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Date Number Subject Tentative
Lecturer
31 Jan 1 I. Introduction: Outline of Course and Goals IS
1. Brief Chronology of Telescopes (historical order)
i. Optical
ii. Infrared
iii. Particle
iv. Radio
v. X-ray
vi. Gamma-ray
vii. Gravitational Wave
2. Outline of Course
i. Physics Background: Light and Matter
ii. Statistics Background: Data Accumulation and
Estimation Methods
iii. Propagation Medium: Atmosphere, Ionosphere,
Interplanet, Interstar, Intergalaxy
iv. Design, Fabrication, Test, Calibration, and
Use of: Radio-Submillimeter, Optical-Infrared,
Ultraviolet, X-ray, Gamma-ray, Gravitational
Wave, and Particle Telescopes.
05 Feb 2 II. Accessing Astronomical Information KZS
1. Publications
i. astro-ph preprint archive
ii. ADS
iii. Journals
iv. Science Citation Index
2. Data repositories
i. SIMBAD
ii. Digitized Sky Survey
iii. 2MASS, FIRST, Sloan
iv. Specialized (ftp)
3. Observing preparations
07 Feb 3 III. Data Accumulation and Estimation Guest
1. Principles of Signal Integration
2. Parametric Estimation
3. Nonparametric Estimation
12 Feb 4 IV. Interaction of Light and Matter IS
1. Behavior of Light and Matter as a Function of Frequency
2. Models of Light
i. Geometric Optics
ii. Physical Optics
iii. Classical Electromagnetic Theory
iv. Quantum Electrodynamics
3. Applications of Models in Different Frequency Regimes
14 Feb 5 V. Propagation Medium IS
1. Effects as a Function of Frequency
i. Atmosphere
ii. Ionosphere
iii. Interplanetary, Interstellar, and
Intergalactic Dust and Plasma
2. Means of Measurement
i. Models and Radiometers (Neutral Atmosphere)
ii. Phase Reference or Laser Reflection (Neutral Atmosphere)
iii. Dual or Broad Band Measurements (Plasma)
iv. Faraday Rotation (Plasma and Magnetic Field)
v. Intensity vs. Frequency (Dust)
19 Feb 6 VI. Radio and Submillimeter Telescopes Guest
1. Frequency Range and Sources
i. Source Brightness
ii. Rayleigh-Jeans Law
iii. Spectral Line and Continuum Sources
2. Design of Individual Telescopes
i. Reflectors: Primary and Secondary
- Types (Parabolic, Hyperbolic, Spherical)
- Focal Ratios - Surface Accuracy Requirements
vs. Frequency - Testing Techniques
ii. Mounts
- Bearings
- Wheel and Track
21 Feb 7 iii. Receiver Chain Guest
- Frequency Standards
- Local Oscillators
- Mixers
iv. Receivers
- Bolometers
- HEMTs
- Masers
- Arrays (the Pixel Problem)
26 Feb 8 3. Telescope Arrays: Interferometers IS
i. General Principles
- Resolution and Ambiguity
- Fourier Transform Relations: Visibilities and Source
Brightness Distribution
ii. Connected Element Interferometers
iii. Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry (VLBI)
28 Feb 9 iv. Imaging IS
- Phase and Amplitude Closures
- Parameterized Models
- CLEAN
- Maximum Entropy Method (MEM)
- Weighting Schemes
v. Spectroscopy
vi. Astrometry
- Group vs. Phase Delays
- Phase Connection
- Information Content of Observables
- Accuracy
vii. Polarimetry
05 Mar 10 4. Pulsar Observations Bryan Gaensler
i. Basics
ii. Periodicity Searches
iii. Selection Effects and Sensitivity
iv. Timing
v. Pulsar Parameters
vi. Miscellaneous Techniques
07 Mar 11 5. Calibration IS
i. Single Telescopes
ii. Arrays
6. Examples of Individual Telescopes
i. Past
- Jansky and Reber
ii. Present
- Arecibo, Goldstone, Haystack, Bonn, Green
Bank, IRAM
iii. Future
- LMT
7. Examples of Telescope Arrays
i. Past
- GBI, Cambridge
ii. Present
- VLA, VLBA, Merlin, EVLBN, ATA, Nobeyama, BIMA
iii. Near Future
- SMA, CARMA, ALMA
iv. Far Future
- LOFAR, SKA
12 Mar 12 VII. Optical and Infrared Telescopes KZS
1. Frequency Range and Sources
i. Thermal Background
2. Primary Mirrors
i. Speed and Field of View
ii. Construction: Casting, Polishing, and Testing
- Honeycomb
- Meniscus
- Multiple Mirror Segments
- Multiple Mirrors
iii. Support Structure
iv. Aluminization
- Remote Facility
- In Situ
3. Secondary Mirrors
i. Shape and System Focal Length
ii. Construction: Casting, Polishing, and Testing
iii. Support
iv. Chopping for Infrared
4. Mount and Overall Configuration
i. Equatorial
ii. Altitude-Azimuth
iii. Placement of Focus
- Prime
- Cassegrain
- Nasmyth
5. Building
i. Dome
ii. Rotating
iii. Other
14 Mar 13 6. Active and Adaptive Optics Brian Mcleod
i. Wavefront Sensing
ii. Mirror Control
iii. Atmospheric Turbulence
iv. Artificial Guidestars
19 Mar 14 7. Instruments Dan Fabricant
i. Imaging
- Photometry
ii. Spectroscopes
- Long Slit
- Echelle
- Multiple fiber
21 Mar 15 8. Detectors-Optical KZS
i. Photographic Plates (PPs)
ii. Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs)
- Theory
- Practice (Dark Current, Noise, Efficiency,
Flat Fielding, Cosmic Ray Accommodations)
- Arrays
iii. Comparison of PPs and CCDs
02 Apr 16 9. Detectors - Infrared Guest
- Bolometers
- CCDs
- Arrays
04 Apr 17 10. Optical-Infrared Interferometry Guest
i. Basic Principles (Contrast with Radio
Interferometry)
ii. Configuration of Telescopes
iii. Siderostats
iv. Delay Lines
v. Imaging
vi. Magnitude Limits
09 Apr 18 11. Examples of Individual Telescopes KZS
i. Present
- Hubble, Keck, Gemini, VLT, Magellan, MMT
ii. Near Future
- LBT
iii. Far Future
- NGST, CELT, MAXAT, OWL, 20/20
12. Examples of Telescope Arrays
i. Present
- PTI, NPOI, Berk. Heterodyne, IOTA, COAST,
SUSY, CHARA, Keck
ii. Near Future
- VLT, Keck outriggers
iii. Far Future
- ?
11 Apr 19 VIII. Ultraviolet Telescopes Guest
1. Frequency Range and Sources
2. Mirrors
3. Detectors
4. Examples
i. Past
- IUE
- EUVE
ii. Present
- UVCS
- FUSE
iii. Future
- ASCE?
16 Apr 20 IX. X-Ray Telescopes IS
1. Frequency (Energy) Range and Sources
2. Mirror Designs
i. Grazing Incidence-Nested
- Wolter
- Kirkpatrick-Baez
ii. Normal Incidence
- Multilayers
- Bandwidth
3. Mirror Fabrication
i. Rigid
ii. Thin Foils
iii. Coatings
iv. Testing
4. Mounts
i. Focal Length
18 Apr 21 5. Imaging Guest
i. Microchannel Plates
ii. CCDs
6. Spectroscopy
i. Resolution vs. Energy
ii. Gratings
iii. Microcalorimeters
7. Calibration
23 Apr 22 8. Examples Guest
i. Past
- UHURU, Einstein, ROSAT
ii. Present
- ASCA, RXTE, Chandra, XMM-Newton, TRACE
iii. Future
- ASTRO-E, EXIST, Constellation X, XEUS
25 Apr 23 X. Gamma-Ray Telescopes IS
1. Energy Range and Sources
2. Detectors
i. Ground-Based
- Cerenkov
ii. Space-Based
- Proportional Counters
3. Calibration
i. Discrimination Algorithms
- Cerenkov
- Proportional Counters
4. Examples
i. Past
- CosB, Compton Observatory
ii. Present
- Whipple Observatory, CANGAROO, ....,
BeppoSax, HETE
iii. Future
- GLAST, VERITAS, HESS
30 Apr 24 XI. Gravitational-Wave Telescopes IS
1. Frequency Range and Sources
i. Burst
ii. Continuum
2. General Principles of Detection
3. Detectors
i. Bars
ii. Interferometers
4. Examples
i. Past
- Weber bars
ii. Present (almost)
- LIGO, VIRGO, ...
iii. Future
- LIGO Mark II, LISA
2 May 25 XII. Particle Telescopes IS and KZS
1. Cosmic Rays
i. Energy Range and Sources
ii. Detectors
iii. Arrays
iv. Examples
- Fly's Eye, Auger
2. Neutrinos
i. Energy Range and Sources
ii. Sensitivity vs. Energy
iii. Detectors vs. Energy
iv. Examples
Past: Homestake Mine
Present: Gran Sasso, Gallex, Sudbury Neutrino
Observatory, Super Kamiokande
Future: ?
XIII. Brief Review
1. Comparison of Techniques Used for Radiation in
Different Bands
2. Simultaneous or Nearly Simultaneous Observations
in Different Windows
3. Datamining
N.B. -- Outside of normal class hours; dates & times to be arranged
Each of these books is on reserve in the Wolbach Library (ordered as indicated: 1 to 5):