SIMG 446: Multiwavelength Astronomical Imaging



Rochester Institute of Technology

College of Science

Center for Imaging Science

Title: 1051-753 Special Topics: Multiwavelength Astronomical Imaging

Title: 1051-446 Multiwavelength Astronomical Imaging Date: 5/9/2007

Proposed by: Don Figer Department: Imaging Science

Pre-requisites: required: Modern Physics (SPSP 314); recommended: Intermediate Astronomy (SPSP 305)

Department in which course will be taught: Imaging Science

Maximum number of students per section:

Lec Rec Lab

25 N/A 15

Quarter or Quarters when course will be offered: (list hours per week in appropriate columns)

Fall Winter Spring Summer

Lec Rec Lab Cr Lec Rec Lab Cr Lec Rec Lab Cr Lec Rec Lab Cr

3 1

Students required to take course: (dept. and year) Not required

Students who might elect course: (dept. and year) Physics, 3+; Imaging Science, 3+. Aimed primarily at Physics and Img Sci students who are also Astronomy minors, but not restricted to these students.

Justification of new course: Provides students with understanding of and experience in specific applications of imaging science to astronomy. Provides elective option for Imaging Science students and Physics students pursuing the astronomy minor.

Special needs: (rooms, labs, equipment, etc.) Access to RIT Observatory (5-6 nights during the quarter); 3rd floor Imaging Science lab rooms (average 2-4 hours per week); classroom with smart podium

Rochester Institute of Technology

College of Science

Center for Imaging Science

Course Information Summary: SIMG 446 and SIMG 753

I. Course: Multiwavelength Astronomical Imaging

1. Four (4) credit hours

2. Two1.5-hour lectures per week; one 1-hr lab recitation per week

3. Prerequisites: Modern Physics (SPSP 314); Intermediate Astronomy (SPSP 305) also recommended

II. Course Catalog Description

Survey of modern imaging techniques in astronomy. Students analyze astronomical imaging systems in terms of the requirements placed on them, and the strengths and limitations of each component in the image chain. Examples of specific techniques covered include optical CCD cameras and spectrometers, infrared imaging and spectroscopy, and interpretation of multi-wavelength data sets.

III. Course Objectives:

1. Understanding of derivation of requirements for astronomical imaging systems

2. Experience obtaining, processing, calibrating, and analyzing astronomical image data

3. Application of imaging chain analysis to astronomical imaging systems

IV. Course Outline

See attached syllabus

V. Instructional Techniques

1. Lectures

2. Laboratories and/or student projects

VI. Methods of Evaluation

1. Laboratory Reports

2. Homework

3. One or two 50-minute exams

4. Final exam or final project report

VII. Bibliography

C.R. Kitchen, Astrophysical Techniques, latest edition

1051-446: Multiwavelength Astronomical Imaging

1051-753: Multiwavelength Astronomical Imaging

Syllabus (Rev. A): Fall 2007

Instructor: Don Figer

figer@cis.rit.edu – office 76-2248 – x56005

text: Astrophysical Techniques (C.R. Kitchen)

SYLLABUS and READINGS

1. Multiwavelength astronomy: overview/review

a. The eye: unique strengths & profound limitations (The eye; pp 1-7*)

b. Wavelength regimes as Planck function regimes; Wien’s Law (Photometry; pp. 276-299)

c. Stars and nebulae as conglomerates of atoms, ions, molecules, and/or dust

d. Atomic and molecular excitation and emission; ionization states

e. Measuring and exploiting Doppler shifts

f. Image processing “power tools”: the Interactive Data Language (IDL)

2. Energy Sources

a. Stars

b. Galaxies

c. Etc.

3. Imaging requirements, fundamental limitations, and tradeoffs

a. Spatial resolution and field of view

b. Sensitivity and dynamic range

c. Spectral resolution and wavelength coverage

4. Optical/IR/UV imaging chain

a. Telescopes (Telescopes; pp. 44-84)

1) system design

2) design forms

b. Detector arrays (CCDs and other optical/IR detectors; Noise; pp. 7-44)

1) CCD

2) IR array

c. Spectrometers (Ch. 4)

1) system design

2) design forms

d. Image processing: problems & solutions (Ch. 2.9)

5. Radio imaging chain (Ch. 1.2; Haystack Observatory educational materials website)

a. Radio telescopes

b. Receivers

c. Spectrometers

d. Image (re)construction

6. X-ray imaging chain (X-ray Imaging, pp. 120-141; Chandra X-ray Observatory website)

a. grazing incidence optics

b. CCDs as photon counters with spatial and spectral resolving power

c. X-ray diffraction gratings

d. X-ray event processing: images and spectra as histograms

7. Other techniques?

a. Gamma-ray

b. Far-IR and submillimeter

8. Applications

a. Dark matter and dark energy

*Note: page #s refer to 4th Edition of Kitchen’s book…

Evaluation/grading:

70% -- homework and programming assignments

For this portion: all assignments completed: A; 1 not completed: B; 2 not completed: C; etc

30% -- final project (due end of finals week)

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