Astronomy

The Astronomy course syllabus for BioGeosciences (6 credits) consists in a selection of topics from the two modules of the Astronomy course of the BSc in Physics (each 6 credits). Students are required to attend part of the first and part of the second semester. The topics (indicated at the link https://mbersanellia1.ariel.ctu.unimi.it/v5/home/Default.aspx) have been chosen both for the relevance of their content to the BioGeosciences course and for the accessibility of the physics-mathematics language.

The goal of this course is to provide the students with a general
overview of stellar physics. Starting from the fundamental properties of
stars as inferred from observation (photometry, spectroscopy, parallax,
mass measurements in binary systems), the features of physical stellar
models are introduced. These include the equations of stellar
equilibrium, energy production, stellar evolution. Along the path, some
of the fundamental physical quantities and concepts of astrophysics are
introduced, which will be a basis for the course Astronomy II and for
other courses in the astrophysics curriculum.

Students at the end of the course are expected to reach the following
capabilities:
1. to correctly use basic quantities and concepts, such as luminosity
and magnitude (relative and absolute), surface brightness, flux density,
effective temperature, luminosity radius, etc.
2. to describe the main properties of a stellar spectrum, continuous
radiation and absorption lines
3. to calculate relative velocities of astrophysical sources from
Doppler effect measurements, and to evaluate the effects of temperature
and pressure from the shape of absorption line profiles
4. to be able to discuss the main properties of the Sun, its structure,
cycle, magnetic activity, the characteristics of the photosphere,
chromosphere, corona
5. to gain familiarity with the mechanisms of nuclear energy production
in stars, including the information of solar interior from
helioseismology and neutrino physics
6. to gain familiarity with the equations of stellar equilibrium, af the
mechanisms of radiative and convective energy transfer in the interior
of stars
7. to be able to discuss stellar evolution for stars of different mass
ranges, including their final stages
8. to be able to discuss the properties of degenerate gas, the nature of
white dwarfs and neutron stars, the conditions for the formation of a
stellar black hole
9. to be able to calculate astronomical distances from observations of
stellar properties, including measurements of trigonometric parallax,
spectroscopic parallax, measurement of Cepheid variables, Supernovae Type Ia