Astronomy is the oldest science, but modern eld of astrophysics is primarily comprised of applications of (mostly classical) physics. Most modern astrophysicists use the terms astronomy and astrophysics interchangeably. This class will provide a broad survey of the eld of astrophysics.

This course is an introduction to quantum mechanics for undergraduate honors majors and first-year graduate students who have not taken such a course.

PREQ: A "C" or better in both PHYS 0477 and MATH 0280 (or MATH 1180 or MATH 1185)

COREQ: PHYS 1331 and 1351

Advanced topics, including boundary-value problems and radiation theory.

PREQ: PHYS 0477, a "C" or better in both PHYS 1351 and MATH 0280

COREQ: PHYS 1331

The Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations of classical mechanics will be emphasized. Topics will be chosen from among the following list: conservation theorems, small oscillations, rigid-body motion, canonical transformations, an introduction to the theory of chaotic motions, Navier Stokes equation, relativistic Lagrangian mechanics, classical field theory, and Noether's theorem.

This is a four-credit course in classical electricity and magnetism, based on Maxwell's Equations. Both the underlying physical concepts and the mathematical formulation of the theory will be explored. The theory will be applied to a variety of physical systems. The topics will include: electrostatics, magnetostatics, electromagnetic induction, properties of electromagnetic waves, interaction of electromagnetic waves with materials, waveguides and cavities, radiation and antennas, multipole fields, scattering of electromagnetic waves, and the special theory of relativity. Additional topics will be covered if time permits. Students are expected to have the mathematical background provided by Physics 2373: Mathematical Methods in Physics.

The second term of this course applies the previously developed ideas and techniques of quantum mechanics to more complicated systems. Time-independent and time-dependent perturbation theories are developed and applied. Formal scattering theory and approximation methods will be presented. Applications are expected to include the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter; resonance scattering and bound states; identical particles and an introduction to second quantization; and, if time and other considerations permit, a brief introduction to relativistic quantum mechanics. Prerequisite(s): Non-relativistic quantum mechanics 1 (PHYS 2565 or equivalent).

This course is required of all graduate students fulfilling the department teaching requirement. This requirement involves full responsibility for teaching undergraduate recitations or labs, and in some cases for advanced graduate students, a course in physics and astronomy during one term.

This course is available to students who are pursuing a Masters degree with a thesis option in Phyiscs and Astronomy and have completed their comprehensive exam.

This is a graduate course in Stellar Astrophysics covering three primary topics: Stellar Interiors, Stellar Atmospheres, and Stellar Evolution. Stellar Interiors will cover polytropes, nuclear energy generation and convective energy transport. Stellar Atmospheres will cover the basics of radiative transfer and model atmospheres. Stellar Evolution will be taught using a hands-on approach based on the MESA code, an open source code for stellar evolution. Grades will be based on homework sets and a final research project that the student will complete using MESA.

This class will expose students to the basics of astronomical data analysis, with an emphasis on statistical techniques and the development of practical programming skills. Topics may include the nature of random and systematic errors, fitting and likelihood techniques, hypothesis testing, astronomical instrumentation and data reduction, and the use of large survey data sets.

This is an elective course available to graduate students where a project is carried out under the direction of a faculty member in the phyiscs and astronomy department.

Doctoral candidates who have completed all credit requirements for the degree, including any minimum dissertation credit requirements, and are working full-time on their dissertation may register for this course. While the course carries no credits and no grade, students who enroll in "full-time dissertation study" are considered by the University to have full-time registration status.

In this course learn how to connect a variety of numerical and computational techniques to problems arising in classical mechanics, classical chaos, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics. Numerical techniques include numerical integration, Monte Carlo methods, simulation, data modeling, numerical linear algebra, and solution of different equations. Computational topics include an introduction to the linux operating system, use of class libraries, object-oriented programming, templates and elementary graphics. Students should be familiar with the C programming at an elementary level.

This course will cover the statistics of interacting particles, phases and phase transitions.

This is a one-term course on solid-state physics, which emphasizes the special ways one must think about crystalline materials. The course will allow students emphasizing this area to enhance their own research efforts, and it will permit other students to have an appreciation for an extremely large part of current research activity in physics. Roughly speaking, there will be three parts to the course. Some variation on emphasis can be expected depending on the instructor and on the interests of the class. (i) Phonons: Crystal lattices; diffraction and scattering; reciprocal lattice; lattice vibrations, quantization; thermal properties. (ii) Electrons: Free electron model; density of states; thermal properties; Bloch’s theorem, electron states and energy bands; semiconductor statistics; quasi-classical electron dynamics; Boltzmann equation and transport. (iii) Additional topics: Electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions; Hall effect; Landau levels; superconductivity; electromagnetic response.

This is the first term of a two term sequence exposing the student to basic methods and recent developments in high energy physics. The first term of the sequence is suitable as a one-term course for students not specializing in high-energy physics. Particle physics involves completely relativistic phenomena and requires the generalization of non-relativistic quantum concepts to the relativistic regime in order to develop the phenomenological and calculational methods suitable for relativistic processes in which the number and type of particles can change. The course examines experimental and phenomenological foundations of particle physics. The known particles and fundamental interactions are investigated. Modern experimental techniques of particle physics are discussed (including basic properties of particle interactions with matter). General features of electromagnetic, weak, and strong interactions, and their associated symmetries, are explored.

This course covers the basic conceptual foundations of general relativity starting from the special theory, with applications, calculational techniques and discussions of current observational probes. Topics include the equivalence principle, geodesic deviation, tidal forces, the description of gravitation as geometry, Schwarschild space time. Also covered are: solar system tests and post-Newtonian parameters; gravitational lensing; micro and macrolensing as probes of dark matter; observations; vacuum Einstein’s Equations and Schwarschild solution.

In this course we will review useful physical ideas and techniques that have contributed significantly to recent developments in biophysical research. This includes: the use of statistical approaches for understanding gene regulation and signal transduction in biological and chemical networks; nonlinear dynamics for understanding biological pattern formation, ecology, and population dynamics; hydrodynamics for understanding cell motility and taxis; and information theory for signal processing in neuronal networks. The course will also introduce basic concepts in biology that range from molecular to cellular biology. Specific topics to be covered include: introduction to biology; microscopy techniques; basics of cell biology; genetics (the genetic code, gene replication, gene expression, genetic networks); molecular biology techniques; energy in biological systems and the statistical view of biological dynamics; entropy and free energy in biology; two-state models in biology and neurobiology.

This is the second semester of a graduate course in Quantum Field Theory. It builds on the material covered in Phys 3765 (Field Theory 1), which is a prerequisite. The course further develops the techniques of relativistic quantum field theory, covering the path integral approach to field theory, additional topics in quantum electrodynamics, symmetry breaking, non-abelian gauge theories, and the Standard Model. In more detail, the topics covered will be: Green’s functions, asymptotic scattering theory, and the LSZ formalism; functional integration and the path integral; quantization of abelian (QED) and non-abelian (Yang-Mills) fields; the renomalization group; spontaneous symmetry breaking of global and local symmetries; the Standard Model.

Particle physics plays an increasingly important role in astrophysics. This class will cover areas of common interest between these fields. Topics may include dark matter (particle abundances, particle candidates, direct and indirect detection), neutrino masses and oscillations, high energy cosmic rays and detection schemes, high density matter in neutron stars, models for inflation, baryogenesis, cosmological phase transitions, and models for dark energy.

Specific research topic carried out under the direction of a faculty member before officially joining the group.