Topics in Observation and Instrumentation in Astronomy

Code:

AST614

Acronym:

AST614

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Astronomy

Instance: 2013/2014 - A

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Physics and Astronomy
Course/CS Responsible:	Doctoral Program in Astronomy

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
PDA	4	P.E. do Programa Doutoral em Astronomia	1	-	6	30	162

Teaching language

English

Objectives

The main goals of this course are:    

- understand the fundamentals of astronomical high-angular resolution

- understand the basic set-up of adaptive-optics systems and their functioning

- learn on ongoing/planned applications of AO: High-contrast imaging for exo-planetary science

- understand the fundamentals of spectroscopic data, its acquirement through a telescope equipped with a spectrograph and detector, and its reduction

- gain know-how on how to reduce and analyse high-resolution spectra

Learning outcomes and competences

- understand the fundamentals of astronomical high-angular resolution

- understand the basic set-up of adaptive-optics systems and their functioning

- learn on ongoing/planned applications of AO: High-contrast imaging for exo-planetary science

- understand the fundamentals of spectroscopic data, its acquirement through a telescope equipped with a spectrograph and detector, and its reduction

- gain know-how on how to reduce spectra with an ESO pipeline  

Working method

Presencial

Program

I. Adaptive Optics in Astronomy

1. Turbulence

- Light propagation, interference, diffraction, refraction, Fresnel and Fraunhofer approximations

- Principles of image formation, transfer functions

- Imaging through turbulence

- Phase conjugation

2. Adaptive-optics

- Basic components: deformable mirror, wave-front sensor, advanced algorithms

- Temporal and spatial correction: bandwidth, stability

- Classical and wide-field adaptive-optics

- Extreme AO for High-contrast imaging

- AO and beyond: interferometry; other applications

3. Wave-front sensing

- Principles and sensitivity

- Main wave-front sensors and their features

4. Modelling and reconstruction

- Kolmogorov and von-Karman models of turbulence and their associated statistical properties

- Forward and inverse modelling

- Wave-front reconstruction and prediction on a Bayesian framework      

5. AO science

- Imaging: Photometry, astrometry, PSF reconstruction

- Spectroscopy and spectrographs

- Direct-imaging of exo-planets: AO + coronography + post-processing

- Limitations, challenges; Examples

6. Astronomical programmes (tutored lesson)

- Tutored presentations by attendees on current and soon-to-be astronomical programmes using high-angular resolution

- Questions & Answers

II. High Resolution Spectroscopy

1. The Basics of Astronomical Spectroscopy

- Long slit and Echelle spectrographs

- Multi Object Spectrographs

2. CCD Astronomy

- CCD imaging

- CCD spectroscopy

- S/N calculations for spectroscopy

- Data reduction for CCD Astronomy

3. ESO UVES Pipeline Tutorial

- UVES Instrument

- Data Reduction Recipes

- Data Reduction Cascade

 

Mandatory literature

Roddier, F.; Adaptive Optics in Astronomy, Cambridge University Press, 1999
J.W.Hardy; Adaptive Optics for Astronomical Telescopes, Oxford, 1998
Born Max; Principles of optics
Goodman Joseph W.; Statistical optics. ISBN: 0-471-01502-4
Bracewell Ronald N.; The Fourier transform and its applications. ISBN: 0-07-007013-X
Labeyrie A.; An introduction to optical stellar interferometry. ISBN: 0-521-82872-4
Howell; HandBook of CCD Astronomy, Cambridge University Press
Massey & Hanson; Astronomical Spectroscopy (arXiv:1010.5270)
ESO; UVES Pipeline User Manual (ftp://ftp.eso.org/pub/dfs/pipelines/uves/uves-pipeline-manual-22.4.pdf)

Teaching methods and learning activities

Oral presentations by lecturers, joint work on specific problems, discussion of research articles, presentations by the students and/or resolution of exercices.

keywords

Physical sciences > Astronomy

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	25,00
Trabalho escrito	75,00
Total:	100,00

Eligibility for exams

The students are required to attend all lectures.

Calculation formula of final grade

In each module (I and II above), the student will have a grade that is computed as follows:

 

grade_module = 0.25*Par+0.75*W

 

where Par (graded from 0 to 20 values) is the participation in classes, and W (graded from 0 to 20 values) is the development of autonomous work plus its presentation in a written report and orally, with respective discussion/answer to questions.

 

The final grade will be computed averaging the grades obtained in the two modules (ie. each module contributes with a weight of 50%).

Classification improvement

There is no option for improving the classification or to repeat the evaluation in this course.