 | FS 001: |
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Caltech Freshman Seminar FS 001, Fall Term 2011
Check out the FS 001 Blog!
Instructor: Christian Ott, office hours: Monday 5:00-6:00 pm, Cahill 337
The goal of this course is to introduce the physics and astrophysics of cosmic explosions from both a theoretical and observational point of view. Caltech's historical role in the discovery of such explosions and their underlying physics will be highlighted. In addition, career pathways and demographic/sociological aspects in Astronomy will be discussed.
The class meetings will be informal and interactive and the level of the class will be generally accessible for Freshmen from all backgrounds. There will be a field trip to Mt. Wilson observatory, a tour of the Caltech Center for Advanced Computing research machine room, and a visit to the Caltech 40-m prototype LIGO interferometer.
| Location: | Cahill 319 (TAPIR Interaction Room) |
| Day, time, duration: | Wednesdays 1:00-2:55pm |
| First class meeting: | 09/28/2011 |
| Impact: | 2 hours of class meeting per week, ~4 hours of reading/preparation/homework/term work per week. |
| Prerequisites: | none. |
| Note: | Pass/Fail class. There will be no exams.
Passing grade is contingent upon (1) attendance at
all class meetings and field trips, (2) completion of reading
assignments, and (3) completion of the term project.
(Exceptions can be made in justified cases.) |
Class Format:
We will meet once a week in an informal setting in the TAPIR interaction room Cahill 319. Regular attendance is crucial and the class work will consist of participation in class discussions, reading assignments, and a final project. There will be no exams.
Preliminary Syllabus: Check back for updates!
| Date | Topic | Materials | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09/28 | Intro and Planing | ||
| 10/05 | Core-Collapse Supernovae and Neutrinos | see blog | Tour of CACR machine room. |
| 10/12 | Studying Supernovae with Electromagnetic Waves | Prof. Arnett visiting | |
| 10/19 | SGRs and Gravitational Waves | Class hosted by Dr. Peter Kalmus, visit to 40-m LIGO prototype | |
| 10/26 | Short Gamma-Ray Bursts | Class hosted by Jeff Kaplan | |
| 11/02 | Long Gamma-Ray Bursts | ||
| 11/09 | The Physics of Thermonuclear Explosions | Dr. Tony Piro lecturing. Surprise field trip (on campus). | |
| 11/16 | The Palomar Transient Factory / Careers and Minority/Women issues in Astronomy | Dr. Mansi Kasliwal and Prof. John Johnson participating | |
| 11/23 | Day before thanksgiving -- no class | ||
| 11/30 | Last class meeting: Term project presenations | ||
Last change: 09/27/2011, CDO
