PSem and MVSem: Physics and populations of stars
Joint BSc and MSc Pflichtseminar in winter term 2023/2024
University of Heidelberg
2 SWS
Wednesday 09:15 AM - 11 AM
First meeting October 18, 2023
Last meeting February 21, 2024
Christmas break: 22.12.23 - 7.1.24
The seminar will take place in SR2.402, KIP INF 227
Vst.-Nr.: 130000202321141,
130000202321142
Lecturer: Dr. Maria Bergemann
Contact: bergemann at mpia de
Co-lecturer: Philipp Eitner
Contact: eitner at mpia de
Registraton: by email to the main lecturer
This is a mandatory seminar for BSc and MSc students with marks. The seminar will be held in english.
The goal of this course is to deepen knowledge in special topics in modern astrophysics, with a special focus on the astrophysical sources (supernovae type Ia, core-collapse supernovae, asymptotic giant branch stars, neutron star mergers) and synthesis of chemical elements (Big Bang nucleosynthesis, thermonuclear fusion and fission reactions, cosmic ray spallation), physical processes and energy production in stars, chemical evolution of stellar populations in the Milky Way (the disc, the bulge, dark-matter dominated halo), and chemical evolution of other galaxies (spirals, ellipticals, dwarf Spheroidals, ultra-compact dSph systems).
We will not aim to cover comprehensively all aspects of this very broad field, but rather go through the most exciting research problems that occupy central roles in modern astronomy. In addition, we will aim to acquire the following competencies: (a) understanding and "digesting" professional astronomical literature, (b) preparing presentations and giving talks, (c) learning to interact and debate on unresolved problems in modern science.
All students will give a talk (30 minutes + 15 minutes QA).
In addition, the students shall provide:
- MSc: 6-page written report and a 2-page handout for the talk
- BSc: 2-page page handout for the talk
or
- MSc: 3-page written report (with an abstract) and an abstract written by ChatGPT on the chosen topic, plus a brief (half a page) analysis of pros/contra of both
- BSc: 1-page summary of the talk (with an abstract) and an abstract written by ChatGPT on the chosen topic, plus a brief (half a page) analysis of pros/contra of both
A draft of the slides shall be provided to the lecturer a week in advance.
The handout (BSc, MSc) must be provided to the lecturers no later than 24 hours before the
presentation.
Attendance is mandatory and can be excused only in exceptional situations.
Only for MSc students:
Credit points (6 CP, Leistungspunkte)
Only for BSc students:
Credit points (3 CP, Leistungspunkte)
Topics
- Chemical evolution of our Milky Way galaxy: overview and stellar populations
- Introduction to Galactic chemical evolution models: theory
simple GCE modelling (initial mass function, star formation rate, gas flows, etc)
- Introduction to "we are made of stardust"
chemical enrichment cycle in the Universe and a brief overview of element production cites
Big Bang, low-mass stars, intermediate-mass stars, massive stars, cosmic ray spallation
- Chemical composition of the Solar System
planets, Sun, meteorites; pollution by a nearby supernova explosion and isotopic anomalies
- (Big Bang) Nucleosynthesis during the first 3 minutes of the Universe (two talks possible)
- Observations of chemical abundances of stars in the Milky Way
Galactic surveys, relation with Galaxy structure and evolution
- Overview of stellar evolution and energy production in stars
Evolution of stars from the pre-main-sequence towards white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes
- Nucleosynthesis in core-collapse supernovae (massive stars)
- Nucleosynthesis in mergers of compact binary systems
white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes;
focus on r-process (rapid neutron capture);
connection to stellar progenitors of gravitational waves (Nobel Prize 2017)
- Nucleosynthesis in Asymptotic Giant Branch stars
focus on s-, p-, i-processes (slow neutron capture, proton capture)
- Chemical structure and chemical evolution of spiral galaxies: overview,
focus on observations
- Chemical structure and chemical evolution of the Galactic bulge;
connection to the super-massive black-hole in the Galactic centre (Nobel Prize 2020)
focus on observations
- Chemical structure and chemical evolution of globular clusters and dwarf Spheroidals
multiple populations, single vs multiple starbursts; chemical correlations (e.g. Na - O); why do these correlations emerge
- Ultra-metal-poor stars and nucleosynthesis in the first stars exploding after the Big Bang