Black Holes and Compact Stars

Course manual 2017/2018

Course content

The course provides an introduction to the astrophysics of compact objects and their environments, as well as to the basic theoretical ideas by which we think we can understand these objects. The focus is on the conceptual background necessary to interpret astronomical observations of compact objects. Students learn to understand the basic properties of degenerate matter and its consequences for stellar structure, get a first exposure to the description of black holes in terms of curved spacetimes and its predicted observational consequences. Students obtain a quantitative insight into some of the astrophysical processes resulting from the unique characteristics of compact objects that lead to observable phenomena: relativistic motions, accretion, spin power. Students obtain an understanding of the observational characteristics of the various systems in which compact objects are found: white dwarfs, cataclysmic variables, X-ray binaries, radio pulsars, magnetars, and how these can be related to the physical properties of these compact objects. 

Study materials

Syllabus

• on blackboard

Software

• Stellar structure code (example), on blackboard.

Other

• Exercises & solutions, lecture notes; on blackboard

Objectives

At the end of the course the student is able to:

quantitatively explain the basic properties of degenerate matter and its origins.

quantitatively explain the consequences of degenerate matter for compact object formation and structure.

explain the processes determining formation and structure of neutron stars and quantitatively the role of degenerate electrons and neutrino diffusion therein.

explain in general terms the relativity principle and the equivalence principle, and to provide a general outline of GR in terms of the field equation and the energy momentum tensor.

explain the concept of curved spacetimes, and to quantitatively derive consequences for space and time intervals, and light motion in a Schwarzschild geometry.

explain in general terms consequences of Kerr geometry.

quantitatively explain the motions and conservation of energy and angular momentum in accretion disks.

quantitatively explain observational characteristics of supernovae, radio pulsars, X-ray binaries, active galactic nuclei and gamma-ray bursts and how these are related to the physical properties of compact objects. 

Teaching methods

• Hoorcollege
• Werkcollege
• Lecture
• Seminar
• Self-study

In the oral lectures the subject material is presented by active researchers in the field. These lectures are supplemented by exercise classes (werkcolleges) where students actively apply the theoretical and practical materials in calculations relevant to compact object astrophysics.

Learning activities

Attendance

Programme's requirements concerning attendance (OER-B):

• Each student is expected to participate actively in each component of the programme that he/she signed up for. A student that does not attend the first two seminars of a course, will be administratively removed from the seminar group. A request for reregistration for the seminars can be applied to the programme coordinator.
• If a student cannot attend an obligatory component of a programme's component due to circumstances beyond his control, he must report in writing to the teacher in question as soon as possible. The teacher, if necessary after consulting the study adviser, may decide to issue the student a replacing assignment.
• It is not allowed to miss obligatory commponents of the programme if there is no case of circumstances beyond one's control.
• In case of participating qualitatively or quantitatively insufficiently, the examiner can expel a student from further participation in the programme's component or a part of that component.
• In addition to the above mentioned rules, in the first semester of the first year a student should be present in at least 80% of the seminars. Moreover, participation to midterm tests and obligatory homework is required. If the student does not comply with these obligations, the student is expelled from the resit of this course. Students in the double Bachelor's degree programme Mathematics and Physics are exempted from this requirement.

Assessment

Inspection of assessed work

The date, time and location of the inspection moment are in the DataNose timetable.

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.uva.nl/plagiarism

Course structure

Timetable

Het rooster van dit vak is in te zien op DataNose.

Contact information

Coordinator

• prof. dr. M.B.M. van der Klis

Staff

• Laura Ootes
• Aastha Parikh