School of Physics & Astronomy Head of School Professor A ... · Physics & Astronomy -...

Physics & Astronomy - pathways

School of Physics & Astronomy

Head of School ProfessorAMiller

Degree ProgrammesSingleHonoursDegrees: Astrophysics(BSc&MPhys) Physics(BSc&MPhys) PhysicswithPhotonics(MPhys) TheoreticalPhysics(MPhys)

JointHonoursDegrees(BSc): Physicsand Chemistry,Computer Science, Logic&Philosophy of Science,

Mathematics.

JointHonoursDegree(MPhys): TheoreticalPhysicsandMathematics

MajorDegreeProgramme(BSc) PhysicswithFrenchW,PhysicswithManagement

Students enrolled in Honours Programmes prior to 2001 should see the 2000-01 Course Catalogue for details of Prerequisites and Programmes.

Wavailablealsoas‘withIntegratedYearAbroadDegree’

Programme Prerequisites - BSc and MPhysBSc Physics (all degrees)

11orbetterinPH2011andPH2012,andinMT2101or(MT2001andMT2003)

BSc Astrophysics

11orbetterinAS2001*,PH2011,PH2012,andinMT2101or(MT2001andMT2003).

MPhys Astrophysics

15orbetterinAS2001*,PH2011andPH2012,and11orbetterinMT2101or(MT2001andMT2003)

MPhys Physics, Physics with Photonics,

15orbetterinPH2011andPH2012,and11orbetterinMT2101or(MT2001andMT2003)

MPhys Theoretical Physics

15orbetterinPH2011andPH2012,andinMT2101or(MT2001andMT2003)

MPhys Theoretical Physics and Mathematics

15orbetterinPH2011andPH2012,and17orbetterinMT2101or(MT2001andMT2003)

*notapplicableforthosewhoenteratsecondlevel

Programme RequirementsThe following refer only to students who enter third level in September 2001 or earlier.

Astrophysics (BSc)

AS3001–AS3004,AS3006,AS3101–AS3103,PH3001,PH3007,PH3014,andafurther60creditsfromPH3001–PH3103.

Physics (BSc)

SingleHonoursdegree:PH3001,PH3002,PH3007,PH3008,PH3012,PH3014,PH3026,andafurther135creditsfromPH3001-PH3103andAS3001-AS3103,subjecttotheconditionsthat(a)atleast15creditsmustbeselectedfromPH3101,PH3102,AS3101andAS3102,and(b)oneofPH3103andAS3103mustbeincluded.

JointHonoursdegrees:PH3001,PH3007andafurther90creditsfromPH3001-PH3102andAS3001-AS3006.

Physics & Astronomy - pathways

Physics with Management (BSc)

PH3001,PH3002,PH3007,PH3008,PH3012,PH3026,andbetween60and90furthercreditsfromPH3001-PH3103andAS3001-AS3103,subjecttotheconditionsthat(a)atleast15creditsmustbeselectedfromPH3101,PH3102,AS3101andAS3102,and(b)oneofPH3103andAS3103mustbeincluded.

Astrophysics (MSci)

AS3001-AS3004,AS3006,AS3101,AS3102,AS4001,AS4002,AS4101,PH3001,PH3007,PH3014,PH4009andatleastafurther60creditsfromPH3001-PH4099.

Physics (MSci)

PH3001,PH3002,PH3007,PH3008,PH3012,PH3014,PH3026,PH3101,PH3102,PH4009,PH4101andatleastafurther105creditsfromPH3003-PH4099andAS3001-AS4002includingatleast30creditsat4000level.

Physics with Photonics (MSci)

PH3001-PH3002,PH3005,PH3007,PH3008,PH3010,PH3012,PH3014,PH3026,PH3050,PH3101-PH3102,PH4005,PH4008,PH4009,PH4101andatleastafurther30creditsfromPH3003-PH4099andAS3001-AS4002.

Theoretical Physics (MSci)

PH3001-PH3002,PH3007-PH3009,PH3012-PH3014,PH3026,MT3501,PH4002-PH4003,PH4102,andafurther90creditsfromPH3001-PH4099andAS3001-AS4002includingatleast30creditsat4000levelandincludingatleast15creditsfromPH4004,PH4010-PH4012.

Theoretical Physics and Mathematics (MSci)

PH3001,PH3007,PH3009,PH3012,PH4002-PH4003,PH4102orMT4998,andafurther45creditsfromPH3001-PH4099andAS3001-AS4002includingatleast30creditsfromPH3026,PH3033,PH4004andPH4010.

InthecaseofstudentswhospendpartoftheHonoursProgrammeabroadonarecognisedExchangeScheme,theProgrammeRequirementswillbeamendedtotakeintoaccountcoursestakenwhileabroad

The following apply to all students entering third level from September 2002 onwards:

Astrophysics (BSc)

240creditsincludingAS3011–AS3013,AS3103,PH3014,PH3061–PH3062,PH3064–PH3067andatleasttwomodulesfrom(AS3014–AS3019andPH3072).

Physics (BSc)

SingleHonours degree: 240 credits includingPH3002,PH3008,PH3014,PH3061,PH3062,PH3064–PH3067,PH3101–PH3103.

JointHonoursdegree:120creditsselectedfromAS3011–AS3999orPH3001–PH3999includingPH3061,PH3062,PH3064–PH3067.

Majordegree:atleast150creditsselectedfromAS3011–AS3999orPH3001–PH3999includingPH3002,PH3008,PH3061,PH3062,PH3064–PH3067,PH3103,andatleastoneofPH3101,PH3102.

Astrophysics (MPhys)

360creditsincludingAS3011–AS3019,AS4001,AS4002,AS4004,AS4101,PH3014,PH3061,PH3062,PH3064–PH3067,andPH3072.

Physics (MPhys)

360creditsincludingPH3002,PH3004,PH3008,PH3014,PH3026,PH3061–PH3067,PH3069,PH3101,PH3102,PH4101andatleast45othercreditsat4000level.

Physics with Photonics (MPhys)

360creditsincludingPH3002,PH3004,PH3005,PH3008,PH3010,PH3014,PH3050,PH3061–PH3067,PH3069,PH3101,PH3102,PH4005,PH4008,PH4101andatleast15othercreditsat4000level.

Theoretical Physics (MPhys)

360creditsincludingMT3501,PH3002,PH3008,PH3014,PH3026,PH3061–PH3071,PH4002,PH4003,PH4102andatleast15othercreditschosenfromPH4010–PH4012,andatleast15othercreditsat4000level.

Theoretical Physics and Mathematics (MPhys)

360creditsincludingPH3061–PH3065,PH3067,PH3068,PH4002,PH4003,PH4102orMT4998,andatleast30othercreditschosenfromPH4010–PH4012.

Physics & Astronomy - pathways & 1000 Level modules

Astrophysics (MSci) (only for students entering third level in September 2002)

300creditsincludingAS3011–AS3019,AS4001,AS4002,AS4101,PH3014,PH3061,PH3062,PH3064–PH3067,andPH3072.

Physics (MSci) (only for students entering third level in September 2002)

300creditsincludingPH3002,PH3004,PH3008,PH3014,PH3026,PH3061–PH3067,PH3069,PH3101,PH3102,PH4101andatleast45othercreditsat4000level.

Physics with Photonics (MSci) (only for students entering third level in September 2002)

300creditsincludingPH3002,PH3004,PH3005,PH3008,PH3010,PH3014,PH3050,PH3061–PH3067,PH3069,PH3101,PH3102,PH4005,PH4008,PH4101andatleast15othercreditsat4000level.

Theoretical Physics (MSci) (only for students entering third level in September 2002)

300creditsincludingMT3501,PH3002,PH3008,PH3014,PH3026,PH3061–PH3071,PH4002,PH4003,PH4102andatleast15othercreditschosenfromPH4010–PH4012,andatleast15othercreditsat4000level.

Theoretical Physics and Mathematics (MSci) (only for students entering third level in September 2002)

300creditsincludingPH3061–PH3065,PH3067,PH3068,PH4002,PH4003,PH4102orMT4998,andatleast30othercreditschosenfromPH4010–PH4012.

ModulesAS1001 Astronomy and Astrophysics 1

Credits: 20.0 Semester: 1

Prerequisites: HigherPhysicsorA-levelPhysicsorHigherMathematicsorA-levelMathematics.

Anti-requisite: AS1002

Description: Thismodulesurveysourpresentstateofknowledgeoftheorbits,surfacesandatmospheresoftheplanetsinoursolarsystem;thestructureandevolutionoftheSunandotherstars,includingextra-solarplanetarysystems;thebizarremenagerieofstar-formingregions,violentstellarobjectsandsupermassiveblackholesfoundwithinourownMilkyWayGalaxyandinothergalaxies;andthelarge-scalestructureandultimatefateoftheexpandingUniverse.Throughoutthemodule,fundamentalobservationsareinterpretedusingsimplebutpowerfulgeometricmethodstoshowhowdistancesandotherpropertiesofastronomicalobjectsthroughouttheUniversehavebeenmeasured,fromthetimeofCopernicustotheeraoftheHubbleTelescopeandbeyond.

ClassHour: 11.00am

Teaching: Fourlectures,onetutorialandonelaboratory.

Assessment: Laboratorywork=25%,ContinuousAssessment=15%,2HourExamination=60%

Re-Assessment: Laboratorywork=25%,2HourExamination=75%

AS1002 The Physical Universe

Anti-requisites: AS1001orPH1011orPH1012

Description: Thismodulepresentsadescriptive,non-mathematicalaccountof thephysicaluniverse. It isdividedintotwocomponents:conceptsinastronomy,dealingwithourunderstandingsofthepropertiesandagesofplanets,stars,galaxies,andtheirdistributionsinspace,cosmologyandtheoriginoftheUniverse;andconceptsinphysics,dealingwithourunderstandingsofthenatureoflightandmatter,thestructureofatoms,fundamentalparticlesandtheirlinkstocosmology.

ClassHour: 5.00pm

Teaching: Threelectures,onetutorial/seminar.

Assessment: ContinuousAssessment=50%,2HourExamination=50%

Re-Assessment: 2HourExamination=100%

Physics & Astronomy - 1000 & 2000 Level modules

PH1011 Physics 1A

Prerequisite(s): HigherorA-levelPhysicsandHigherorA-levelMathematics.

Description: Thismodule covers the core subjects ofmechanics,waves andoptics, and also provides anintroductiontolasersandoptoelectronics.ItissuitableforthosewhohavestudiedphysicstothelevelofHigherPhysicsorequivalent.Itincludeslecturesonthedynamicsofparticles,gravitation,simpleharmonicmotion,thedifferenttypesofwavemotion,geometricalandwaveoptics,theprinciplesoflasers,andsomeaspectsofopticalcommunication.

ClassHour: 12.00noon

Teaching: Fourlectures,oneworkshop,onetutorialandonelaboratory.

Re-Assessment: ContinuousAssessment=40%,2HourExamination=60%

PH1012 Physics 1B

Prerequisite(s): HigherorA-levelPhysicsandHigherorA-levelMathematics.

Description: Thismodulecoversthecoresubjectsofelectricityandmagnetism,quantumphenomena,andthepropertiesofmatter.ItissuitableforthosewhohavestudiedphysicstothelevelofHigherPhysicsorequivalent.Itincludeslecturesonelectrostatics,theelectricfieldandpotential,capacitors,d.c.currents,andmagnetostatics;theoriginsofquantumtheoryanditsapplicationtoatomsandothersmallscalesystems;thenatureandcompositionofnuclei,atoms,moleculesandsolids;andsomeaspectsofthermalphysicsandkinetictheory.

ClassHour: 12.00noon

Teaching: Fourlectures,oneworkshop,onetutorialandonelaboratory.

AS2001 Astronomy and Astrophysics 2

Credits: 30.0 Semester: 1Prerequisites: PH1001,PH1002,MT1001(orHigherMathematicsgradeAtogetherwithCSYSMathematics

Paper1gradeB,orA-levelMathematicsgradeC),MT1002andAS1001.

Description: Thismodulecomprisesfourlecturecourseswhichextendknowledgegainedinthefirst levelmoduleAS1001,anddiscussrecentdevelopmentsinthesubject:(i)observationaltechniques-moderntelescopes,instruments anddetectors for gamma-,X-, uv, optical, IR and radio radiation; spherical astronomyand essentialcoordinatesystems;(ii)thestructureandevolutionofstars-nucleosynthesis,stellarpropertiesasafunctionofage,acompleteunderstandingoftheHRdiagram;(iii)thechemicalevolutionoftheUniverse-abundancesfromtheBigBangtothepresent;(iv)galacticastronomy-thedistributionandmotionofstars,gas,dust,anddarkmatterinourMilkyWayandothergalaxies.

ClassHour: 11.00am

Teaching: Fourlectures,onetutorialandonelaboratory.

Assessment: Laboratorywork=25%,ContinuousAssessment=15%,3HourExamination=60%

Re-Assessment: Laboratorywork=25%,3HourExamination=75%

PH2011 Physics 2A

Prerequisite(s): PH1011,PH1012andMT1002;alternativelypassesinAdvancedHigherPhysicsandMathematicsorinA-levelPhysicsandMathematics,bothnormallyatgradeBorbetter.

Description: Thismodulecoversthesubjectsofmechanicsandrelativity,oscillationsandwaves,andphotonics.It issuitable for thosewhohave taken thespecifiedfirstyearmodules inphysicsandmathematics,orhavegoodAdvancedHigherorA-levelpassesorequivalentinphysicsandmathematics.Itincludeslecturesonthedynamicsofparticlesandrigidbodies,gravitation,Einstein’sspecialtheoryofrelativity,free,forcedanddampedharmonicmotion,wavesonstrings,acoustics,polarisationoflight,interference,diffractionandholography.

ClassHour: 10.00am

Teaching: Fourorfivelectures,oneworkshop,onetutorialandonelaboratory.

PH2012 Physics 2B

Prerequisite(s): PH1011,PH1012andMT1002;alternativelypassesinAdvancedHigherPhysicsandMathematicsorinA-levelPhysicsandMathematics,bothnormallyatgradeBorbetter.

Description: Thismodule covers the subjects of quantumphysics, electronics, and atoms,molecules andsolids.Itissuitableforthosewhohavetakenthespecifiedfirstyearmodulesinphysicsandmathematics,orhavegoodAdvancedHigherorA-levelpassesorequivalentinphysicsandmathematics.ItincludeslecturesontheoriginofSchrödinger’sequationinquantummechanicsanditssolutionforsimpleone-dimensionalpotentials;theapplicationofquantummechanicstoatomicandmolecularsystemsandtocondensedmatter;andanintroductiontocircuitanalysis,ACtheoryandanalogueelectronics.

ClassHour: 10.00am

Teaching: Fourorfivelectures,oneworkshop,onetutorialandonelaboratory.

The prerequisite for each of the following Honours modules is entry to the Honours Programme(s) for which they are specified, save where a specific prerequisite is given.AS3001 Modern Optical Instrumentation

Availability: 2001-02only

Antirequisite: PH3010

Description: The course showshowabasic knowledgeof physics, particularly optics, canbe applied toourunderstandingof several important areasofmodernoptical instrumentation.Topics include: imaging systemsat thediffraction limit; theplanediffractiongrating:opticalproperties,manufactureanduse inspectrographs; thephotomultiplierdetectoranditsuseforphotoncounting;theCCDdetector:construction,propertiesandoperationasalow-lightleveldetector;proximityimageintensifiers;micro-channelplatesandtheirincorporationintoimageintensifiers;activeandadaptiveoptics;fibre-opticfeeds;theFabry-Perotinterferometer:theory,useforlaboratoryspectroscopyanditsuseinastronomy;thedeterminationofmirroropticalfigures.

ClassHour: Tobearranged.

Teaching: Threelecturesortutorials.

Assessment: 2HourExamination=100%

AS3002 Astrophysical Processes

Physics & Astronomy - 3000 Level modules

Prerequisite: AS2001

Description: Thismoduleintroducesthephysicsofastrophysicalplasmas,asfoundinstarsandinterstellarspace,whereinteractionsbetweenmatterandradiationplayadominantrole.Avarietyofabsorption,emission,andscatteringprocessesareintroducedtodescribeexchangesofenergyandmomentum,whichlinkupinvariouscontextstocontrolthestateandmotionofthematter,toregulatetheflowoflightthroughthematter,andtoimpressfingerprintsontheemergingspectrum.Thetheoryisdevelopedinsufficientdetailtoillustratehowastronomersinterpretobservedspectratoinferphysicalpropertiesofastrophysicalplasmas.Applicationsareconsideredtophoto-ionizednebulae,interstellarshocks,novaandsupernovashells,accretiondisks,quasarabsorptionlineclouds,radiosynchrotronjets,radiopulsars,andX-rayplasmas.

AS3003 Stellar Physics

Description: ThismoduledevelopsthephysicsofstellarinteriorsandatmospheresfromthebasicequationsofstellarstructureintroducedinAS2001.Topicsinclude:theequationofstatethatprovidespressuresupportatthehightemperaturesanddensitiesfoundinnormalandwhite-dwarfstars;theinteractionofradiationwithmatter,bothintermsofradiation-pressuresupportinsuper-massivestarsandintermsoftheroleofopacityincontrollingtheflowofenergyfromthestellarinteriortothesurface;theequationofradiativetransferandtheeffectsoflocaltemperatures,pressuresandvelocityfieldsonthecontinuumandlineabsorptionprofilesintheemergentopticalspectrum.Computer-aidedtutorialexercisesillustratethecomputationalschemesthatrepresentoneofthetriumphsoflate20th-centuryphysics,intheirabilitytopredicttheobservablepropertiesofastarfromitsradiusandluminosity,whichinturnaredeterminedbyitsmass,ageandchemicalcomposition.

AS3004 Stellar Dynamics

Description: Thesyllabusforthismoduleincludes:briefreviewoftwo-bodymotion;applicationtobinarysystemsofstarsobservedwithvarioustechniques(velocities,pulsar-timing);extensionton-bodysystemsofpoint-massesanduseofvirial theorem;gravitationalpotentialsresultingfromnon-sphericalmasses,withapplicationtotidalphenomenaontheEarthandonstars,andresultingfromdistributionofpoint-massesoverlargedistances,withapplicationtotheobservedstructureofgalaxies;numericalmethodsforcalculatingorbits.Thestatisticaltreatmentoflargenumbersofself-gravitatingmasses;thecollisionlessBoltzmannequationanditsapplicationtodeterminingthemassesofgalaxiesandclustersofgalaxies;the‘darkmatter’problem.

AS3006 Galaxies and Observational Cosmology

Description: ThismoduleprovidesageneraloverviewofthepropertiesofgalaxiesandshowstheempiricalevidencethatleadstotheconclusionthatourUniverseisexpanding.Howmeasurementsaremadeofdistances,thelocalrateofexpansionandthelocalmassdensityareexplained.ThestandardBigBangmodelisthendevelopedstartingfromOlber’sParadox(“Whyistheskydarkatnight?”)andshowinghowtherateofexpansionisdependentontheamountofmatter,radiationandvacuumenergywithintheUniverse.Thisincludesdueconsiderationofexpandingcurvedgeometries(orspacetime)andadiscussionofthesuccessandproblemswiththecurrentmodel.ThemoduleculminatesinanestimationofthecurrentageofourUniverseanditsultimatefatebasedonthelatestobservationalevidence.

AS3011 Galaxies

Availability: 2002-03

Description: Thismodule introduces the basic elements of extragalactic astronomy.This includes themorphological, structuralandspectralpropertiesofgalaxies, the fundamentalplane forellipticalgalaxiesand theTully-Fischerrelationforspirals.Wediscussrotationcurvesandtheneedfordarkmatter.TheserelationshipsareusedtoderivethelocalvalueoftheHubbleconstantalongwithcomplementarymethodssuchastheglobularclusterluminosityfunctionandsurfacebrightnessfluctuations.Weassessthespacedensityofgalaxiesandderivethemeanmatterdensityofourlocaluniverse.ThemodulealsocontainsmaterialcoveringourlocalgroupandthenearbyVirgoandComaclusters.

Teaching: 2lecturesandsometutorials.

AS3012 Exoplanetary Science

Description: Thismoduleintroducestherapidly-developingfieldofthestudyofplanetarysystemsbeyondourown.ItbuildsonideasofstarformationandstellarstructureintroducedinAS2001,extendingthemtotheformationofplanetsincircumstellaraccretiondiscs,andtheinternalstructuresofgas-giantplanets.Newideasofinwardplanetarymigrationduetotidaldrag,anddynamicalinteractionsbetweenplanets,areintroduced.Observationaltechniquesfordetectingandstudyingexoplanetsarediscussed.Thetheoryofradiativetransferinplanetaryatmospheresisintroduced,inthecontextoftheabsorptionandscatteringmechanismsthatmaybeoperating.Cloudformationphysicsandmethodsforpredictingandidentifyingthemostlikelycondensatesinplanetaryatmospheresatdifferenttemperaturesarealsocovered.

AS3013 Computational Astrophysics

Description: The aimof thismodule is to introduce students to the concepts involved in computationalastrophysics.Fromageneralintroductiontoacurrentprogramminglanguage(Fortran90),studentsareshownhowtoexplorethebasicsofproblemsolvingusingnumericaltechniquesandtheirapplicationtoastrophysicalphenomena.Thesecondpartofthemoduleinvolvesthedevelopmentofanumericalintegratortosolveorbitsinvariousgravitationalpotentials.Studentsthengainexperiencewiththebasicsofnumericalaccuracy,andexplorethedynamicsoforbitsingeneralisedgravitationalpotentialsfromplanetarytoGalacticsystems.

Teaching: 2lectures/workshopsandsomecomputersessions.

Assessment: ContinuousAssessment=100%

AS3014 Observational Astrophysics

Description: Thisisanobservationalandlaboratory-basedmodulethatintroducesstudentstothehands-onpracticalaspectsofplanningobservingprogrammes,conductingtheobservationsandreducingandanalysingthedata.ObservationsaresecuredattheUniversityObservatoryusingvarioustelescopesforCCDphotometryofstarclustersandgalaxies,andforCCDspectroscopyofstars.Furthersourcesofdatamaybemadeavailablefrominternationalobservatories.Studentsgainexperienceinobservation,dataanalysis,computerprogrammingandmodelling,andreportwriting.

Teaching: Two3hourlaboratories.

AS3015 Nebulae

Description: Thismoduleintroducesthephysicsofastrophysicalplasmas,asfoundinstarsandinterstellarspace,whereinteractionsbetweenmatterandradiationplayadominantrole.Avarietyofabsorption,emission,andscatteringprocessesareintroducedtodescribeexchangesofenergyandmomentum,whichlinkupinvariouscontextstocontrolthestateandmotionofthematter,toregulatetheflowoflightthroughthematter,andtoimpressfingerprintsontheemergentspectrum.Thetheoryisdevelopedinsufficientdetailtoillustratehowastronomersinterpretobservedspectra to inferphysicalpropertiesofastrophysicalplasmas.Applicationsareconsidered tophoto-ionizenebulae,interstellarshocks,novaandsupernovashells,accretiondiscs,quasar-absorption-lineclouds,radiosynchrotronjets,radiopulsars,andx-rayplasmas.

AS3016 Gravitational Dynamics

Description: Thismoduleaimstoexplorethebasicsofgravitationaldynamicsanditsapplicationtosystemsrangingfromplanetaryandstellarsystemstoclustersofgalaxies.Startingfromtwo-bodymotionandorbitsunderacentral-forcelaw,thecoursedescribesthecalculationofextendedpotentialsandtheirassociatedorbits.Theuseofthevirialtheoremandthestatisticaltreatmentoflargenumbersofself-gravitatingbodiesisthendevelopedwithapplicationtostellarsystems.Applicationsofthesemethodsaremadetoseveraldifferentastrophysicalobjectsrangingfromcollisionsinglobularclusterstothepresenceofdarkmatterintheuniverse.

AS3017 Observational Cosmology

Description: ThemodulestartswithOlber’sparadox,(whyistheskydarkatnight?)anditsresolution(thattheuniversehadabeginning)andthenreviewstheevidencethattheuniverseiscurrentlyexpandingat75km/s/Mpc.Wethendevelopamathematicalframeworkcapableofdealingwithexpandingcurvedspace-timeandderivethebasicequationswhichgoverntheexpansionandcurvatureoftheuniverseasafunctionoftime.Wetestthepredictions,strengthsandweaknessesofthisstandardmodelincludingthecosmicmicrowavebackground,bigbangnucleosynthesisandtheneedforthetheoryofinflation.Wefindthatthefateoftheuniverseisentirelydependentonthecurrentdensityofmatter,radiationandvacuumenergy,andreviewthelatestobservationswhichmeasurethesekeyparameters.FinallytheultimatefateoftheUniverseisrevealed.

AS3018 Stars

Description: ThismoduledevelopsthephysicsofstellarinteriorsandatmospheresfromthebasicequationsofstellarstructureintroducedinAS2001.Topicsinclude:theequationofstatethatprovidespressuresupportatthehightemperaturesanddensitiesfoundinnormalandwhite-dwarfstars;theinteractionofradiationwithmatter,bothintermsofradiation-pressuresupportinsuper-massivestarsandintermsoftheroleofopacityincontrollingtheflowofenergyfromthestellarinteriortothesurface;theequationofradiativetransferandtheeffectsoflocaltemperatures,pressuresandvelocityfieldsonthecontinuumandlineabsorptionprofilesintheemergentspectrum.Computer-aidedtutorialexercisesillustratethecomputationalschemesthatrepresentoneofthetriumphsoflate20th-centuryphysics,intheirabilitytopredicttheobservablepropertiesofastarfromitsradiusandluminosity,whichinturnaredeterminedbyitsmass,ageandchemicalcomposition.

AS3019 Binary Stars and Accretion Discs

Description: Sincebinarystarsareascommonormorecommonthansinglestarsintheuniverse,itisappropriatethatthereshouldbeawholemoduledevotedtotheirstudy.Thismodulediscusses:two-bodyorbitalmotion,methodsfordeterminingorbitsfromvelocities,pulse-timing,andspatially-resolvedsystems,analysesoflightcurves,andtheresultantmasses,radii,andluminositiesofstarsofalltypesfoundinbinaries–frompre-main-sequencestarstoneutronstarsandblackholes.Themodulealsopresentsaccountsoftheoreticalmodelsandobservationsontheprocessesofmassexchangeandmasslossinbinariesincludingaccretiondiscs,streams,andoutflows.

AS3101 Astrophysics Laboratory 1

Description: Theaimofthemoduleistofamiliarisestudentswithawiderangeofproblemsandtechniquesinastronomyandastrophysics,whileallowingthemtopursueindividualinterests.Studentsgainexperienceintheapplicationofmanytransferableskillsincluding:observation,measurement;dataanalysis;computerprogrammingandmodelling;andreportwriting.Studentsarerequiredtotacklefourunitsofpracticalwork,eachlastingabouttwelvehours,coveringprinciplesofastronomicalobservation,astrometry,photometry,stellarspectroscopyandtheoreticalastrophysics.

ClassHour: 2.00-5.00pmMondayand2.00-5.00pmThursday.

Teaching: Twolaboratories.

AS3102 Astrophysics Laboratory 2

Description: Theaimofthemoduleistofamiliarisestudentswithawiderangeofproblemsandtechniquesinastronomyandastrophysics,whileallowingthemtopursueindividualinterests.Studentsgainexperienceintheapplicationofmanytransferableskillsincluding:observation,measurement;dataanalysis;computerprogrammingandmodelling;andreportwriting.Studentsarerequiredtotacklefourunitsofpracticalwork,eachlastingabouttwelvehours,coveringprinciplesofastronomicalobservation,astrometry,photometry,stellarandtheoreticalastrophysics.

ClassHour: 2.00-5.00pmMondayand2.00pm-5.00pmThursday.

Teaching: Twolaboratories.

AS3103 Project in Astrophysics 1

Credits: 30.0 Semester: WholeYear

Description: Theprojectaimstodevelopstudents’skillsinsearchingtheappropriateliterature,inexperimentalandobservationaldesign,theevaluationandinterpretationofdata,andthepresentationofareport.Themainprojectisprecededbyareviewessay.Thereisnospecificsyllabusforthismodule.StudentstakingtheBScdegreeselectaprojectfromalistofthosewhichareavailable,andaresupervisedbyamemberoftheacademicstaff.

Assessment: ProjectandOralExamination=100%

PH3001 Quantum Mechanics 1

Description: Thismodulediscussesthemainprinciplesofquantummechanicsandsomeofitsmostimportantapplications.Thesyllabusincludes:earlyideasonquantisation,andtheemergenceoftheSchrodingerequation;theinterpretationofthewavefunction;Heisenberg’suncertaintyrelations;simpleone-dimensionalproblemsincludingpotentialbarriersandwells;thelinearharmonicoscillator;representationofphysicalvariablesbyoperators,andthesignificanceoftheireigenvalues;thesolutionoftheSchrodingerequationforcentralforces,Legendrepolynomialsandsphericalharmonics;theradialSchrodingerequation;thehydrogenatom;approximatemethods;thevariationalprinciple,andtime-independentperturbationtheory.Studentsareintroducedtocomputersimulationsofone-dimensionalproblems,andarerequiredtocarryoutcomputer-basedexercisesandasmallproject.

ClassHour: 10.00am,Monday,TuesdayandThursday.

Teaching: Threelecturesortutorialsorcomputerworkshops.

PH3002 Solid State Physics 1

Description: This introductory course is intended to showhow the variousoptical, thermal and electricalpropertiesofsolidsarerelatedtothenatureandarrangementoftheconstituentatomsinasolid.Forsimplicity,emphasisisgiventocrystallinesolids.Themoduleexamines:symmetrypropertiesofcrystals;commoncrystallinestructures;thebehaviourofwavesincrystals;wavesofatomicmotion,leadingtothermalproperties;electronicenergystates:conductors,insulators,semiconductors;electricalpropertiesarisingfromthewavenatureofelectrons;examplesofthefundamentaltheorytotypicalsolidssuchassimplemetals,siliconandothersemiconductors,andmagneticmaterials.

PH3004 Digital & Analogue Circuits

Description: Thiscoursewillintroduceanddevelopthebasicprinciplesofthesynthesisandanalysisofdigitalandanaloguecircuits.Itwilladvancestudents’knowledgeoftransistorcircuitsandintroducethemtothestructureandusesofmicroprocessors.Itwillcover:passivecircuitelements,solutionofcircuitsbydifferentialequationsandLaplacetransforms;typesofimpulses,systemfunctionsandfrequencyresponses;circuitsynthesis;designofdigitalcircuits-combinational,synchronous,asynchronousandpulsemode;internalstructureofmicroprocessors,andmemoriesandstructureofmicroprocessorsystems;unipolarandbipolartransistors,amplifiersandswitches,typesofamplifiers.

PH3005 Laser Physics 1

Description: Thismodulepresentsabasicdescriptionofthemainphysicalconceptsuponwhichanunderstandingof lasermaterials,operationsandapplicationscanbebased.Thssyllabusincludes:basicconceptsofenergy-levelmanifoldsingainmedia,particularlyinrespectofpopulationinversionandsaturationeffects;conditionsforoscillatorstabilityinlaserresonatorconfigurationsandtransverseandlongitudinalcavitymodedescriptions;singlelongitudinalmodeoperationforspectralpurityandphaselockingoflongitudinalmodesforthegenerationofperiodicsequencesofintenseultrashortpulses(i.e.lasermodelocking);illustrationsofline-narrowedandmodelockedlasersandtheoriginandexploitabilityofintensity-inducednonlinearopticaleffects.

PH3007 Electromagnetism

Description: Thepropertiesofelectricandmagneticfieldswillbediscussed,startingwithstaticfieldsand

movingontotime-dependentproperties.Maxwell’sequationsarederived,andresultinthewaveequationandtheconclusionthatlightisanelectromagneticwave.Thetheoryisappliedtothetransmissionofwavesinfreespace,ionisedgases(plasmas),metalsanddielectrics.Therelationbetweenelectromagnetictheoryandquantumtheorywillbediscussedbriefly.

PH3008 Atomic Physics

Prerequisite: PH3001

Description: Thismoduleprovidesarationalbasistotheidentificationofatomicenergystatesandthevariousinteractionsofelectronswithinatoms.Itprovidesanunderstandingofaspectsoflaserphysics,solidstateandstellarphysics.Thesyllabusincludes:electroncloudmodelofanatom;electronspin;magneticmomentsofelectronbehaviour;spin-orbitinteractionsandpossiblestatesofelectronenergy;oneandtwo-electronsystems;lineintensities;Landeg-factors;weakZeemanandstrongPaschen-Backmagneticfieldeffects;starkelectricfieldeffects;hyperfinestructureandLambshifts;magneticresonanceandesrinatomicbeamexperiments;molecularstructure:electronic,vibrationalandrotationaleffects.

Description: Theaimistoextendthetheoryofquantummechanicstoincludemany-particlesystemsandtime-dependentstateswithapplicationtoatomicphysics.Thesyllabusincludes:wavefunctionsformany-particlesystems,thePauliprincipleandexchangeinteractions;thetimeevolutionofasystem,andtransitionsbetweenquantumstates;operatormethodsappliedtotheharmonicoscillatorandangularmomentum;applicationtoatomicstates,toincludespin-orbitinteractions,relativisticcorrectionsandselectionrules.ThemainfeaturesoftheperiodictableandthespectraofthealkaliatomswillbeexplainedintermsoftheHartreemodel.

Teaching: Threelecturesortutorials..

PH3010 Modern Optics

Antirequisite: AS3001

Description: Thiscourseformulatesthemainaspectsofphysicsusedinmodernoptics,lasersandoptoelectronicsystems.Topicscoveredinclude:polarisedlightanditsmanipulation,withdescriptionsintermsofJones’vectorsandmatrices;Fresnel’sequationsfortransmittanceandreflectanceatplanedielectricinterfaces;reflectionandtransmissionofmulti-layerthinfilmsplustheiruseininterferencefilters;interpretationofdiffractionpatternsintermsofFouriertheory;spatialfilters;thetheoryanduseofFabry-Perotetalons;lasercavitiesandGaussianbeams.

PH3011 Information and Measurement

Description: Thecourseexplainswhatinformationis,howweprocessit,andhowitiscollectedbymakingmeasurements.Thefirsteightlecturesconcentrateonthebasicsofmeasurement,informationtheory,andprocessingsystems.Therestofthecourseusesvariousexamplestoshowhowthesebasicsareputintouse.TheCDsystemisusedtoillustrateinformationcollection,processing,andcommunicationindigitalform.Datacompression/reductionisillustratedwithexampleswhichincludedigitalcompactcassette.Otherillustrationsincludethemethodsusedbyspiestoencryptmessagesandtheapplicationsofchaoticsystemsandsignals.

PH3012 Thermal and Statistical Physics

Description: Theaimofthismoduleistocoverathonoursleveltheprinciplesandmostimportantapplicationsofthermodynamicsandstatisticalmechanics.Thesyllabusincludes:derivationofthethreelawsofthermodynamics,andtheequationofstate;Maxwell’srelations;correctionofsolidstateresultsfromconstantpressuretoconstantvolume,liquifactionofgases;conceptofindependentquantumstate;energylevelsanddegeneracy;themicrocanonicalensemble;quantumgasesandtheclassicallimit;thecanonicalensemble;fluctuations;theconnectionwiththermodynamics;theclassicalperfectgas;equipartitionofenergy;thegrandcanonicalensemble;blackbodyradiation;matterathighdensityandpressure;fluctuationsandnoise;phasetransitions;negativetemperatures.

PH3013 Introduction to Theoretical Physics

Description: ThefirstpartofthismoduleintroducestechniquesforsolvingproblemsinmechanicsthatgobeyondsimplemethodsemployingNewton’slaws.Twoapproachesaredeveloped,bothofwhichinvolveexpressingtheenergyofthesystemintermsofitsgeneralisedcoordinatestogetherwithitsgeneralisedvelocities(theLagrangemethod)orgeneralisedmomenta(themethodofHamilton).Thesecondpartdealswithelementarytensortheoryanditsapplicationtospecialrelativity.Thethirdpartcoversseriessolutionstodifferentialequationsofsecondorder,withspecificapplicationtoHermitepolynomials,Legendrepolynomialsandsphericalharmonics.AfewlecturesontheDiracdeltafunctionarealsoincluded.

PH3014 Transferable Skills for Physicists

Description: Theaimofthemoduleistodevelopthekeyskillsoforalandwrittencommunication,informationtechnology,teamworkingandproblemsolving.Thiswillbedoneinthecontextofphysicsandastronomy.Guidance,practiceandassessmentwillbeprovidedinthepreparationanddeliveryoftalks,criticalreadingoftheliterature,reportandessaywriting,programmingtosolvephysicalproblems,developingandwritingacaseforresourcestobeexpendedtoinvestigateaparticularareaofscience,tacklingcasestudies.

Teaching: Threelecturesortutorialsorworkshops.

Assessment: ContinousAssessmentonbasisofexercises=100%

PH3026 Nuclear and Particle Physics

Description: Theaimofthismoduleistodescribeintermsofappropriatemodels,thestructureandproperties

oftheatomicnucleus,theclassificationoffundamentalparticlesandthemeansbywhichtheyinteract.Thesyllabusincludes:nuclearsizes,bindingenergy,spindependenceofthestrongnuclearforce;radioactivity,thesemi-empiricalmassformula;nuclearstability,theshellmodel,magicnumbers;spin-orbitcoupling;energeticsofß-decay,α-decayandspontaneousfission;nuclearreactions,resonances;fission;electroweakandcolourinteractions,classificationofparticlesasintermediatebosons,leptonsorhadrons.Standardmodelofleptonsandquarks,andideasthatgobeyondthestandardmodel.

PH3027 Magnetism and Superconductivity

Prerequisites: PH3001,PH3002,PH3007

Description: Themodulepresentsarangeofmagneticphenomenainsolids,developsthetheoreticalmodelsforthemandexplainshowthechemicalfeaturesandstructureofrealmaterialsinfluencethemagneticproperties.Thesyllabusincludes:reviewofmagneticfieldvectors,magnetisation,shapeeffects;superconductivity,phasediagrams,thermodynamicandLondonmodels;coherencelength,surfaceenergies,typeIandIImaterials;quantisedfluxandfluxoidlattice;beanmodel,BCStheory,macroscopicquantumeffects,Josephsontunnelling;modernsuperconductingmaterials,Langevindiamagnetism,localmomentparamagnetism;meanfieldmodels,exchange,directandindirect,andRKKYinteractions;magneticorder;delocalisedmodel,Landaudiamagnetism,Pauliparamagnetism,Stonermodel,spinwaves;materials-rareearth,transitionelements,alloysandcompounds;domains;examplesofcurrentproblemsinmagnetism.

PH3039 Computational Physics

Description: Theaimofthismoduleistointroducestudentstotheuseofthecomputerasananalyticaltoolinphysicsandastronomy.Themodulecomprises:(i)anintroductiontoprogramminginahigh-levellanguageincludingediting,structuredprogrammingandtheessentialsofthelanguagerequiredtoprogramforscientificapplication;(ii)theapplicationofMathcadtoproblemsinvolvingmatricesandtensors,differentialequations,FouriertransformsandMonteCarlomethods;(iii)theapplicationofcomputationalmethodstoscientificproblemsolving.

Teaching: Twolectureseachweekandtwo1hourlaboratories.

Assessment: ContinuousAssessmentonbasisofprojects=100%

PH3040 Physics of Electronic Devices

Description: Thecoursedescribesthephysicalphenomenainvolvedintheoperationofsemiconductordevices,andthenshowshowthephenomenadeterminethepropertiesofspecificdevicessuchasthetransistor.Althoughonlya fewdevicesaredescribed, thestudent taking thecourseshouldacquireasufficientbackground tounderstandawidevarietyofmodernsemiconductordevices.Thecoursecovers:semiconductorproperties:bandgaps,opticalandelectricalproperties;conductioninanelectricfieldandbydiffusion;factorsdeterminingtheconcentrationsofelectronsandholes;thecontinuityequation;propertiesofpnjunctionsandSchottkydiodes;typicaldevices:bipolartransistor,field-effecttransistor,MOSFET,lightemittingdiodes,semiconductorlasers.

PH3041 Radio and Coherent Techniques

Description: Theaimof thiscourse is toexplain the techniquesusedby radio,microwaveandmm-waveengineerstocommunicate,andcollect, information. Itconcentratesmainlyuponradiotechniquestoexplainhowcoherentelectromagneticsignalscanbeemployedtocarryinformation.Practicalexamplesaregiventoillustratethewaythebasicconceptscanbeapplied.TheseincludeanexplanationofhowFMstereoradioandcolourTVworkasexamplesofsignalmultiplexing.Thecourselooksatmicrowaveandmillimetre-wavetechniquesandshowshowelectronicsandopticscanbemixedathighersignalfrequencies.Usingtheexamplesofspyandothertypesofsatellites,italsoexplainshowradarandpassivesensingsystemscanbeusedtogatherinformation.

PH3050 Optoelectronics and Nonlinear Optics 1

Description: Thecourseprovidesanintroductiontothebasicphysicsunderpinningoptoelectronicsandnonlinearoptics,andaperspectiveoncontemporarydevelopments in the twofields.Thesyllabus includes:anoverviewofoptoelectronicdevicesandsystems;opticalmodulators;acousto-optics;BraggandRaman-Nath;propagationoflightinanisotropicmedia;electro-optics;waveguideandfibreoptics;modesofplanarguides;opticaldetectors-pn,pin,avalanche;nonlinearoptics;activeandpassiveprocessesinsecondandthirdorder;secondharmonicgeneration;phasematching;coupledwaveequations;parametricoscillators;self-focusingandself-phase-modulation;opticalbistability;phaseconjugation;solitons;Rayleigh;RamanandBrillouinscattering.

Description: Thismoduleintroducesthemainfeaturesofquantummechanics.Thesyllabusincludes:earlyideasonquantisation,theemergenceoftheSchrödingerequation,theinterpretationofthewavefunctionandHeisenberg’suncertaintyrelation.Theconceptsofeigenfunctionsandeigenvalues.Simpleone-dimensionalproblemsincludingpotentialwellsandbarriers;thelinearharmonicoscillator.SolutionoftheSchrödingerequationforcentralforces,theradialSchrödingerequation,andthehydrogenatom.Studentsareintroducedtocomputersimulationsofone-dimensionalproblemsandarerequiredtocarryoutcomputer-basedexercises.

Teaching: 2lectures,2PCclassroomsessionsandsometutorials.

Credits: 10.0 Semester 2

Description: Thismoduleexploresmoreof themainfeaturesofquantummechanics, takingforgrantedaknowledgeofthematerialinPH3061.Thesyllabusincludesatreatmentofperturbationtheory,andtimedependenceofthewavefunctionincludingtransitionsbetweenstationarystates.Studentsareintroducedtothequantummechanicsofasystemofparticles,whichleadsontothedistinctionbetweenfermionsandbosonsandapplicationstoatoms,metalsandneutronstars.

Credits: 10.0 Semester 2

Prerequisites: PH3061,PH3062

Description: Thismodule presents themain theoretical basis of quantummechanics, startingwith therepresentationofdynamicalvariablesbyoperators.TheFouriertransformofthewavefunctionisshowntoprovideinformationonthemomentumdistribution.Theimportanceofcommutatorsisdemonstrated,andthegeneraluncertaintyrelationisderived.Othertopicswhicharetreatedarethevariationalprinciple,matrixmechanics,operatormethodsforfindingeigenvaluesandeigenfunctions,spinangularmomentum,andthetotalangularmomentumforoneelectronatoms.

PH3064 Electromagnetism 1

Description: Thismodulecoversthemainbranchesofelectrostaticsandmagnetostatics,startingfromthelawsduetoCoulombandBiot-Savart.Theelectricscalarpotentialisintroducedanditsuseincalculatingfieldsisillustrated.Theeffectsofdielectricandmagneticmediaarediscussed,asistheoriginofthedisplacementcurrent.Maxwell’sequationsarederivedintermsofthefourfieldsE,D,BandHandthewaveequationisdeduced.

PH3065 Electromagnetism 2

Description: ThismoduleextendsthetreatmentofelectromagnetisminPH3064.Themagneticvectorpotentialisintroducedanditsuseinmagneticfieldcalculationsillustrated.Poisson’sequationandLaplace’sequationarederived,andusedtoobtainsolutionsfortheelectrostaticpotential.StartingfromMaxwell’sequations,electromagneticwavesarediscussedinsomedepth,includingtheirpropagationinvariousmedia,theirbehaviouratboundaries,theirinteractionwithmatter,andtheirgeneration.

PH3066 Mathematics for Physicists

Description: Themoduleaimstodevelopmathematicaltechniquesthatarerequiredbyaprofessionalphysicistorastronomer.Thereisparticularemphasisonthespecialfunctionswhichariseassolutionsofdifferentialequationswhichoccurfrequentlyinphysics.Analyticmathematicalskillsarecomplementedbythedevelopmentofcomputer-basedsolutionsusingMathcad.Theemphasis throughout isonobtainingsolutions toproblems inphysicsand itsapplications.SpecifictopicstobecoveredwillbeFouriertransforms,thegammafunction,theDiracdeltafunction,partialdifferentialequationsandtheirsolutionbyseparationofvariablestechnique,seriessolutionofsecondorderODEs,Hermitepolynomials,Legendrepolynomialsandsphericalharmonics.

PH3067 Thermal Physics

Description: Thismodulegivesadetailedaccountofthermodynamicsandkinetictheory,andanintroductiontostatisticalmechanics.Thelawsofthermodynamicsarediscussedincludingtheconceptsofwork,internalenergy,reversibleandirreversibleprocesses,entropy,Carnotenginesandrefrigerators,andatreatmentofthethermodynamicpotentials.Inkinetictheory,theMaxwellvelocitydistributionisderived,followedbyadiscussionofmeanfreepathandtransportproperties–diffusion,thermalconductivityandviscosity.Inthefinalsectionstudentsareintroducedtotheconceptsofstatisticalmechanicsincludingthemicroscopicbasisforentropy,thepartitionfunctionanditsuses,andabriefintroductiontoFermiandBosedistributions.

PH3068 Statistical Mechanics

Description: Statisticalmechanicsprovidestechniquesfordeterminingmacroscopicpropertiesofsystemsofinteractingquantumparticles.Themodulecovers:Ensemblesandbasicpostulates.Derivationofthermodynamicalpropertiesfromcanonicalensemble;applicationtocrystalsandtoidealgasesathightemperatures.Themicrocanonicalensemble.Interchangeabilityofensembles.Systemoftwostateparticlesandnegativetemperatures.Thegrandcanonicalensemble.Applicationstoidealgasesoffermionsandbosonsatarbitrarytemperatures,towhitedwarfandneutronstars,toelectronsinmetals,toliquidhelium,toblackbodyradiationandtocrystals.

Assessment: 2hourExamination=100%

PH3069 Computational Physics

Description: Themodulestartswithfivesessions inprogrammingwithPascal (buildingon level2work)followedbyeightsessionsonnumericalanalysisusingPascal.Thismaterialislikelytoinclude:numericalsolutionofnonlinearequationsincludinggraphicalmethodsandNewton-Raphsonmethod.InterpolationincludingLagrangeinterpolationpolynomialandNevilleiterativeinterpolation.Curvefitting.Numericalintegrationincludingtrapezoidalrule,Simpson’sruleandGauss’integrationformula.NumericalsolutionofODEsincludingRungeKuttamethods,withrelevantexercises.Therewillbeanemphasisonphysicalexamplesthroughout.Themodulefinisheswithasmallcomputationalproject.Assessmentisdonecontinuouslyviashorttests,assignmentsandtheproject.

Teaching: 2one-and-a-halfhoursessions.

PH3070 Classical Mechanics and Special Relativity

Description: Thismodule explores the consequences ofEinstein’s postulates, starting from theLorentztransformation equations. It covers themainkinematical topics (length contraction, timedilation, transformationequationsforvelocity,acceleration,frequencyetc.)andthenmovesontorelativisticdynamicsusingtheconceptoffourvectors.ThesecondpartofthemoduleintroducestechniquesforsolvingproblemsinmechanicswhichgobeyondsimplemethodsemployingNewton’slaws.Twoapproachesaredeveloped,whichinvolveexpressingtheenergyofthesystemintermsofitsgeneralisedco-ordinatestogetherwithitsgeneralisedvelocities(theLagrangemethod)orgeneralisedmomenta(Hamilton’smethod).

PH3071 Complex Analysis

Description: Thismoduleaimstodevelopaknowledgeofcomplexanalysisforthepurposesofstudentsoftheoreticalphysics.There isemphasis throughoutonobtainingsolutions tomathematicalproblemswhicharise inphysics.Specifictopicstobecoveredwillbefunctionsofacomplexvariable,complexintegration,seriesexpansions,singularities,analyticcontinuation,residuecalculus,FourierandLaplacetransformations,principalvalueintegrals,Hilberttransformations,andasymptoticmethods.Applicationswillincludetwo-dimensionalproblemsinmechanics,theidealfluidintwodimensions,acousticsofthedrum,two-dimensionalelectrostatics,andtherainbowintegral.

PH3072 Fluids

Description: Thismoduleprovidesanintroductiontofluiddynamics,andaddressestheunderlyingphysicsbehindmanyeverydayflowsthatweseearoundus.Itstartsfromaderivationoftheequationsofhydrodynamicsandintroducestheconceptofvorticityandtheessentialsofvorticitydynamics.Theinfluenceofviscosityandtheformationofboundarylayersisdescribedwithsomestraightforwardexamples.Theeffectofthecompressibilityofafluidisintroducedandappliedtoshockformationandtotheconservationrelationsthatdescribeflowsthroughshocks.Asimpletreatmentofwavesandinstabilitiesthenallowsacomparisonbetweentheoryandreadily-observedstructuresinclouds,riversandshorelines.

PH3101 Physics Laboratory 1

Description: Theaimsofthemoduleare(i)tofamiliarisestudentswithawidevarietyofexperimentaltechniquesandequipment,and(ii)toinstilanappreciationofthesignificanceofexperimentsandtheirresults.Themoduleconsistsoffoursub-modulesonsolidstatephysics,lasers,interfacing,andsignalprocessing.

ClassHour: 2.00-5.00pmMondayand2.00-5.00pmThursday

PH3102 Physics Laboratory 2

Description: Theaimsofthemoduleare(i)tofamiliarisestudentswithawidevarietyofexperimentaltechniquesandequipment,and(ii)toinstilanappreciationofthesignificanceofexperimentsandtheirresults.Studentsselect

foursub-modulesfromalistcomprisingsolidstatephysics,opticsandspectroscopy,circuitsandcircuitsimulations,microprocessors,lasersandvacuumtechniques.

ClassHour: 2.00-5.00pmMondayand2.00-5.00pmThursday

PH3103 Project in Physics 1

Prerequisites: AtleastoneofPH3101,PH3102

Description: Theprojectaimstodevelopstudents’skillsinsearchingthephysicsliteratureandinexperimentaldesign,theevaluationandinterpretationofdata,andinthepresentationofresults.Themainprojectisprecededbyareviewessayonatopicwhichmayberelatedtothethemeoftheprojectormaybeunrelatedtoit.Thereisnospecificsyllabusforthismodule.StudentstakingtheBScdegreeselectaprojectfromalistoffered,andaresupervisedbyamemberofstaff.

The Prerequisite for each of the following 4000 modules is entry to the MSci or MPhys Programme(s) for which they are specified, save where an additional prerequisite is givenAS4001 Astronomical Data Analysis

Description: Thismoduledevelopsanunderstandingofbasicconceptsandofferspracticalexperiencewiththetechniquesofquantitativedataanalysis.Beginningwithfundamentalconceptsofprobabilitytheoryandrandomvariables,practicaltechniquesaredevelopedforusingquantitativeobservationaldatatoanswerquestionsandtesthypothesesaboutmodelsofthephysicalworld.Themethodsareillustratedbyapplicationstotheanalysisoftimeseries,imaging,spectroscopy,andtomographydatasets.Studentsdeveloptheircomputerprogrammingskills,acquireadataanalysistoolkit,andgainpracticalexperiencebyanalyzingrealdatasets.

Classhour: Tobearranged.

AS4002 Star Formation and Plasma Astrophysics

Description: Theaimistodescribethephysicsofhowamagneticfieldinteractswithaplasma,andtousethisknowledgetoexploretheroleofmagneticfieldsintheformationofsolar-likestarsandincompactobjectswithaccretiondiscs.Thesyllabuscomprises:Solar-likemagneticactivityonotherstars.Thebasicequationsofmagneto-hydrodynamics. Stellarcoronae:X-rayproperties andenergeticsofcoronal loops. Energeticsofmagneticfieldconfigurations. MHDwavesandpropagationofinformation.Solarandstellardynamos:meanfieldmodels. Starformation:propertiesofmagneticcloudcores,magneticsupport.Physicsofaccretiondiscs:transportofmassandangularmomentum.Accretionontocompactobjectsandprotostars.Rotationandmagneticfieldsinprotostellardiscs.Rotationdistributionsofyoungsolar-typestars.Magneticbrakingviaahot,magneticallychannelledstellarwind.

AS4004 Contemporary Astrophysics

Description: Thismodulewill provide an annual survey of the latest,most interesting, developments in

astronomyandastrophysicsattheresearchlevel.Emphasiswillbeplacedupontheapplicationofknowledgeandexpertisegainedbystudentsintheirothermodulestothesecurrentresearchtopics.

Teaching: 3lecturesandsometutorials

AS4101 Project in Astrophysics 2

Description: Theprojectaimstodevelopstudents’skillsinsearchingtheappropriateliterature,inexperimentalandobservationaldesign,theevaluationandinterpretationofdata,andthepresentationofareport.Themainprojectisprecededbyareviewessay.Thereisnospecificsyllabusforthismodule.StudentstakingtheMScidegreeselectaprojectfromalistofthosewhichareavailable,andaresupervisedbyamemberoftheacademicstaff.

Assessment: ProjectandOralExaminations=100%

PH4001 Solid State Physics 2

Prerequisites: PH3001andPH3002

Description: Theaimofthismoduleistodevelopanunderstandingofband-structureincrystallinesolids,FermisurfacesinreciprocalspaceandtheBoltzmanntransportequation.Itexamines:reciprocalspaceconceptsreviewedandextended;tight-bindingtheoryforsimplecubicstructure;Kronig-Penneymodel;fermisurfacesinrealstructures;measurementtechniques;Landaulevels,Shubnikov-deHaasanddeHaas-vanAlphenexperiments;Boltzmanntransportofchargeandthermalenergy.

PH4002 Foundations of Quantum Mechanics

Description: Thismoduleconsistsoffiveparts:(i)Hilbertspacesandoperatorsincludingadiscussionofspectraldecompositionofselfadjointoperators;(ii)postulatesofquantummechanicsforobservableswithdiscretespectrawithillustrativeexamplesincludingvariouspictures(Schrodinger,Heisenberg,interaction)oftimeevolution;(iii)postulatesofquantummechanicsforobservableswithcontinuousspectraintermsofprobabilitydistributionfunctionsandthespectralfunctions;(iv)quantumtheoryoforbital,spinangularmomentaandtheiraddition,Pauli-Schrodingerequation;(v)introductiontorelativisticquantummechanics.

PH4003 Group Theory

Description: Thismoduleexplorestheconceptofagroup, includinggroupsofcoordinatetransformations

in three-dimensionalEuclidean space; the invariancegroupof theHamiltonianoperator; the structure of groups:subgroups,classes,cosets,factorgroups,isomorphismsandhomorphisms,directproductgroups;introductiontoLiegroups, includingnotionsofconnectness,compactness,and invariant integration; representation theoryofgroups,includingsimilarity transformations,unitary representations, irreducible representations,characters,directproductrepresentations,andtheWigner-Eckarttheorem;applicationstoquantummechanics,includingcalculationofenergyeigenvaluesandselectionrules.

PH4004 Quantum Field Theory

Description: Thesyllabusforthismoduleincludes:secondquantizationforbosonsandfermions;annihilationandcreationoperators;introductiontoclassicalfieldtheory,includingthenotionofLagrangianandHamiltoniandensities;therealandcomplexKlein-Gordonfieldsforspinzeroparticles;theDiracfieldforspin1/2particles;quantizationoftheelectromagneticfield;perturbationexpansionfortheSmatrix;Wick’stheorem;originanduseofFeynmanrules;outlineofideaofrenormalization;applicationtoquantumelectrodynamics.

Teaching: Threelecturesortutorials.Assessment:2HourExamination=100%

PH4005 Laser Physics 2

Prerequisites: PH3001,PH3005andPH3007

Description: Quantitativetreatmentoflaserphysicsembracingbothclassicalandsemiclassicalapproaches;transient/dynamicbehaviouroflaseroscillatorsincludingrelaxationoscillations,amplitudeandphasemodulation,frequencyswitching,Q-switching,cavitydumpingandmodelocking;designanalysisofoptically-pumpedsolidstatelasers; laseramplifiers includingcontinuous-wave,pulsedandregenerativeamplification;dispersionandgaininalaseroscillator-roleofthemacroscopicpolarisation;unstableopticalresonators,geometricanddiffractiontreatments;quantummechanicaldescriptionofthegainmedium;coherentprocessesincludingRabioscillations;semiclassicaltreatmentofthelaser;tunablelasers.

PH4007 Structures and Dynamics of Solids

Description: Theaimistodevelopanunderstandingofhowandwhycondensedmatterscientistsattempttodeterminetherelativepositionsandmotionsofatomsinsolids.Thecoursewilllargelyfocusonneutrontechniques,buttherelevanceofotherscatteringmethodswillalsobediscussed.Thesyllabuscomprises:Introductiontothepropertiesoftheneutronanditsinteractionwithmatter.Neutronproductionandinstrumentation.Determinationofatomicandmagneticstructuresusingneutrondiffraction.Diffusescatteringstudiesofdisorderedmaterials,liquidsandamorphoussolids.Thestudyoflargescalemacromolecularandbiologicalstructures,andofphasetransitions,usingsmallanglescattering.Isotopictechniquesandcontrastmatching.Coherentandincoherentexcitationsinsolids,andquasi-elasticscatteringstudiesoftunnellingphenomena.Thecharacterisationofsurfacesusingreflectometry.Polarisedneutronmethods.

PH4008 Optoelectronics and Nonlinear Optics 2

Description: Thismoduledevelopsconcepts introduced inPH3050 toa levelatwhich thestudent shouldbeabletounderstandstate-of-the-artsystemsinthesefieldsandtoappreciatetheresearchliterature.Inparticular,theideasofnonlinearopticsaredevelopedmorequantitativelyandingreaterdepth,andthecourseshowshowsuchpropertiescanbethebasisofimportantdevices.Thefieldofopticalcommunicationiscovered,includethemodesofpropagationinwaveguidesandtheuseofnonlineareffectsinopticalwaveguides.OptoelectronicdevicessuchasSEEDaredescribed,includingtheirrolesinopticalswitching.

Teaching: Threelecturesortutorials.Assessment: 2Hourexamination=100%

PH4009 Advanced Mathematical Techniques in Physics

Description: Themodule aims to develop themore sophisticatedmathematical techniques that form anappropriatepartof theeducationofaprofessionalphysicistorastronomer.Starting fromexamples selected fromvariousareasofphysics,themodulewilldevelopenhancedmathematicaltoolsfortheefficientsolutionofproblemsintheseareas.Analyticmathematicalskillswillbecomplementedbythedevelopmentofcomputer-basedsolutions.Theemphasisthroughoutwillbeonobtainingsolutionstoproblemsinphysicsanditsapplications.Specifictopicstobecoveredwillincludetensoranalysis,numericalanalysis,probabilitytheoryandstatistics,FourierandLaplacetransforms,operatortechniques,selectedfunctionsandtheirproperties,constrainedoptimisation,andnonlinearsystems.

PH4010 Particle SymmetriesCredits: 15.0 Semester: 2

Prerequisites: PH3026,PH4003

Description: Grouptheoreticalmethodshavebeenextremelysuccessfulinmakingpredictionsandbringinganorderedunderstandingtofundamentalparticles.Thismoduleinintendedtotreattwomajordevelopments,thesu(3)

theoryofhadrons,includingthedevelopmentoftheconceptofquarks,andtheconceptofspontaneoussymmetrybreakinginbothglobalandlocalgaugetheories,leadingtotheunifiedgaugetheoryofweakandelectromagneticinteractionsandtoquantumchromodynamics.Topicsinclude:TheconceptofaLiealgebra,anditsconnectionwiththeideaofaLiegroup.BasicgeneralpropertiesofLiealgebras.Thetheoryandclassificationofsemi-simpleLiealgebras.Thesu(3)theoryofhadrons.AppearanceofGoldstonebosonsinspontaneoussymmetrybreakingofglobalmodels.Abelianandnon-Abeliangaugetheories.Higgsbosons.Unifiedgaugetheoryofweakandelectromagneticinteractions.Quantumchromodynamics.

PH4011 General Relativity

Description: Thismoduleexamines:inertialframes,gravity,principleofequivalence,curvatureofspacetime;basic techniquesof tensoranalysis;Riemannianspaces,metric tensor, raisingandloweringof indices,Christoffelsymbols, locallyflat coordinates, covariant derivatives, geodesics, curvature tensor,Ricci tensor,Einstein tensor;fundamentalpostulatesofgeneralrelativity:spacetime,geodesics,fieldequations,lawsofphysicsincurvedspacetime;distances,timeintervals,speeds;reductionofequationsofgeneralrelativitytoNewtoniangravitationalequations;Schwarzschildexteriorsolution,planetarymotion,bendingoflightrays,timedelays;observationaltestsofgeneralrelativity;Schwarzschildinteriorsolution,gravitationalcollapse,blackholes.

PH4012 Quantum Optics

Description: Quantumoptics is the theoryof light that unifieswave andparticleoptics. Quantumopticsdescribesmodernhigh-precisionexperiments thatoftenprobetheveryfundamentalsofquantummechanics. Themoduleintroducesthequantisationoflight,theconceptofsinglelightmodes,thevariousquantumstatesoflightandtheirdescriptioninphasespace.Themoduleconsidersthequantumeffectsofsimpleopticalinstrumentsandanalysestwoimportantfundamentalexperiments:quantum-statetomographyandsimultaneousmeasurementsofpositionandmomentum.

PH4101 Project in Physics 2

Description: Theprojectaimstodevelopstudents’skillsinsearchingthephysicsliteratureandinexperimentaldesign,theevaluationandinterpretationofdata,andinthepresentationofresults.Themainprojectisprecededbyareviewessayonatopicwhichmayberelatedtothethemeoftheprojectormaybeunrelatedtoit.Thereisnospecificsyllabusforthismodule.StudentstakingtheMScidegreeselectaprojectfromalistoffered,andaresupervisedbyamemberofstaff.

PH4102 Project in Theoretical Physics 2

Description: Theprojectaimstosurveytheliteratureassociatedwiththetopicoftheprojectandeither(i)conductoriginalresearchintosomeprobleminthisfieldor(ii)preparearesearchreviewofthefield.Ineachcaseawrittenreportissubmittedintherange5,000to10,000words.Thereisnospecificsyllabusforthismodule.Students

takingtheMScidegreeselectaprojectfromalistofthosewhichareavailable,andaresupervisedbyamemberoftheacademicstaff.

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Astronomy 2014 Physics 2 Randy Hedlund South High School

Department of Physics - School of Physics and Astronomy

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School of Physics, Astronomy and Mathematicsdata.herts.ac.uk/programme-specifications/EIMM.pdf · School of Physics, Astronomy and Mathematics ... Applications form an integral part

SCHOOL OF PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY …ph.qmul.ac.uk/sites/default/files/intranet-undergraduates/3rd year... · school of physics and astronomy undergradaute projects abstracts spa6776

Sabah Salih Particle Physics Group The School of Physics and Astronomy

SolidWorks Training for School of Physics & Astronomy Staff …mplloyd/Eng-SW/SolidWorks_… · · 2017-03-21SolidWorks Training for School of Physics & Astronomy Staff and Postgraduates

Physics and Astronomy School of Physical and Chemical Sciences

Introducing Astronomy Education into High School Physics … · 2020-02-04 · Introducing Astronomy Education into High School Physics Curriculum Through the Use of the University

1 School of Physics and Astronomy Head of School Institute for Astronomy Institute for Particle & Nuclear Physics Institute for Condensed Matter & Complex

Bonn-Cologne Graduate School of Physics and Astronomy · Bonn-Cologne Graduate School of Physics and Astronomy. Time frame for the coordinated studies programme at Bonn (B) ... 53118

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School of Physics and Astronomy Year 3 Project Catalogue ... · School of Physics and Astronomy Year 3 Project Catalogue ... (GMCs). Observations show that these clouds come in a

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School of Physics & Astronomy Research Student Handbook