PHYS541RadiativeProcesses

Spring2017SyllabusClasswebsite:http://spacibm.rice.edu/~liang/phys541Instructor:EdisonLiang,Room342HermanBrownHall,x3524,email:liang@rice.eduOfficeHours:TuTh2-4pm,orbyappointmentClassTime:TuTh10:50AM–12:05PM ClassRoom:227HermanBrownHallTextbooks:Radiative Processes in Astrophysics, by George Rybicki andAlan Lightman (2004,Wileypaperback)ThePhysics ofAstrophysicsVol.1:Radiation, Frank Shu (2010,University ScienceBooksPaperback)SupplementalReferences:1.ClassicalTheoryofFields,L.Landau&E.Lifshitz(Oxford)2.RadiativeProcessesinPlasmas,G.Bekefi(Wiley)3.RadiationProcessesinAstrophysics,W.Tucker(MIT)4.ElectromagneticProcesses,R.Gould(Princeton)5.QuantumTheoryofRadiation,W.Heitler(Dover)6.RadiationinAstrophysicalPlasmas,V.Zheleznyakov(Kluwer)7.StellarAtmospheres,D.Mihalas(Freeman)8.ClassicalElectrodynamics,J.D.Jackson(Wiley)Grades:60%HomeWorks,40%TermPaperorFinalExam.Homeworksarenormallydue2weeksafter theirassignment. Latehomeworkswillbediscounted25%foreachlectureitislate,exceptforspecialhardshipcases.Solutionswillbepostedontheclasswebsiteafterhomeworksaregraded.Grader:TBDRice Honor Code: Students are expected to uphold the Rice Honor Code. Students are allowed to work together on problem sets, but the submitted homeworks, term paper or final examination must be his/her own original work. Course Objectives: Thisisacourseonthefundamentalphysicsofelectromagneticradiationprocesses.Ithasbroad applications to all branches of physics, from astrophysics and space physics, tonuclearandparticlephysics,AMOandmedicalphysics.WhilethecorematerialisbasedonthetextbookbyRybickiandLightman(R&L),IplantoreducesomewhatthemathematicalrigorandlengthyderivationsofclassicalelectromagnetictheoryoftheR&Ltextbook,and

increasethediscussionofquantumradiationprocessesandtheirapplications.Imayalsogeneralizethemediumfromidealizedplasmastotheinteractionofradiationwithneutraland condensed matter. Other topics may also be added after mutual decision by thestudentsandinstructor. Learning Outcomes: Students are expected to turn in one homework assignment every two weeks, which will be graded, and complete a term paper or final examination. Through home works, student should become fluent in solving problems in radiative processes and radiation transport, and master the key concepts of the textbooks and lecture material. The term paper will train students to develop skills in writing and literature search. If a final examination is chosen in lieu of the term paper, it will consist of both conceptual questions and computational problems. Disability: Any student with a documented disability that requires accommodation should contact both the course instructor and Disability Support Services in the Allen Center.

TentativeTopicsandNumberofLectures

TOPIC TENTATIVENO.OFLECTURES R&LChapterIntroduction&organization 1 Radiativetransfer 2 1Thermalradiation,diffusion,Einsteincoefficients 1 1RadiationFields,polarization,Stokesparameters 2 2Radiationfrommovingcharges 2 3SpecialRelativity 1 4Bremsstrahlung(free-free)radiation 2 5Synchrotronradiation 2 6Thomson&Comptonscattering 3 7Pairs&highenergyprocesses 1Plasmaandothermediumeffects 1 8Atomicstructure 2 9Radiativetransitions,Rayleighscattering 3 10Molecularstructure 1 11Stimulatedemission,coherentradiation 2Otheroptionaltopics(TBD) 1