Physics and Astronomy: new courses

1
Physics and Astronomy new courses

• Briefing for FUSION meeting
• Silvia Bergamini

2
The existing courses

• Alternate year presentations
• S381 The Energetic Universe (30pt)
• S357 Space, Time and Cosmology (30pt)

3
The planned remakes 2 courses

• Still subject to university approval and may
  change before the courses are actually presented
• 2? 30pt courses comprising 6? stand-alone 10pt
  modules
• E-deliverable materials, tuition and assessment
• Online revision Module 0 covering Level 2
  maths, physics, astronomy and cosmology common to
  both courses
• Titles of planned courses
• S382 Astrophysics
• S383 The Relativistic Universe

4
The planned remakes 6 modules

• S382 Astrophysics
• Stellar Astrophysics (S381, B2)
• Astrophysical Data Analysis (new)
• Transiting Exoplanets (new)
• S383 The Relativistic Universe
• Relativity, Gravitation and Cosmology (S357,
  B23)
• High Energy Astrophysics (S381, B34)
• Observational Cosmology (new S357, B4)

5
Module 0 Preparation

• Online 200 page PDF linked to AYRF quiz
• Covers all the maths, physics, astronomy
  cosmology that students should know before they
  start
• Manipulating numbers symbols
• Stars and planets
• Galaxies and the Universe
• Calculus
• Physics
• Andrew Norton

6
1 Stellar astrophysics

• Main sequence stars
• Gravitational contraction
• Nuclear fusion
• From main sequence to giant branch
• Helium burning stars
• Late stages of stellar evolution
• Supernovae, neutron stars black holes
• Star formation Andrew Norton

7
2 Astrophysical data analysis

• Mini-project / topic based approach
• PIRATE (OU robotic telescope Mallorca)
• photometry of newly identified variable
  stars
• or
• SLOAN digital sky survey data archive
• spectroscopy of galaxies
• Acquisition, reduction, analysis interpretation
  of data
• Students work in small groups linked via VLE
  tools
• Use of individual Learning Journal
  collaborative WIKI
• Mark Jones

8
3 Transiting exoplanets

• Our solar system from afar
• Exoplanet discoveries by transit method
• What transit lightcurves tell us
• The Transiting exoplanet population
• Transmission spectroscopy
• The Rossiter-McLaughlin effect
• Transit timing variations
• The future Carole Haswell

9
4 Relativity, gravitation, cosmology

• Intro to special relativity
• Special relativity in 3 1 dimensions
• Curved space-time
• General relativity
• Schwarzschild solution
• Testing general relativity
• Relativistic cosmology
• A model of our Universe? Bob Lambourne

10
5 High energy astrophysics

• Accretion power
• Relativistic objects
• Compact binaries
• Accretion in active galaxies
• Accretion maps
• Outbursts and outflows
• Extreme environments
• Gamma-ray bursts Ulrich Kolb

11
6 Observational cosmology

• Cosmological toolkit
• Cosmological observations
• Local Universe
• Distant Universe I
• Distant Universe II
• Distant black holes
• Intervening Universe
• Gravitational lensing Stephen Serjeant

12
Assessment plan for S382/S383

• Formative but compulsory assignments
• Progressive Assignments for Learning PALs ?
• Focussed on teaching rather than assessing
• Criterion referenced marking against Learning
  Outcomes
• Each module to have 4 short assignments
  (equivalent in size overall to 1 standard TMA per
  module)
• Electronic submission and return of feedback
• Threshold pass required

13
Assessment plan for S382/S383

• Summative assessment has 2 components
• 1 ECA on 2nd module of the course (1/3 weight)
• (ECA on S382 to comprise Learning Journal
  Collaborative WIKI reporting the analysis)
• 2 Exam on 1st 3rd modules (2/3 weight)

14
Student Support

• Use student support team
• Team will include ALs and central academics
• E-tutorials using elluminate

15
SM358 SM359 (QM and EM)

• Till now presented in alternate years
• Starting in 2010 both presented each year
• Next year (2009) QM only
• In parallel the merging of the 2 associated
  residential schools

16
Assessment

• Gradual switch from summative to formative
• In 2009 both iCMAs (interactive computer marked
  assessment) formative and TMAs still summative
• In 2010 entirely formative for ICMAs and TMAs and
  compulsory (threshold)

17
Understanding the weather (S189)

• 10 pt course
• Book DVD online material
• Main weather elements
• Patterns of circulation within the atmosphere
• Techniques used to gather meteorological data
• Computer models and weather forecast
• Impact of weather in society