RADIO  UNIVERSE

2001 Nordic-Baltic Summer School in Radio Astronomy

Location: Ventspils College,  Ventspils,  Latvia

Time:  July 15 - 28, 2001

 

SUMMER-SCHOOL PHOTOS

At http://www.astro.lu.se/radio2001/Photos.html there is now a photo gallery that gives some impressions of the work, study, rest, and life during the summer school in Ventspils

The course will provide an introduction and overview of the science and technology of modern radio astronomy, both theory and experiment, also including observations to be made by the students with the 32-meter radio telescope at Ventspils.

The school is primarily oriented at graduate students in the beginning of their Ph.D. studies.

No specific background in radio astronomy is required, but it is expected that the participants have had university studies in at least some of the following topics: astronomy & astrophysics, space physics, radio electronics, atomic & molecular physics, physical chemistry, geodesy, or some related discipline.  The school is also aimed at those who plan to specialize not in radio astronomy proper, but in some adjacent field.  About 30 students will be accepted.

SCIENTIFIC THEMES:  Following a general introduction to radio astrophysics, the nature of radio source physics will be exemplified by starting with the Sun, and its daily changes.  This will in particular include observations made by the students themselves during successive days.  Significant day-to-day changes are expected since the year 2001 falls close to activity maximum in the 11-year solar cycle.  Comparisons with simultaneous solar observations made elsewhere at other frequencies, received over Internet, will demonstrate physical radiation mechanisms.  After the Sun, the themes will follow the astrophysics of stellar evolution: via active stars to pulsars (an end-product of stellar evolution) with their characteristic radio signatures.  Before treating observations of interstellar molecules in the Milky Way and in other galaxies, the fundamental physics of molecules will be described by lecturers from physics institutes, thus assuring links to also non-astronomy groups.  The cosmic journey will then continue into the distant universe, via active galactic nuclei, presumed black holes, all the way to the cosmological microwave background.

 

LECTURE TOPICS:

Introduction to Radio Astrophysics
Hardware Tools of Radio Astronomy
Practical Exercises: Problems and Solutions
The Radio Sun I
Software Tools of Radio Astronomy
The Radio Sun II
Radio Emission from Active Stars
Evolved Stars
Statistical Image Analysis in Radio Astronomy
Physics of Pulsars
Millisecond Binary Pulsars - Formation and Evolution
Molecules, and their Radio Signatures
The Milky Way and Other Galaxies
Cosmic Masers
Interferometry Techniques and Analysis Methods
Molecular Gas in Active Galaxies
Molecules and Galaxies at Cosmological Distances
Extragalactic Sources & Active Galactic Nuclei
Cosmological Background Radiation
Astrobiology, and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Student practical observing program: The Active Radio Sun

e-mail address for further enquiries: radio2001@astro.lu.se 

SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZING COMMITTEE:  Susanne AALTO, Onsala/Gothenburg;  Dainis DRAVINS, Lund (course coordinator: e-mail: dainis@astro.lu.se);  Laurits LEEDJÄRV, Tartu;  Gustaf RYDBECK, Onsala/Gothenburg;  Ivars SHMELD, Riga; Jan-Erik SOLHEIM, Tromsø;  Magnus THOMASSON, Onsala/Gothenburg;  Merja TORNIKOSKI, Metsähovi/Helsinki;  Esko VALTAOJA, Turku.

NATIONAL CONTACT PERSONS:  DK: Alan Steen NIELSEN, Copenhagen;  FI: Merja TORNIKOSKI, Metsähovi/Helsinki;  IS: Gunnlaugur BJÖRNSSON, Reykjavik;  NO: Jan-Erik SOLHEIM, Tromsø;  SE: Magnus THOMASSON, Onsala/Gothenburg;  EE: Laurits LEEDJÄRV, Tartu;  LT: Grazina TAUTVAISIENE, Vilnius;  LV: Ivars SHMELD, Riga;  RU: Svetlana MARCHENKO, St.Petersburg.

This is a research training course supported by NorFA, the Nordic Academy of Advanced Study.   NorFA is a granting body of the Nordic Council of Ministers, with responsibility for coordinating research education initiatives.  The school is in principle open for students from anywhere, but with a priority for those from the Nordic-Baltic region.  Travel and living costs will be fully covered for such students, while others will be charged a certain participation fee.

MORE  INFORMATION:

PROGRAM

RADIO  ASTRONOMY  IN  THE NORDIC-BALTIC  REGION

THE  SCIENCE  OF  RADIO  ASTROPHYSICS

COURSE  LOCATION  AND  TRAVEL  INFORMATION

APPLICATION  FORM  FOR  STUDENTS 

Comments are welcome to dainis@astro.lu.se

Updated September 6, 2001