Cross-disciplinary C-course, (Chemistry and Physics):
"From the interstellar medium to stars, planets and the origin of life on earth"
Contents The nature of the gas between the stars, the interstellar medium: observations, models and theory. The formation of stars from the interstellar gas. The interaction of high mass stars and supernovae with the interstellar medium. Starburst and the evolution of galaxies. The formation of planets and of the solar system. Planets orbiting other suns. The detection and characterization of earth-like planets. The interstellar-earth connection. Comets, meteorites, micrometeorites and the delivery of prebiotic molecules to the earth. The early earth, and other planets and moons: Mars, Venus, Europa and Titan.
Teaching material The first part of the course will be covered by "The Physics of the Interstellar Medium", J.E.Dyson and D.A.Williams IOP Publishing 1997 and journal articles. Material for planet formation onwards, in the course contents above, will be available in a number of articles, and book chapters, copies of which will be available to the students.
Structure of the course The course will be composed half of lectures and half of project work. The students will receive a detailed plan of the course, showing the titles of lectures, proposed project titles and how lectures and projects will be disposed throughout the course. There will be two hours of lectures for a total of 6 weeks and two hours of project work, with lectures providing the background for projects
Homepage To be announced
Teacher David Field (Physics).
Point/ECTS-credits 1/5
Semester Autumn