Overview#
These exercises were developed for PHYS 645, a graduate course in High Energy Astrophysics at McGill University in the Winter term of 2023.
PHYS 645 covers the astrophysics of extreme environments in the Universe, including extreme densities and temperatures, high velocities, particle energies, and luminosities, rapid variability, and strong gravitational and magnetic fields. The goal is to provide an overview of the different astrophysical sources in high energy astrophysics, the physical processes that govern their behavior and appearance, and how they are detected.
Rather than a traditional lecture format, the class was organized around group work and student presentations. A series of exercises build on the introductory notes, introducing students to different topics in a hands-on way.
Contents#
Introductory notes
Exercises
- Space-based high energy observatories
- Photon spectrum of a source
- Questions on accretion
- Black hole accretion
- Time-dependent thin disk
- Binary evolution basics
- Binary evolution with MESA
- Making gravitational wave sources
- Compact object interiors
- Black hole imaging
- Lightcurve of a transient
- Power law energy distributions