PHYS 471C Advanced Topics in Physics I: Space and Auroral Physics (2011)

The UAF Catalog listing for PHYS 471C: "Emphasis topics provide increased breadth in basic physics. Three topics are offered within the fall and spring semesters of each academic year as compressed 14 lecture, one credit courses."

The main goal of this course is to introduce you to the fundamental concepts, phenomena, and theories of space plasma physics, at the upper undergraduate level. Emphasis will be on the physics of the ionosphere and magnetosphere.

Since this is a one-credit course lasting one month, you are not required to have a textbook. However, topics will be chosen similar to those in Chapter 3 to 5 of a reference textbook: Basic Space Plasma Physics by W. Baumjohann and R. A. Treumann, World Scientific Publishing Company, 1996 (ISBN 186094017X paperback). I have put these three chapters on electronic reserves (http://eres.uaf.edu/eres/ and search the cross number, or follow this link).  This reserved material is for your use related to this course and thus any downloaded copy or printout should be deleted after this course. Password will be given in class for you to access the course page. It is very important that you read the Section(s) covered within each lecture and try to follow derivations before you come to that lecture. Please refer to the schedule below (subject to change) for such reading assignments.

In addition to that. This reference book has been put on reserve at the Mather Library of GI (at the IARC building), as well as another reference at a similar level:
Introduction to space physics, by M. G. Kivelson and C. T. Russell, 1995, Cambridge University Press (ISBN 0521451043).

If you want to find out more about advanced studies of auroral physics, there is a graduate level reference book:
Auroral Plasma Physics, Paschmann, Götz; Haaland, Stein; Treumann, Rudolf (Eds.) Springer (ISBN 978-1-4020-0963-1), which is reprinted from Space Science Reviews journal, Vol. 103/1-4, 2003. Follow this link to read online using the subscription by UAF: http://www.springerlink.com/content/0038-6308/103/1-4/

For a more basic introduction to space physics at the lower undergraduate level, there is an online textbook:
Oulu Space Physics Textbook, by the Space Research Group of the University of Oulu, Finland: https://wiki.oulu.fi/display/SpaceWiki/Oulu+Space+Physics+Textbook

Even more basic information for the general public is abundant in the Internet, and you can find many websites through a simple search. Here are some good sites:
NASA Science's heliophysics page: http://science.nasa.gov/heliophysics/
with cool videos: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html (see my selections)
ESA's space science page: http://www.esa.int/export/esaSC/index.html.
http://www.spaceweathercenter.org/
http://spaceweather.com/
NOAA's space weather prediction center: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/
GI's aurora educational page: http://www.auroraalive.com/ as well as http://www.gi.alaska.edu/asahi/

You will also find it extremely useful to have some mathematical references, handbooks, or tables, e.g., table of integrals. There are many options available from the Internet, but you should be cautious about the accuracy of information obtained there. One recommendation is Abramowitz and Stegun: Handbook of Mathematical Functions, which can be downloaded freely. Another one is the NRL Plasma Formulary, which you can order a free copy or download it online.

The class is one credit over a month, and so there are 3 hours per week for lectures. Based on the reading schedule listed below, you should have read the materials in the electronic reserves before coming to each day's lecture. You are also expected to contribute to discussion in class about physical concepts and mathematical derivations. I will not have time to read through all the materials, but will only highlight those points that are important or difficult. You must cover the rest by reading and ask for help if you encounter difficulties.

Note: some lecture notes will be available for download via the course home page (http://www.gi.alaska.edu/~chungsangng/phys471C/phys471C.html) by clicking at the dates of the lectures in the schedule. These notes are not to replace the lectures themselves.

VI. Attendance and participation

Since this is a small class, there is no need to keep a formal attendance record. However, participation is counted towards 5% of the final grade. Again, due to the tedious nature of keeping tract of participation and that I will recognize everyone in this small class, no formal record will be kept for participation. The final participation grade will be given based on my general impression of your participation level. You are encouraged to check with me during the course to see if your participation level is acceptable. Participation is based on attendance, asking questions, showing that you have read the topics before each class, and contributing to discussion in class, as well as coming to my office hour to ask questions and to discuss physics. Of course, you can impress me the most by pointing out errors I made in derivations, or helping me out when I get stuck.

Doing homework is the most important factor in doing well in this class. There will be approximately one homework set assigned per week, usually on Fridays, and is usually due in the following Friday before class.  However, you should work on your homework as early as possible before a deadline so that you can have time to ask for help if you encounter difficulties in solving these problems. Late homework will not be accepted.

To emphasize the importance of doing homework, homework grade will count towards 50% of the total grade of the course. 

Your submission of any homework problem cannot simply be a one-line statement of the answer. You need to show steps of how you used the method leading to that answer. I will grade the homework based on the method used, as well as the answer. Therefore, you should submit your partially finished work. This will help you getting partial credit, and let me identify your difficulties. Also, your work should be clean and clear enough for me to understand.

While it is good for you to have discussion with classmates or search the Internet for additional information, your submitted homework should be of your own, but not a direct copy from another source. Keep in mind that you will be required to do similar questions on your own during exams. In addition, it is against the UAF Honor Code to misrepresent work which is not your own. Plagiarism on homework or on an exam will result in a failing grade.

Solutions to the homework problems will be emailed to you after the due date. Therefore, late homework will not be accepted. The homework assignments will be given in class, and on the course website (click on links within the Schedule).

There will be one one-hour in-class final exam on Monday November 8th. It will be a closed book exam. Calculators, computers, and communication devices are also not allowed. However, special or unusual formula or integrals essential to a particular question will be written down for that question. The final exam counts towards 45% of the total grade. You must not miss the Final Exam (except for documented illness or family emergency ).

Some questions in the exam will be similar to those you have seen in homework. This is to make sure that you don't just copy homework answers without  truly understanding how to answer on your own. Thus, it is important to review homework sets and solutions before the exams. Exam questions will be graded based on the method used, as well as the answer. Therefore, you should write down explicitly and clearly step by step how you come up with your answers. This will help you getting partial credit.

I have set up a home page for this course: http://www.gi.alaska.edu/~chungsangng/phys471C/phys471C.html. I may put additional materials that may be helpful to you later on. So, please come back often, especially to check any changes in the schedule. The UAF Blackboard site for this course will be made available to students, but will not be used to provide communication about this course.

The Physics Department will work with the Office of Disabilities Services (203 WHIT, 474-7043) to provide reasonable accommodation to students with disabilities.