Study Programmes 2016-2017
SPAT0069-1  
Radio astrophysics
Duration :
15h Th, 10h Pr
Number of credits :
Master in space sciences (120 ECTS)3
Lecturer :
Michaël De Becker, Dominique Sluse
Coordinator :
Michaël De Becker
Language(s) of instruction :
English language
Organisation and examination :
Teaching in the second semester
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents :
This course allows students to acquire basic concepts of radio observations and radio astrophysical phenomena. First, the course starts with a brief history of the development of radio astronomy. The second part consists of a more in-depth discussion of the physical processes relevant for radio astrophysics (mainly continuum radiative processes), with emphasis on the scientific information accessible through observations. The third part the course includes an introduction to observational techniques and a brief description of existing and forthcoming radio observatories. Finally, the last part is made of a discussion of several case studies providing a more practical approach to emphasize the interest of radio observations in modern astrophysics. This part addresses among other topics galactic and extragalactic sources, planetary radio emission, or radio detection of cosmic rays.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit :
The outcomes of this course include:
  • the acquirement of an overview of astrophysical topics where radio observations are relevant
  • the development of a scientific culture complementary with that provided by other teaching activities of the Master in Space Sciences
  • the capability to establish a clear connection between physical processes in astrophysics and measured quantities accessible by radio observations
  • the clarification of the main principles on which radio observations are based
  • the familiarisation with antenna and receiver concepts, specific to the field of radio astronomy
  • the capability to identify whether/how radio observations could provide relevant information for many science topics addressed in the context of the Master in space Sciences
Prerequisite knowledge and skills :
No particluar prerequisite beside the conditions for admission to the Master in Space Sciences.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods :
The theoretical part is organized in lectures illustrated by detailed lecture notes and by slideshows commented by the lecturers. Learning supports are made available to students via the eCampus platform.
 
The practical part includes various activities:


  • revision and critical discussions of the formal parts of the course
  • discussion of science cases relevant to radio astrophysics
  • multiple choice questionnaires used for self-evaluation purposes
  • potentially, an introductory hands-on session with a radio data processing software
 
A one-day visit in a radio observatory is also envisaged. Two likely destinations are Effelsberg (Germany) and Dwingeloo (The Netherlands). Supplementary material (short movies, technical reports...) will also be made accessible to students via the eCampus platform.
 
The teaching methods applied to this course are intended to favor active learning by the students. For instance, all the content of the lecture notes is not commented in details during the theoretical lectures. Rather, students are invited to explore some details in the notes through a learning grid made of a list of typical questions that will be discussed notably during the practical lessons. On the other hand, complementary supports (movies, various documents...) help students to explore the content of the course following a more 'e-learning oriented' approach. Science topics where physical (and technical) aspects are applied are explored following a case study approach, deeply supported by scientific publications.
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :
The course is organized in theoretical lectures (15 hours in total), complemented by practical activities (10 hours in total).
 
The presence of students is requested for both theoretical and practical lectures. In addition, complementary activities will have to be accomplished through distance and e-leaning.
Recommended or required readings :
Lecture notes written in english including the main content of the course are provided to the students. These notes constitute the mandatory support to prepare for the exam.
 
The exploration of the supplementary material made available on the eCampus platform is also highly recommended.
Assessment methods and criteria :
A written/oral examination is organized in the May-June session. It consists of:
  • a written questionnaire made of a few open questions related to the theoretical course content
  • a multiple choice questionnaire related to the theoretical and practical parts of the course
  • an oral discussion of the content of the written exam
Work placement(s) :
Not applicable.
Organizational remarks :
Lectures are organized according to the planning of the Master in Space Sciences communicated to students. Changes with respect to the initial schedule can occur, upon agreement between the students and the teachers.
 
The potential visit in an observatory will more likely be organized at the end of the semester to avoid conflicts with other teaching activities.
Contacts :
Michaël De Becker
Phone: 04/3669717
E-mail: debecker@astro.ulg.ac.be
Office: Institut d'Astrophysique et Géophysique, Building B5c, 2nd floor, office 2/5
 
 
Dominique Sluse
E-mail: dsluse@ulg.ac.be