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Fluid Dynamics

Fluid properties – fluid statics – fluid kinematics: material derivative, rotation, deformation – Reynolds transport theorem – physical conservation laws – integral and differential formulations – Navier-Stokes and energy equations – exact solution of Navier-Stokes equations: steady and unsteady flows – potential flows: basic flow patterns, superposition – waves in fluids – boundary layer theory: momentum integral approach, Blasius solution – introduction to turbulence.

 

Modern Optics

Ray methods in optics, Fermats principle,ray transfer matrices(ABCD),unit planes, nodal planes, system of lens and mirrors.  Ray methods in  media with spatially varying refractive index. Aberrations, coma, astigmatism,
curvature, distortion and chromatic aberration.   (8 lectures)

Physics of the Sun

Characteristics of the Sun – internal structure – solar observations – solar atmosphere – oscillations – Convection – rotation – magnetism – chromosphere – corona – solar wind – quiet Sun – Active Sun – Helioseismology.

Exoplanets and Astrobiology

Properties of known exoplanets – exoplanet surveys – detection methods – formation, interior and evolution of planets – brown dwarf exoplanets connection – close orbiting exoplanets – multiple planet systems – planets in binary systems – moons of exoplanets. Origin of life – prebiotic molecules and development of life forms – habitable zone – Mars and life – Icy bodies (Europa and others) – Titan’s atmosphere – detection of exoplanets – search for extraterrestrial life.

 

Time Domain Astronomy

Scientific background : Variable stars, binary stars and their evolution, supernovae, pulsars and associated phenomena (even include testing theories of gravity using pulsars), accretion and associated phenomena (like x-ray bursts), gamma-ray bursts, rotating radio transients (RRATS), jets & outflows (micro-quasars etc), AGNs-blazars-QSOs.

High Resolution Spectroscopy

Atomic structure: review of Schrodinger equation – overview of single and multiple electron systems – perturbations and level splittings – parity – spin orbit coupling – Zeeman effect – hyperfine structure – Boltzmann population of energy levels in thermal equilibrium – Saha equation. Radiative transitions: semi-classical theory – dipole approximation – Einstein coefficients and oscillator strengths – selection rules and transition rates.

Polarization in Astronomy

Unpolarised light, Linear, Circular, Elliptical polarised light, Partially and fully polarised light, Stokes parameters, Dichroism, Birefringence, Poincare sphere – Mueller and Jones representations with applications – Complex plane of polarisation states. Generation of polarised light in astronomy – polarisation by reflection, scattering geometry, magnetic fields - dependence on refractive index – synchrotron emission – Faraday rotation – Dust in ISM. Instrumental polarisation errors and their calibration.

High Redshift Universe

Basic cosmology – Expansion of the universe – scale factor – cosmological redshift – descriptive overview of inflation, unification of forces and fundamental particles. Primordial nucleosynthesis – elemental abundances: predictions and observations. Cosmic Microwave Background – detection, power spectrum, origin of CMB, anisotropies in the CMB and their origin – overview of COBE and WMAP probes – mission and instrumentation.

Accretion Physics

Introduction: Accretion as a source of energy – observational consequences. Accretion in binary system: Introduction – Interacting binary system – Roche lobe overflow – Disk formation – Viscous torque – The α disk viscosity – Low and high-mass X-ray binaries. Accretion disk (thin accretion disk) Theory: Basic concepts – Structure of thin disk – The emitted spectrum of steady α-disk – Time dependence and stability – the thermal disk instability model (dwarf novae) – wind accretion – Disk around young stars – confrontation with observations.

Radiation Hydrodynamics

Introduction: How radiation affects the flow of matter – Cooling, Heating, Momentum transfer, Matter density variation due to annihilation/pair-production. Review of gas dynamics: Ideal fluids, Transport terms – Viscosity & heat conduction, Sound waves, Shocks – Rankine-Hugoniot relations. Review of radiation physics: Intensity, Flux, Energy density, Stress tensor, Transport equations, Diffusion approximation, Coupling terms in Euler's equations.

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