PHYS20692 High Energy Astrophysics

Aims:
To give an introduction to a wide range of topics of modern astrophysics involving high energy processes and/or observable at high energies, in particular at X-ray and Gamma-ray frequencies.

Learning Outcomes:
On completion successful students will be able to:


 * 1) to describe the sky as seen across the electromagnetic spectrum and in particular with high-energy detectors.
 * 2) to explain the basic physical processes involving high energy particles and/or creating high energy emission.
 * 3) to demonstrate an understanding of the basic physics in accretion processes observed for a variety of sources.
 * 4) to learn the methods and observing techniques to study high energy emission.
 * 5) to identify the wide range of astrophysical sources visible at high energies and to relate them to relevant emission processes.
 * 6) to demonstrate an understanding of the relative importance of high energy processes for a variety of sources.
 * 7) to have an insight into current research going on in high energy astrophysics.
 * 8) to describe the prospects given by future high energy observatories.