School of Physics & Astronomy Head of School Professor A ... · Physics & Astronomy - pathways Physics with Management (BSc) PH3001, PH3002, PH3007, PH3008, PH3012, PH3026, and between

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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.

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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.

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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%

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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

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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

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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

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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


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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



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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



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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



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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

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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



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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

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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




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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


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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




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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



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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


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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


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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


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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





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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)


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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


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takingtheMScidegreeselectaprojectfromalistofthosewhichareavailable,andaresupervisedbyamemberoftheacademicstaff.



Documents

School of Physics & Astronomy Head of School Professor A ... · Physics & Astronomy - pathways Physics with Management (BSc) PH3001, PH3002, PH3007, PH3008, PH3012, PH3026, and between