NFYK15014U Gravitational Dynamics and Galaxy Formation

Volume 2024/2025
Education

MSc Programme in Physics

Content

The course will cover the most important ideas in the field of galaxy formation and chemical enrichment. We will discuss reionisation of the intergalactic medium, relevant timescales for interactions in galaxies and clusters, observations of high-redshift galaxies. We will work with the properties of structures (consisting of dark matter, stars, and/or gas) formed by gravity.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge:

  • The reionisation of the Universe
  • Dark matter, stellar and gas structures. Their properties, creation and development.
  • Rotation curves of spiral galaxies
  • Hydrostatic equilibrium, and its application on galaxies and galaxy clusters.
  • Jeans equation, the solution hereof, and application on realistic systems.
  • Equilibrium of collisionsless systems, Boltzmann equation. Potential theory. Stellar motions.

 
Skills:

  • The ability to determine rotation curves for spiral galaxies from real data.
  • The ability to estimate chemical abundances from spectra of high-redshift quasars and gamma-ray bursts
  • Deep insight and certain application of the basic equations for cosmological structures.
  • Detailed knowledge of the solutions of the Jeans equation, and its application to realistic systems.
  • Detailed knowledge of the application of hydrostatic equilibrium for realistic systems.
  • The ability to critically interpret scientific overview articles within the subject.

 
Competences:
This course will provide the student with a qualitative understanding of cosmological structures. The student will also develop the conceptual, mathematical and numerical skills needed when studying the literature within the subject and in wider astrophysical connections. The course will establish a solid foundation for a M.Sc. project in phenomenological, theoretical or observational astrophysics.

Articles and notes.

equivalent to the B.Sc. in physics with specialization in astrophysics, i.e. about 30 ECTS of B.Sc. level astrophysics courses covering such topics as stars, planets, galaxies and cosmology.

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
lectures, exercises, student presentations. The course is structured around a set of exercises were the students will get hands-on experience with understanding concrete phenomena related to galaxy formation and galactic dynamics. Programming skills is an advantage for following the course.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 40
  • Preparation
  • 126
  • Exercises
  • 40
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 30 minutes
Type of assessment details
oral exam with exam questions known beforehand. 30 minutes including grading. No preparation time.
Aid
Only certain aids allowed

the student may bring a piece of paper for each exam question.

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Re-exam

same as regular exam

Criteria for exam assesment

see "learning outcome"