- Department: Physics
- Module co-ordinator: Prof. Phil Lightfoot
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: I
- Academic year of delivery: 2022-23
- See module specification for other years: 2021-22
Pre-requisite modules
Co-requisite modules
- None
Prohibited combinations
Occurrence | Teaching period |
---|---|
A | Autumn Term 2022-23 to Summer Term 2022-23 |
The astrophysical technologies used to study emissions from celestial objects across the spectrum spanning from high energy gammas to radio waves will be considered. The module will introduce radiation physics, and instruments and techniques used in radio astronomy. It will explore some of the most energetic objects and astrophysical sites in the Universe. A wide range of detection and imaging systems will be considered, as will the space-based satellite platforms on which most are based. However, the module will also demonstrate how astronomical features can be probed using observatories located on Earth, either using large arrays of radio receivers, or the weak interaction in the case of neutrino observatories. The techniques and instruments used to make these observations are described.
The planetary science module will cover the fundamentals of planet formation and evolution, as well as exploring the physical processes and wide variety of environments within our own solar system. Key concepts in exo-planetary science will be examined, with a focus on detection methods determining planetary characteristics.
Finally, the module will examine the conditions that allowed life to develop on Earth and identify other bodies in our own Solar System that may host the right conditions for primitive life, as well as techniques used to assess the capability of exoplanets to sustain life. The probability that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe will be discussed within the context of the scientific method.
Transferable skills have been embedded within the undergraduate programmes to align departmental teaching with the Employability Strategy and York Pedagogy, and to create a distinctive York graduate. But it is vital that students have an opportunity to reflect on the intellectual, practical and transferable skills gained during their degree, in order to appreciate how the education provided develops their employability.
It is important that students can evidence skills; for example the ability to work independently and/or in groups, tackle open-ended problems and communicate the outcomes succinctly in unfamiliar environments. It is also important that students appreciate how these skills and experiences developed both via participation with the programme and through engagement with other aspects of university life, and can map these to essential qualities required by potential employers and postgraduate programmes.
This module provides practical training and includes a team activity related to a programme specific open-ended physics problem, and two individual recorded presentations on a programme specific physics topic. It also prompts students to reflect on skills gained during their degree and to articulate how those skills have developed their employability by mapping these to potential career sectors. This is facilitated by workshops, the Physics Careers Event and the completion of a related pro-forma. Work culminates in the production of a CV and an application letter reflecting the skills and experiences which support application to a job sector or postgraduate programme.
Subject content
Academic and graduate skills
Syllabus
Origin of EM emission: black body emission, thermal Bremsstralung, synchrotron radiation, Rayleigh-Jeans Law
Sources of emission: supernova types, pulsar, X-ray burster, long and short gamma ray burster, quasar, AGN, IR backgrounds, dust
Problems associated with Earth based observation: solar and atmospheric windows
Interactions of photons with matter: Photoelectric effect, Compton effect, pair production, the mass absorption and mass attenuation coefficients, inelastic and elastic scattering, Rayleigh scattering
Imaging systems: spark chamber, Compton telescope grazing incidence telescope coded mask aperture collimator
Observatories: Chandra X-ray Observatory, Spitzer Space Telescope, Fermi Gamma ray Space Telescope, INTEGRAL, Square Kilometre Array, Planck Observatory, Herschel Observatory
An introduction to Planetary Science
An overview of planetary and exoplanetary science. The key concepts of orbital mechanics and the structure of our own solar system will frame a discussion of current exoplanet research with results from Gaia and Kepler and a brief overview of future missions such as JWST and TESS. Module learning objectives and outcomes will be outlined.
How to build a solar system
How did our solar system form? Why are the planets where they are, and have they always been in these positions? We will look at observational evidence from exoplanetary systems and compare to current theory.
Environments within the Solar System I: Terrestrial Planets
An overview of our own solar system, focussing on the terrestrial planets and asteroid belt. We will look at key characteristics such as planetary interiors, atmospheres and magnetospheres. Planetary processes such as volcanism and impacts will be explored; as well as the greenhouse effect.
Environments within the Solar System II: Gas Giants and further afield.
Continuing to look at our own solar system, with a focus on gas giants, dwarf planets and the wide variety of other environments such as comets, KBO’s and the Oort cloud.
A living planet
What is life, and what are its origins? This lecture will look at the physical processes necessary for life to have arisen on Earth. The concept of habitable zones will be explored, as well as thermodynamics, biochemistry, evolution and geological and atmospheric science. The faint young Sun paradox, and the evolution of the atmosphere will also be explored.
A living universe
Concepts explored in the previous lecture will be expanded and applied to the search for life elsewhere. We will explore the potential for life in the solar system and the wider universe, how would it form and how might we find it? Mars and the Jovian moons will be looked at in depth, as well as the idea of galactic habitable zones and spectroscopic techniques used to find exoplanet biomarkers.
Atmospheric (and other) biomarkers, and remote detection by spectroscopy, Viking missions and their results.
Exoplanets I
An overview of detection techniques, with focus on Doppler and transit. Properties of the planets, selection effects and biases in the methods will be discussed.
Exoplanets II
What are the categories of exoplanet, and how do we determine their physical characteristics? Concepts such as binarity, tidal locking and exo-moons will be explored, as well as current and future work from JWST and TESS.
Are we alone?
A brief look at the Drake equation, the Fermi Paradox and the Rare Earth Hypothesis. Our place in the wider universe will be discussed and the physical limitations of interstellar travel will be explored. The lecture will close with a summary of the module and the opportunity to cover previous topics in more detail.
Skills Content (+training workshops and feedback sessions)
individual recorded 10 minute presentation on programme specific topic in physics with peer-assessment through VLE
repeat of above building on feedback; presentations assessed by staff
team activity: assessment centre exercise (formative)
team activity: student groups prepare 10 minute presentation to cohort, reviewing a specific job sector, company profiles, essential skills required and how they map to the undergraduate programme, typical application process/timing
team activity: ‘thinking like a physicist’ answering an open-ended complex problem on a programme specific theme culminating in production of a group solution document
completion of an individual pro-forma (linked to attendance at Physics Careers Event) which asks a student to list potential careers sectors, identify key competencies, differentiate between occupations based on those aspects which are considered most relevant by the student
production of a CV aligned to a potential sector
production of a draft application letter aligned to a potential sector
Task | Length | % of module mark |
---|---|---|
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) Astrophysical Technologies |
1.5 hours | 40 |
Essay/coursework Application letter |
N/A | 5 |
Essay/coursework Assignment |
N/A | 10 |
Essay/coursework CV and pro-forma |
N/A | 5 |
Essay/coursework Peer review of presentation 1 |
N/A | 4 |
Essay/coursework Planetary Science Assignment |
N/A | 25 |
Essay/coursework Team exercise written report |
N/A | 5 |
Oral presentation/seminar/exam Presentation 2 |
N/A | 6 |
None
Task | Length | % of module mark |
---|---|---|
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) Astrophysical Technologies exam |
1.5 hours | 50 |
Essay/coursework Application letter |
N/A | 5 |
Essay/coursework CV and pro-forma |
N/A | 5 |
Essay/coursework Peer review of presentation 1 |
N/A | 4 |
Essay/coursework Planetary Science Assignment |
N/A | 25 |
Essay/coursework Team exercise written report |
N/A | 5 |
Oral presentation/seminar/exam Presentation 2 |
N/A | 6 |
Our policy on how you receive feedback for formative and summative purposes is contained in our Department Handbook.
Kitchin C R: “Astrophysical Techniques” 5th edition, Taylor & Francis, 2008
Longair M S: “High energy astrophysics (Volumes I and II)” 2nd edition, CUP, 1992 and 1994
Charles P A & Seward F D: “Exploring the X-ray Universe” 1st edition 1995, 2nd 2010, CUP
Murthy P V R & Wolfendale A W: “Gamma ray astronomy” 2nd edition, Cambridge Astrophysical Series 22, 1993
Burke B. & Graham-Smith F.: An introduction to radio astronomy, CUP, 2009
Carroll & Ostlie: An introduction to Modern Astrophysics, Pearson, 2013
Zeilik M & Gregory S.A.: Astronomy and astrophysics, Brooks-Cole, 1997
Planetary Science key texts:
Lissauer, de Pater: “Fundamental Planetary Science”, Cambridge University Press, 2013
Kay, Palen, Blementhal: “21st Century Astronomy” 5th edition, W.W. Norton and Co., 2016
Planetary science recommended:
Karttunen, Kröger, Oja, Poutanen, Donner: “Fundamental Astronomy” 6th edition, Springer, 2017
Rothery, Gilmour, Sephton, "An Introduction to Astrobiology" 2nd edition, Cambridge University Press, 2011
C.A.Scharf, “Extrasolar Planets & Astrobiology”, University Science Books, 2009Warburton N: The basics of essay writing (Taylor & Francis/Routledge) 2006
Levin P: Write great essays! 2nd edition (McGraw Hill) 2009