Basics of Radio Astronomy (405-0-1)
Instructors
Farhad Y Zadeh
847/491-8147
Technological Institute Building (2145 Sheridan Road), Room F-215, Evanston
Meeting Info
Technological Institute LG68: Tues, Thurs 9:30AM - 10:50AM
Overview of class
Radio astronomy is the study of natural radio emission from celestial objects at frequencies outside FM and GPS frequencies. The radio band is very broad, spanning between 10^7 to 10^12 Hz, whereas our eyes are only sensitive between red and blue, a factor of two. This course covers how radio waves are received or transmitted by radio telescopes and discuss how different these techniques are at other wavelengths. We will explore the realm of the invisible sky using radio antennas and interferometers, and describe numerous discoveries made over the last 90 years (e.g., pulsars, quasars, cosmic microwave background radiation, organic molecules).
This course is offered for upper level (sophomore, junior or senior) undergraduate physics and engineering students who have no background in astronomy.
Registration Requirements
Physics 130 1-3, or equivalent; Math 230 or equivalent. If there are any doubts about the pre-requisites for the course, consult with the instructor.
Learning Objectives
At the end of the quarter, students will be able to explain i) how electromagnetic radiation is received and transmitted by a radio telescope, ii) how interferometry works and iii) major radio discoveries in astronomy.
History of radio astronomy; Antenna theory, interferometry and aperture synthesis;
Radio waves and the emission mechanisms at radio wavelengths.
Basic physics principles relevant to radio astronomy.
Teaching Method
Two 80-minute lectures per week
Zoom Discussion at 5PM on Mondays.
Evaluation Method
Final (30%), weekly homework assignments (55%), class participation and attendance (15%)
Class Materials (Required)
TEXTBOOK Essential Radio Astronomy; by J. Condon and S. Ransom Princeton University Press, ISBN 978-0-691-13779-7. This textbook can be viewed online for free.
Professor Zadeh will also provide some additional notes.