Black Holes

Undergraduate / Graduate

The past decade has seen the stunning discovery of gravitational waves from black holes merging together, allowing physical theory to be tested in the most exotic and extreme environment in the universe. Black holes are mathematically the most perfectly understood of any physical structure, but their visible effects can be extraordinarily complex. This course will survey the physics of space and time; the nature of black holes, neutron stars, and white dwarf stars; their effects on surrounding matter and light; the astrophysical contexts in which they are observed; and frontier areas of research. The development of Albert Einstein's theory of General Relativity will be placed in historical context, including a review of observational confirmation of predictions of the theory. Experimental work will include use of a robotic telescope to observe circumstances related to extreme gravity, such as supernovae and the centers of giant galaxies that harbor super-massive black holes. Quantitative analysis will be an important part of the course, but mathematics beyond algebra will not be required. (L)