects; electron and ion temperatures; solar flare
 and magnetic storm effects.
 AST 6167-Atomic Physics of Planetary Atmospheres (2)
 Prereq: basic physics and mathematics through integral cal-
 Sculus. Atomic and quantum theory, quantum mechanics and


the central field problem, atomic and molecular spec-
troscopy, collisional cross sections for aeronomy.
AST 6168-Physics of the Earth's Upper Atmosphere (2) Pre-
req: AST 6167. Solar-terrestrial relations, aurora, airglow, and
ionospheric phenomena. Remote sensing of atmospheric
emissions and scattered solar radiation.
AST 6169-Physics of Planetary Atmospheres (2) Prereq: AST
6168. Radiative transfer in planetary atmospheres, from x-ray
to radio regions. Discussion of recent studies of the atmo-
spheres of Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and other planets.
AST 6214-Stellar Astrophysics I: Atmosphere (3) Prereq:
AST 5210 or equivalent. Theoretical approach to the study of
stellar atmospheres. *
AST 6215-Stellar Astrophysics II: Interior (3) Prereq: AST
6214. Theoretical approach to the study of stellar structure.
AST 6216-Stellar Astrophysics III: Evolution (2) Prereq: AST
6215. Theoretical approach to the study of stellar evolution.
AST 6265-Variable Stars (2) Prereq: AST 3019C. Classifica-
tion, light and spectral changes, population distribution,
physical processes causing variability, the place of variables
in stellar evolution. Use of variable stars in galactic and ex-
tragalactic studies.
AST 6274-Analysis of Binary Star Observations (4) Prereq:
AST 5270. Analytical study and theoretical interpretation of
observational data for eclipsing, spectroscopic, and visual
binary systems.
AST 6309-Galactic and Extragalactic Astronomy (4) Prereq:
AST 3019C. Observations and interpretations of the
kinematics, dynamics, and structure of the Milky Way
Galaxy, extragalactic objects, and galaxy clusters.
AST 6316-Stellar Dynamics (3) Prereq: partial differential
equations, complex variables. Introduction to dynamics of
stellar systems, with emphasis on cluster dynamics. Three
main approaches are treated: analytic, statistical-mechanical,
and experimental (computer simulations). Basic techniques
are presented, and dynamical evolution of clusters is de-
scribed.
AST 6336-Interstellar Matter (3) Prereq: AST 5210. Complex
interplay of physical processes that determine the structure
of the interstellar medium in our galaxy; emphasis is placed
upon a comparison of observational data with theoretical
prediction.
AST-6416-Cosmology (3) Prereq: PHS 6606. Introduction to
the observational background and to the theory of cos-
mology.
AST 6506-Celestial Mechanics I (2) Prereq: AST 3019C, PHY
4222. Analytical and numerical computation of orbits.
AST 6507-Celestial Mechanics II (2) Prereq: AST 6506
AST 6607-Positional Astronomy (4) Prereq: AST 5600. Nu-
merical methods (interpolation, errors, least squares) used in
astronomy, especially positional astronomy, coordinate sys-
tems and their conversion, reduction of observations (espe-
cially reduction to apparent place), time systems, and the
determination of proper motion and parallax.
AST 6905-Individual work (1-3; max: 6) Supervised study or
research in areas not covered by other courses.
AST 6910-Supervised Research (1-5)
AST 6935-Seminar in Modern Astronomy (1; max: 6) Recent
developments in theoretical and observational astronomy
and astrophysics. S/U.
AST 6940-Supervised Teaching (1-5)
AST 6971-Research for Master's' Thesis (1-15)
AST 7157-The Giant Planets (2) Prereq: AST 5114 or ASI
 6206. Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus; their origins and
 evolution, interiors, gravitational and magnetic fields, atmo-
 spheres, ionospheres, magnetospheres, electromagnetic
 emissions, and satellites. Emphasis is on Jupiter.
 AST 7279-Close Binary Stars (2) Prereq: AST 6274. Role of
 close binaries in stellar evolution. Nonperiodic phenomena,
 mass loss and exchange, novae and nova-like variables, pe-
 riod changes.
 AST 7939-Special Topics (2; max: 12) Assigned reading, pro-
 grams, seminar, or lecture series in a new field of advanced
 astronomy.
 AST 7980-Research for Doctoral Dissertation (1-15)
 PHS 6606-Special and General Relativity (4) Prereq: PHY
 6246, tensor analysis, invariance. Einstein's special and gen-
 eral theories of relativity; relativistic cosmology.