First Draft Outline for Online Course in mm/sub-mm Astronomy

--++ Current version of the NAASC learning center is at https://sciencetest.nrao.edu/science/naasclearningcenter

Jim Braatz

  1. Science at Millimeter and Submillimeter Wavelengths
    1. Solar system
      1. mm-wave properties of planets
      2. comets
    2. Galactic Star and Planet Formation
      1. Disk formation and dynamics
    3. ISM and astrochemistry
    4. Normal Galaxies and Galactic Evolution
      1. SED
      2. Nonthermal (radio) vs. Thermal (mm)
    5. Active Galaxies
    6. High-Z Galaxies
    7. Cosmology and the CMB
    8. Molecules
      1. Basic structures; diatomic molecules; etc.
      2. Emission mechanisms
        1. thermal; RRL; masers; LTE/non-LTE
      3. Tracing physical conditions; density, temperature
      4. Tracing chemical conditions and abundances
      5. Molecules/lines to trace dynamics
        1. Moment maps
      6. Common emission lines/frequencies: CO, HCN, HCO+, H2O, etc
  2. Observations at Millimeter and Submillimeter Wavelenghts
    1. Review of Fundamentals
      1. Blackbody
      2. Rayleigh-Jeans
      3. Temperature scales; Tsys; brightness temperature; flux density
      4. Radiometer equation
    2. A Review of Current and Future mm/suib-mm telescopes
    3. ALMA capabilities and timelines
    4. Receiver technologies
      1. bolometers; TES; heterodyne
      2. Mixers; SIS
      3. HEMT; MMIC; HEB
    5. Single dish observations
    6. Interferometry and VLBI
    7. Observing strategies
      1. Single-dish strategies
        1. Gain; Opacity
        2. Switching (Freq switch; position switch; beam switch; chopper)
        3. Mapping, OTF
      2. Interferometer strategies
        1. Amplitude; Delay; Bandpass; WVR; residual atmosphere
      3. Self-cal and Phase ref
    8. mm-wave calibrator targets
      1. planets and asteroids
      2. quasars
    9. Sample sequence of targets for ALMA SB's
    10. Resources available to mm-wave observers
      1. splatalogue
      2. tables/catalogs of targets and their fluxes
  3. References
    1. Wilson; arXiv:0903.0562v1
-- JimBraatz - 2011-06-06
Topic revision: r4 - 2012-03-29, JonathanKeohane
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