Stellar structure, evolution, collapse and supernovae
Course plan
- Massive stars: Evolution and nucleosynthesis
- Core-collapse supernovae: dynamics.
- Core-collapse supernovae: neutrinos & gravitational waves.
- Supernova nucleosynthesis.
- Supernova light curves, spectra and phenomenology.
Problem sets
- Bernhard Müller’s problem set 1.
- Bernhard Müller’s problem set 2.
Compact binary evolution, rates and population modelling
Course plan
- Forming merging binaries: The problem of forming close binaries, Different formation channels, Characteristic properties (masses, spins, redshift).
- Physics of binary evolution: Mass transfer, Common envelope physics, Impact of metallicity, Evolution with cosmic time.
- Introduction to GW data analysis: Three stages of data analysis: detection, parameter estimation, population inference.
- Population inference: Hierarchical inference, Derivation of hierarchical inference with selection effects
- Review of LVK results: Models and results, extensions to cosmology, complications when it comes to testing GR.
Suggested reading
- Konstantin A. Postnov, Lev R. Yungelson, The Evolution of Compact Binary Star Systems (in particular, section 3).
- Lecture notes on black hole binary astrophysics
- Eric Thrane, Colm Talbot, An introduction to Bayesian inference in gravitational-wave astronomy: parameter estimation, model selection, and hierarchical models.
- David J.C. MacKay, Information Theory, Inference, and Learning Algorithms (in particular, chapter 3).
- Devinderjit Sivia, John Skilling, Data Analysis: A Bayesian Tutorial (in particular, chapters 3 and 4).
Problem sets