Astronomy 500, Graduate Seminar:
A Survey of Astronomical Accretion
Instructor:
Tom Harrison
Syllabus
This class is split into two main themes: 1) a survey of the types of
objects that actively accrete matter (Cataclysmic Variables, X-Ray
Binaries, Young Stellar Objects, Active Galactic Nuclei, and Planetary
Formation), their discovery/identification, including a summary of their
observational characteristics, and 2) a survey of important theoretical
work relating to accretion in these objects. Each week's paper will be
required reading. We will have one speaker per week who will review one
of the "classic" papers in the field. During the first part of the
semester, that day's speaker will also provide an overview of how our
observations and understanding of the objects discussed in this early
paper have grown. During the second half of the semester we will take a
closer, and more technical look at the nature and consequences of
accretion processes in these systems.
Goals: 1) to familiarize
students with the importance of accretion in astrophysics, 2) give some
insight into the theory of accretion physics, 3) improve critical
reading, thinking and analysis skills, 4) improve oral presentation
skills, and 5) promote interaction among the students and faculty.
Time: TBD
Location: Ast 119
Office: Astronomy 103
Phone: 646-3628
Email: tharriso@nmsu.edu
Office hours: by appointment
Structure:
Each person will be required to make two presentations. All students
must read the paper under discussion and be prepared to ask relevant
questions. A short (one page) written summary of the preceding week's
class will be due at the beginning of each class.
Each presentation should take about 35 to 40 minutes. The presentations
will be followed by a question/discussion session. Grading will be based
on your presentations (40%), participation (30%), and the weekly
summaries (30%).
Late/Make-up Assignment policy: Late assignments will
not be accepted without prior arrangement with the instructor.
Program Evaluation: Students will be expected to
evaluate the course at the end of the semester.
If you have, or believe you have, a disability that you wish to
self-identify, you can do so by providing documentation to the Services
for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office located in Garcia Annex
(646-6840). If you are already registered with the SSD office, and need
accommodations, please provide your "Accommodation Memo" from the SSD
within the first 2 weeks of class. If you have a condition which may
affect your ability to exit from the premises in case of an emergency,
you are encouraged to discuss this with your instructor (or SSD
Coordinator). If you have general questions about the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) call 646-3333.
Tentative
Schedule
Week #1 (Jan. 22nd)
Course Overview/Schedule (topic/speaker selection) and Introduction of
Accretion Concepts
Week #2 (Jan. 29th): Cataclysmic
Variables
Paper: "Observations of Rapid Blue Variables II: U Geminorum" Warner
& Nather 1971, MNRAS 152, 219.
[Pey-Lian]
General topic: Quick review of the various types of CVs, including
magnetic systems and classical novae (source: Warner's "Cataclysmic
Variable Stars"). [Ryan]
Week #3 (Feb. 5th): X-Ray Binaries
Papers: The Identification of Sco X-1: Gursky et al. 1966; ApJ 146,
310, Sandage et al. 1966, ApJ 146, 315. [Jim]
General topic: Flavors & Behaviors of X-Ray binaries [Chapter 1 of
"X-Ray Binaries" is a good source (Lewin, van Paradijs, & van den
Heuvel)]. [Sarah B.]
Week #4 (Feb. 12th): Young Stellar
Objects
Paper: "The Nature of the Objects of Joy: A Study of the T-Tauri
Phenomenon", Rydgren et al. 1976, ApJS 30, 307. [Peregrine]
General topic: Review of formation and evolution scenarios for YSO's as
well as observational phenomena. [Brandon]
Week #5 (Feb. 19th): The Kant-Laplace
Nebular Hypothesis for the Formation of the Solar System
Papers: Kant 1755 in "Universal Natural History & Theory of Heaven"
(Part 2, Section 1), Laplace 1796, in "Exposition on The System of the
World" (extracts). [Tanya]
General topic: Discussion of the "Nebular Theory" for the formation of
the Solar System. [Sarah G.]
(The Kant reference can be found at: http://www.mala.bc.ca/~johnstoi/kant2e.htm,
for the appropriate excerpts from Laplace go to: http://eee.uci.edu/clients/bjbecker/ExploringtheCosmos/week8c.html.)
Week #6 (Feb. 26th): The True Nature
of Quasars and AGN
Paper: "The Quasi-Stellar Radio Sources 3C 48 and 3C 273" Greenstein
& Schmidt 1964, ApJ 140,1. [Glenn]
"Unified model" review article: "Spectropolarimetry of
High-Polarization Seyfert 2 Galaxies and Unified Seyfert Theories",
Miller & Goodrich 1990, ApJ 355, 456. [Daniel]
Week #7 (Mar. 4th): Accretion Disk
Modeling
"Black Holes in Binary Systems. Observational Appearance" Shakura &
Sunyaev 1973, A&A 24, 337. [Sarah G.]
Week #8 (Mar. 11th): Explaining the
Outbursts of Cataclysmic Variables
"The Outbursts of Dwarf Novae", Smak, J. 1984 PASP 96, 5. [Pey-Lian]
Week #9 (Mar. 18th): Accretion Disks in X-Ray Binaries
"The X-Ray Spectral Properties of Accretion Discs in X-Ray
Binaries", White et al. 1988, ApJ 324, 363. [Ryan]
Spring Break (Mar. 22 to
26th)
Week #10 (April 1st): Accretion
in Magnetic Systems
"Magnetism in Isolated and Binary White Dwarfs" Wickramasinghe & Ferrario
2000, PASP 112, 873 (just the accreting WD sections) [Jim]
Week #11 (Apr. 8th):
Advection-Dominated Accretion (Black Holes)
"Advection-Dominated Accretion and the Spectral States of Black Hole
X-Ray Binaries: Application to Nova Muscae 1991", Esin et al. 1997, ApJ
489, 865.[Daniel]
Week #12 (Apr. 15th): Accretion Disks in YSOs
"Disk Accretion & Mass Loss from Young Stars", Hartigan 1995, ApJ
452, 736 (or some other suitable paper about YSO disks and jets). [Peregrine]
Week #13 (Apr. 22th): Disks in
AGNs and QSOs
"A Paradigm Revisited: the Accretion Discs in AGNs and Quasars",
Gondhalekar et al. (1996), MNRAS, 282, 117. [Glenn]
Week #14 (April 29th): Planet Formation
"Planet Formation in the Outer Solar System", Kenyon 2002, PASP 114,
265. [Tanya]
Week #15 (May 6th): A Review of Accretion
in Astrophysics
[Split between Sarah B. and Brandon]