Astronomy 3/4H: HEA-I 

High Energy Astrophysics I

  Dr M. Hendry, Room 312 Kelvin Building

10 lectures, starting October, 2003

Course Details

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the physical processes which are responsible for the production of X-rays from high energy astrophysical objects (e.g. pulsars, black holes, active galaxies). An understanding of these processes forms an important preparation for X-Ray Astrophysics II, in which some specific astrophysical examples of X-ray production will be studied in more detail.

After a brief prologue describing the history of X-ray detection (particularly the advent of space-borne X-ray satellites) students are introduced to the concept of a reaction cross-section and other mathematical machinery useful in calculating X-ray emission rates and energy spectra from specified source conditions. The processes which will be considered include:-

The course material consists of a self-contained set of lecture notes; the recommended textbooks are useful for consultation but are not considered essential for purchase. Copies of the lecture notes, pictures, handouts and example sheets for XRA-I will appear here as the course proceeds.

Martin Hendry,
October 2003

Handouts
 
 Sections 1-6
  Sections 7-9
  Sections 10-11
 Section 12
 Sections 13-15


 Aims and objectives  Course topics   Examples Sheet 1  Examples Sheet 2
 Examples Sheet 3  Examples Sheet 1: model answers  Examples Sheet 2: model answers  Examples Sheet 3: model answers

 

Complete Lecture Notes

1.   A brief history of X-rays
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7


2.   X-ray region of the E-M spectrum
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10

11
 12
 13
 14





3.   X-ray astronomy from space
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10

11
 12
 13
 14
 15
 16
 17
 18
 19
 20

21








4.   Luminosity of the bright X-ray star
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6



5.   X-ray emission mechanisms
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10

11
 12







6.   Black body radiation
1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10

11
 12
 13
 14
 15
 16



7.   Reaction cross-section
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10

11
 12
 13






8.   Thomson scattering
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10

11
 12
 13
 14
 15
 16
 17
 18
 19
 20
9.   Bremsstrahlung
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10

11
 12
 13
 14
 15
 16
 17
 18
 19
 20

21
 22







10. Non-thermal bremsstrahlung
1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7


11. Thermal bremsstrahlung revisited
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10

11
 12
 13
 14
 15
 16
 17
 18
 19
 20

21
 22
 23
 24
 25
 26
 27
 28
 29
 30

31
 32
 33
 34
 35
 36
 37
 38
 39
12. Inverse Compton radiation
1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10

11
 12
 13
 14
 15
 16
 17
 18
 19
 20

21
 22
 23
 24
 25




13. Inverse Compton luminosity
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10

11
 12
 13
 14
 15
 16
 17
 18
 19
14. Synchrotron radiation
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10

11








15. Synchrotron luminosity
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10

11
 12
 13
 14
 15
 16
 17
 18
 19
 20

21
 22
 23
 24
 25
 26
 27



 

Please send any comments or questions on XRA-I to Martin Hendry