A/P321 Class Schedule

Astr/Phys 3210: Class Schedule -- Spring 2011

**Current Schedule - Spring Semester 2011**
Date	Mode	Topic	Readings, etc	Homework Due
13 Jan	Organize	Lecture	Introduction, sample talk by Layden, dissect it, mini-lecture on radiation.	--
20 Jan	Discussion	Earth & Climate Change	Optional Background: Arny Units 21 & 23 Main: Touring the Atmosphere aboard the A-Train, Physics Today Jul 2010 Main: Milankovich Cycles and Glaciation	#1 Radiation
27 Jan	Discussion	Mercury Exploration	Optional Background: Arny Unit 38 (Mercury) Main: A new look at the planet Mercury, Physics Today, Jan 2011	#2 Size & Distance
03 Feb	Discussion	Saturn Exploration	Optional Background: Arny Units 43 & 45 Main: see here	#3 Mass
10 Feb	Discussion	Solar Activity	Optional Background: Arny Unit 51 (Solar Activity) Main: recent news from Ulysses & Hinode spacecraft Main: "Dynamo-Based Scheme...", Solar Phys. (1991) Main: Magnetic Field Model Predictions	#4 Line Fitting
17 Feb	Talks	Solar System	Possible topics
24 Feb	Discussion	Interstellar Medium	Optional Background: Arny Unit 72 (Gas & Dust) Main: Visit our BlackBoard site for PDF ("Gas" pp. 34-43 and "Dust" pp. 44-48)	--
03 Mar	X	X	Andy in Akron, no class	--
10 Mar	None	None	Spring Break	--
17Mar	Discussion	Galactic Stellar Halo	Optional Background: Arny Unit 71 Main: Buser, Science, 2000, 287, 69 "Form" Wyse, Science, 2003, 301, 1055 "Merge"
24 Mar	Discussion	Exosolar Planets	Optional Background: Arny Unit 34 Main: browse http://exoplanets.org/, including observing technique characteristics of exosolar planets 5 planets around 55 Cnc super-earth (7.5 Mearth)?	#5 Distance & Kinematics pi_error plot
31 Mar	Talks	Stars	Possible topics Andrew: Magnetars Anthony: Star Collisions Erik: Young Stars
07 Apr	Discussion	Dark Matter	Optional Background: Arnt Unit 78 Main: on BlackBoard (by Rubin, 1998) Lensing: Linder, 2007, Nature, 445, 274 WIMPs direct detection detecting devices Soudan experiment 2010 results (see what you can get!)	#6 Exoplanets
14 Apr	Discussion	The Hubble Law & Accelerating Universe	Optional Background: Arny 74 & 82 Main: on BlackBoard (by Freedman) The next step: SNAP? (read all Quick Links)	#7 Dark Matter Instructions & Data plus an image
21 Apr	Discussion	WMAP & Cosmology	Optional Background: Arny Unit 80 Main: on BlackBoard (by Peebles) Recent results from WMAP (also skim 5, 3, & 1 yr results: links at left)	#8 Hubble Law Instructions & Data
28 Apr	Talks	Extra-Galactic	Possible topics	--
5 May	Final Exam Period	TBD	TBD	--

Current Schedule - Spring Semester 2011

Date

Mode

Topic

Readings, etc

Homework Due

13 Jan

Organize

Lecture

Introduction, sample talk by Layden, dissect it, mini-lecture on radiation.

20 Jan

Discussion

Earth & Climate Change

Optional Background: Arny Units 21 & 23
Main: Touring the Atmosphere aboard the A-Train, Physics Today Jul 2010
Main: Milankovich Cycles and Glaciation

#1 Radiation

27 Jan

Discussion

Mercury Exploration

Optional Background: Arny Unit 38 (Mercury)
Main: A new look at the planet Mercury, Physics Today, Jan 2011

#2 Size & Distance

03 Feb

Discussion

Saturn Exploration

Optional Background: Arny Units 43 & 45
Main: see here

#3 Mass

10 Feb

Discussion

Solar Activity

Optional Background: Arny Unit 51 (Solar Activity)
Main: recent news from Ulysses & Hinode spacecraft
Main: "Dynamo-Based Scheme...", Solar Phys. (1991)
Main: Magnetic Field Model Predictions

#4 Line Fitting

17 Feb

Talks

Solar System

Possible topics

24 Feb

Discussion

Interstellar Medium

Optional Background: Arny Unit 72 (Gas & Dust)
Main: Visit our BlackBoard site for PDF ("Gas" pp. 34-43 and "Dust" pp. 44-48)

03 Mar

Andy in Akron, no class

10 Mar

None

Spring Break

17Mar

Discussion

Galactic Stellar Halo

Optional Background: Arny Unit 71
Main:
- Buser, Science, 2000, 287, 69 "Form"
- Wyse, Science, 2003, 301, 1055 "Merge"

24 Mar

Discussion

Exosolar Planets

Optional Background: Arny Unit 34
Main: browse http://exoplanets.org/, including
- observing technique

#5 Distance & Kinematics

pi_error plot

31 Mar

Talks

Stars

Possible topics

Andrew: Magnetars
Anthony: Star Collisions
Erik: Young Stars

07 Apr

Discussion

Dark Matter

Optional Background: Arnt Unit 78
Main: on BlackBoard (by Rubin, 1998)
Lensing: Linder, 2007, Nature, 445, 274
WIMPs
- direct detection
- detecting devices
- Soudan experiment
- 2010 results (see what you can get!)

#6 Exoplanets

14 Apr

Discussion

The Hubble Law & Accelerating Universe

Optional Background: Arny 74 & 82
Main: on BlackBoard (by Freedman)
The next step: SNAP? (read all Quick Links)

#7 Dark Matter

Instructions & Data plus an image

21 Apr

Discussion

WMAP & Cosmology

Optional Background: Arny Unit 80
Main: on BlackBoard (by Peebles)
Recent results from WMAP (also skim 5, 3, & 1 yr results: links at left)

#8 Hubble Law

Instructions & Data

28 Apr

Talks

Extra-Galactic

Possible topics

5 May

Final Exam Period

TBD