Table of Contents

AST 410: Radio Astronomy

1. Content

1.1 Historical introduction

  1. Radio astronomy: general introduction to the field (read chapter 1 of the book).
  2. History of radio astronomy: a historical overview (understand the history slides).

1.2 Electromagnetic radiation

  1. Brightness: concepts of brightness, intensity, flux, luminosity.
  2. Radiative transfer: propagation of radiation through a medium that absorbs and emits.
  3. Polarization

1.3 Radio telescopes

  1. Radiation from acceleration
  2. Dipole antenna
  3. Beam

1.4 Interferometry and synthesis

  1. Fourier transform
  2. Uniform circular motion and Simple harmonic motion
  3. The Friendly Virtual Radio Interferometer
  4. START: Small Transient Array Radio Telescope

1.5 Free-free radiation

1.6 Synchrotron radiation

1.7 Spectral lines

2. Project

3. Assessment

Formative Attendance 10 50 100
Punctuality 10
3 Quizzes 15
1 Design project 15
Summative Midterm exam 20 50
Final exam 30

4. Textbooks

  1. Condon and Ransom, Essential Radio Astronomy, Princeton UP, 2016.