Fall 2021 Class Schedule

ASTRO 542 meets three times a week (9:05am to 9:55am) on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in a remote synchronous format over Zoom. The Zoom link is provided to enrolled students via email for security purposes. If you would like to audit a course, please email the instructor.

Please be aware that we will not be meeting on Labor Day (Sep 6) or over Thanksgiving Holiday (Nov 22 - 26), following PSU’s Fall 2021 academic calendar.

The following is the anticipated schedule for course lectures and activities. Lecture topics/dates may shift slightly depending on course progress. Exam and presentation dates will remain fixed.

DateActivityTopic
Mon Aug 23LectureIntroduction and Course Overview
Wed Aug 25LectureCollisional Processes
Fri Aug 27LectureStatistical Mechanics and Thermodynamic Equilibrium
Mon Aug 30LectureEnergy Levels of Atoms, Ions, and Molecules
Wed Sep 1LectureSpontaneous Emission, Stimulated Emission, and Absorption
Fri Sep 3LectureRadiative Transfer
Wed Sep 8LectureH I 21-cm Emission and Absorption
Fri Sep 10LectureAbsorption Lines and Curve of Growth
Mon Sep 13LectureEmission and Absorption by a Thermal Plasma
Wed Sep 15LecturePropagation of Radio Waves through the ISM
Fri Sep 17Presentation by Laura Duffy (#1)H I 21 cm mapping of the host galaxy of AT2018cow: a fast-evolving luminous transient within a ring of high column density gas
Mon Sep 20LectureIntroduction to Radio Astronomy and ALMA
Wed Sep 22Exam 1Lectures up to Sep 13 (incl)
Fri Sep 24LectureInterstellar Radiation Fields, Ionization Processes, and Recombination of Ions with Electrons
Mon Sep 27LecturePhotoionized Gas (HII regions)
Wed Sep 29LectureIonization in Predominantly Neutral Regions (cool + warm HI regions)
Fri Oct 1LectureCollisional Excitation
Mon Oct 4LectureNebular Diagnostics
Wed Oct 6LectureRadiative Trapping
Fri Oct 8LectureInterstellar Dust
Mon Oct 11LectureScattering and Absorption by Small Particles
Wed Oct 13Presentation by Malinda Baer (#2)Tracing PAH Size in Prominent Nearby Mid-Infrared Environments
Fri Oct 15LectureTelescope Proposals and Time Allocation Committees
Mon Oct 18LectureDust Composition
Wed Oct 20Exam 2Lectures up to Oct 11 (inclusive)
Mon Oct 25LectureGrain Temperatures, Physics, and Dynamics
Wed Oct 27LectureHeating and Cooling of HII regions
Fri Oct 29LectureHI Clouds: Observations, Heating and Cooling
Mon Nov 1LectureMolecular Hydrogen
Wed Nov 3Mock TAC discussion pt 1
Fri Nov 5Mock TAC discussion pt 2
Mon Nov 8LectureMolecular Clouds, Observations, Chemistry, and Ionization
Wed Nov 10LectureFluids and Shocks
Fri Nov 12LectureSupernovae Remnants and the Hot Ionized Medium
Mon Nov 15LectureGravitational Collapse and Star Formation: Theory
Wed Nov 17LectureStar Formation: Observations
Fri Nov 19LectureProtostars to PPDs
Mon Nov 29LectureCircumstellar Disks
Wed Dec 1Exam 3Lectures up to TBD
Fri Dec 3LectureExoplanets and Planet Formation
Mon Dec 6Presentation by Megan Delamer (#3)TBD
Wed Dec 8LectureAstrochemistry
Fri Dec 10WorkshopALMA proposals