PHY1029 IT and Astrophysics Skills

2011-2012

Code: PHY1029
Level: 1
Title: IT and Astrophysics Skills
Instructors: Dr F.Y. Ogrin and Dr J.L. Patience
CATS Credit Value: 15
ECTS Credit Value: 7.5
Pre-requisites: N/A
Co-requisites: N/A
Duration: T1:01-11, T2:06-11
Availability: unrestricted
Background Assumed: -

Total Student Study Time

150 hours, to include: 11×2-hour computer laboratory sessions (IT); 12×3-hour computer laboratory sessions (astrophysics); 22 hours of directed self-study; 70 hours of self-study.

Aims

Every physicist must be able to analyse data, evaluate theoretical models, and present their work in the form of a technical report. They must also be able to perform investigations, such as experiments, and solve the problems they encounter in a systematic and logical manner.

Students will start by learning to produce high-quality typeset reports using LaTeX and a stylesheet. The second part of the module, introduces the student to the GNU Octave numerical mathematics package. The Octave language is essentially the same as the MATLAB™ language which is widely used in commercial and research environments for numerical modelling. The final part introduces students to computer-aided manipulation and analysis of modern astrophysical data. They will gain an understanding of the basic properties of digital imaging and spectroscopy data and how such data are limited by various noise components added in the signal chain between the astrophysical source and the detection of photons or waves from it. The students will gain an appreciation of the computer tools and algorithms used to analyse astrophysical data through a series of short projects based on actual data, with the goal of producing meaningful scientific results and understanding the uncertainties associated with them. The module also illustrates the interesting differences of approach needed by 'observational physics' as opposed to 'experimental physics'.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

Module Specific Skills:
1. use a numerical language (e.g. Octave) to manipulate data and solve equations using matrix methods;
2. describe the essential components and noise sources in the chain starting from an astrophysical source and ending with digital data stored in a computer;
3. perform basic manipulations and measurements of digital astrophysical data;
4. perform simple analyses of the measurements to derive astrophysical results;
5. present the manipulation, analysis, and results in a clear, logical fashion, in written form.
Discipline Specific Skills:
1. use LaTeX and a stylesheet to produce high-quality typeset reports containing mathematical equations, tables, graphs and diagrams;
2. identify the properties and limitations of observational data;
3. present results of data analysis in an appropriate fashion;
4. apply logic to the solution of problems;
5. keep contemporaneous notes in a professional notebook.
Personal Transferable Skills:
1. use a computer to solve problems and produce documents;
2. solve problems logically.
3. interact with demonstrators in a laboratory environment;
4. use the WWW and software tools to enhance learning.

Learning / Teaching Methods

Laboratory classes, short introductory presentations, directed self-study, handouts and E-Learning resources (ELE PHY1029).

Assessment and Assignments

Contribution	Assessment/Assignment	Size (duration/length)	When
10%	Mid-Term IT Skills Test 1	120 minutes	Week T1:06
10%	Mid-Term IT Skills Test 2	120 minutes	Week T1:10
30%	Class and homework IT Skills assignments	In class + 2 hours each	Weekly T1:01-11
50%	Astrophysics Reports	6×500-word reports and notebooks	Weekly T2:07-11

Syllabus Plan and Content

Part A: IT Skills

Introduction
1. Use of the Exeter Virtual Learning Environment.
2. The Apple Macintosh
  1. Graphical User Interface
  2. using the Mac OS X system
3. Network home directories and the file-server
  1. understanding the local file-server.
LaTex
1. Using LaTeX to create a simple document
  1. Text
  2. Equations
  3. Tables
  4. Figures
2. Using a stylesheet to produce high-quality experiment reports
3. Use of Octave with a template for plotting, linear regression analysis, statistical analysis, error bars
Octave
1. Introduction
  Range of applications, platform and implementation specific differences, relationship of Octave to MATLAB.
2. Fundamentals
  User interface, definitions, data structure, commands and functions, matrix operations, 'help' system.
3. Input/Output and analysis
  Creating files and loading data, working with data, basic plotting, saving workspace ('*.mat' files).
4. Numerical integration
  Using numerical methods for calculation of integrals
5. Fitting
  The least-squares criterion, fitting polynomial and exponential functions, 'polyfit' and 'polyval', fitting data with a linear function, extracting polynomial coefficients, plotting the fitting function, errors.
6. Programming
  Scripts and functions, creating and executing '*.m' files, basic programming: using 'for' and 'while' loops, conditional statements 'if', 3-D graphics.

Part B: Astrophysics

Indicative List of Projects
1. Poisson noise
2. Luminosity function of a young stellar cluster
3. Proper motion of fast-moving stars
4. Spectral classification of stars and brown dwarfs
5. Classification of galaxy sizes and morphologies
6. The rotation of the Sun

Core Text

Not applicable

Supplementary Text(s)

Smith R.C. (1995), Observational Astrophysics, CUP, ISBN 0-521-27834-1 (UL: On order)

Formative Mechanisms

Students are able to monitor their learning by attempting the practical exercises. They are able to discuss these exercises with demonstrators and the course instructor.

Evaluation Mechanisms

The module will be evaluated using information gathered via the student representation mechanisms, the staff peer appraisal scheme, and measures of student attainment based on summative assessment.