High Energy Astrophysics
0800-PA-HENERGY
Problems discussed during the lecture:
historical introduction - description of the most important discoveries related with the high energy astrophysics,
research in the X-ray range - orbital instruments and their discoveries,
gamma-ray observations - instruments and their discoveries including ground based Cherenkov telescopes,
an introduction to radiation processes - radiation transfer,
emission processes - physical processes responsible for the high energy emission of astronomical objects,
evolution of particle energy distribution - the kinetic equation,
particle acceleration - first and second order Fermi processes, cyclotron acceleration and magnetic reconnection.
Total student workload
1. 30h to participate in the lecture,
2. 30h for an individual studies,
3. 30h to prepare for the final examination.
Learning outcomes - knowledge
Learning outcomes:
- the graduate knows about the most important discoveries that led to the beginning of the astronomical observations in the high energy domain (K_W01),
- the graduate is able to describe astronomical instruments used in the past and currently for the astronomical research in the X-ray range and is able to characterize the most important astronomical discoveries made in this domain (K_W01, K_W06),
- the graduate has knowledge about orbital and ground based instruments used for the observations in the gamma-ray range, is also able to describe discoveries made by these experiments (K_W01, K_W06),
- the graduate is able to describe observational techniques used in the high energy astrophysics (K_W03),
- the graduate has knowledge about the physical process that are responsible for the emission in the high energy domain (K_W02, K_W05),
- the graduate is able to describe the most important acceleration process observed in astrophysical sources (K_W02, K_W05).
Learning outcomes - skills
After the end of this course the graduate:
- is able to describe the most important physical processes observed in the astronomical sources of the high energy emission (K_U01, K_U02),
- has skills to prepare an oral presentation about a problem selected from the high energy astrophysics domain (K_U08),
- is able to investigate on his own selected problems using professional scientific publications (K_U09).
Learning outcomes - social competencies
At the end:
- the graduate knows the level of his or her knowledge and skills and is able to formulate questions adequately (K_K01),
- the graduate is able to formulate opinions concerning professional issues as well as opinions on certain present in the public discourse (K_K05),
- the graduate understands the need for promoting knowledge of Physics, including the latest scientific and technological developments (K_K04),
Teaching methods
informative (conventional) lecture
Prerequisites
Knowledge required to follow this lecture: basic physical laws of electrodynamics, special relativity and basic knowledge about elementary particles.
Course coordinators
Assessment criteria
The result of the learning are evaluated by the written exam. During the exam it is necessary do describe three specific problems presented in the lecture. The description can have a general form or be very specific, for example this can be an evaluation to get mathematical formula for a given physical law.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors,
localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: