Atmospheres and Radiative Transfer

6 EC

Semester 1, period 1

5214STAT6Y

Owner Master Physics and Astronomy (joint degree)
Coordinator prof. dr. Alex de Koter
Part of Master Physics and Astronomy, track Astronomy and Astrophysics, Master Physics and Astronomy (joint degree), track General Physics and Astronomy,

Course manual 2025/2026

Course content

In the vast majority of cases radiation is the only thing we detect from distant astronomical objects. Almost all knowledge we have gained from the stars and planets, the interstellar medium, and galaxies is derived from the analysis of the light they emit. These lectures present an advanced introduction to concepts of radiation transfer in astrophysical media, with special emphasis on stellar atmospheres. Topics that will be treated include: the spectra of stars; the description of the radiation field; the equation of transfer; the interaction of radiation and matter, spectral line formation, and the sun. Applications to stellar atmospheres, stellar winds, gaseous nebula, the interstellar medium, and the intergalactic medium will be discussed.

Study materials

Other

  • Lecture notes.

Objectives

  • To learn the basic concepts and theory of radiation transfer processes in astrophysical media, with special emphasis on the analysis of atmospheres of stars, brown dwarfs and gaseous exoplanets.

Teaching methods

  • Lecture
  • Seminar
  • Self-study

In interactive lectures and seminars, the basic physics is presented and derived and applied in mostly analytical problems, training skills such as classifying, deducing, deriving, proving, differentiating, arguing, hypothesizing, evaluating, and generalizing.

Learning activities

Activity

Number of hours

Zelfstudie

168

Attendance

  • Some course components require compulsory attendance. If compulsory attendance applies, this will be indicated in the Course Catalogue which can be consulted via the UvA-website. The rationale for and implementation of this compulsory attendance may vary per course and, if applicable, is included in the Course Manual.

    • Additional requirements for this course:

    Absence due to the La Palma practicum needs to be communicated to the course coordinator.

    Assessment

    Item and weight Details

    Final grade

    1 (100%)

    Tentamen

    No resit for the mid-term exam.

    Inspection of assessed work

    Contact the course coordinator to make an appointment for inspection.

    Assignments

    Homework assignment for the TA sessions must be handed in. Feedback is given for selected assignments, but they are not graded.

    Fraud and plagiarism

    The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

    Course structure

    Weeknummer Onderwerpen Studiestof
    1 Introduction; The spectra of stars  
    2 Characterizing the radiation field  
    3 The equation of transfer; numerical methods for solving the equation of transfer  
    4 Radiation and matter  
    5 Discrete processes  
    6 Continuum processes  
    7 Conservation laws  
    8 Grey, planer, LTE, atmosphere in hydrostatic & radiative equilibrium  
    9 LTE model atmospheres  
    10 Spectral lines; scattering  
    11 NLTE mechanisms and models  
    12 The sun  
    13 Stellar winds; H II regions  
    14 ISM and IGM  
         
         

    Contact information

    Coordinator

    • prof. dr. Alex de Koter