Key objectives of �Relativistic Astrophysics�(ASTMO41).
1. Conceptual introduction to special and general relativity: you should have a good understanding of such concepts as inertial frames, Lorentz transformation, Minkowski metric, equivalence principle, curved spacetime, geodesics and field equations in general relativity. 2. Heuristic understanding of effects of general relativity: You should be familiar with the classic tests of general relativity in the Solar System such as gravitational redshift, light deflection, perihelion shift. You should understand what is the gravitational radius, be able to work with Schwarzschild metric in the limit of weak field. 3. Black holes: You should have a clear understanding what is event horizon, gravitational collapse, singularity. You should understand the difference between Schwarzschild black hole and charged and rotating black holes. You should be able to calculate orbits around Schwarzschild black hole. 4. Accretion and astrophysical evidence for black holes: You should have a good qualitative understanding of physical nature of such objects as white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes and understand how these objects interact with surrounding matter in stellar binary systems, globular clusters, galactic nuclei, quasars. 5. Gravitational waves: You should be able to make estimates of dimensionless amplitudes and intensities of gravitational radiation, generated by such astrophysical sources as binary systems, rotating stars, gravitational collapse, supernovae and be familiar with the basic ideas of detection of gravitational waves.
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