Graduate Studies in

Physics and Astronomy

Professor Stanley T. Jones, Chairperson 206 Gallalee Hall, Contact: physgrad@ua.edu

Graduate Programs. The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers programs leading to the Master of Science and doctor of philosophy degrees. The requirements for these degrees are stated in the University of Alabama graduate catalog. Students beginning graduate work leading to the M.S. or Ph.D. degree should have the equivalent of an undergraduate major in physics and an undergraduate minor in mathematics, including one intermediate course in each of the main fields of physics. Intermediate courses not included in the undergraduate program should be taken at the earliest possible time. A comprehensive background in general physics is considered as important as mastery of a specialized field.

Thesis and dissertation work can be focussed in several areas of active interest in physics and astrophysics. Most students spend about five semesters concentrating on coursework, as listed below, and make the transition to degree research.

PHYSICS (PH)

PH501 Classical Dynamics: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH301. Variational principles and Lagrange's equations, two-body central-force problems, kinematics of rigid body motion, rigid body equations of motion, special relativity, Hamilton's equations of motion, canonical transformations.
PH531 Electromagnetic Theory: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH332. Electric and magnetic fields, Green's functions, and Maxwell's equations.
PH532 Electromagnetic Theory: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH531. Electromagnetic waves, relativity, and selected topics.
PH533 Optics and Lasers: Three hours. Prerequisite: H333. Polarization, Jones matrices, and crystal optics. Stimulated emission, rate equations, optical resonators, line broadening, saturation, pumping processes, cw and pulsed lasers, beam properties, and applications.
PH534 Electronics II: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH334 or permission of the instructor. Two three-hour laboratories, one hour of seminar. Theory and practical application of digital integrated circuits. Circuits for logic gates, flip flops, counters, latches, and displays. Programming and interfacing an eight-bit microprocessor.
PH541 Quantum Mechanics: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH442. Solution of the Schroedinger equation, matrix methods, angular momentum, and approximation methods.
PH542 Quantum Mechanics: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH541. Time-dependent perturbation theory, scattering theory, radiation, identical particles, and spin.
PH551 Atomic and Molecular Physics: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH441. A detailed study of the structure of simple atomic and molecular systems, perturbation theory, the hydrogen and helium atoms, the hydrogen molecular ion, the hydrogen molecule, and introduction to mathematical methods of molecular physics.
PH561 Nuclear and Elementary Particle Physics: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH441. Structure and properties of nuclear and subnuclear matter, conservation laws, scattering and decay processes, and fundamental interactions.
PH571 Thermal Physics: Three hours. An introduction to thermal phenomena on a macroscopic and a statistical basis, and principles and laws governing them.
PH581 Solid-State Physics: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH441. Structure of simple crystals; thermal, electrical, and magnetic properties of solids; the free-election model and the band approximation; semiconductors.
PH583 Magnetic Resonance: Three hours. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Classical and quantum mechanical descriptions of nuclear magnetic resonance and electron spin resonance; experimental techniques; applications to physical, chemical, and biological problems. Offered according to demand.
PH585 Magnetic Materials I: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH442. Classes of magnetic materials, origin of magnetic moment in solids, exchange interactions, ferromagnetism, ferrimagnetism, anisotropy, magnetostatic energy, magnetostriction, domains, domain walls, and magnetization processes.
PH586 Magnetic Materials II: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH585. Special anisotropies and spin configurations, dynamics, this films and fine particles, interactions, resonance, magneto-optics, neutron diffraction, Mossbauer measurements, galvonomagnetic effects, and size effects.
PH591 Advanced Laboratory: Three hours. Two three-hour laboratories. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Experimental work in the modern physics at an advanced level.
PH598 Nonthesis Research: Variable credit.
PH599 Thesis Research: Variable credit.
PH633 Selected Topics in Laser Physics: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH533. Continuously tunable gas lasers, fine-tuning and mode control, stimulated Raman scattering, four-wave mixing, semiclassical theory multiresonance spectroscopy of gain media, extracavity sub-Doppler techniques, etc. Offered according to demand.
PH641 Relativistic Quantum Mechanics: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH542. The Dirac Equation, Lorentz covariance, free-particle solutions of the Dirac Equation, Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation, propagator theory, and applications to quantum electrodynamics.
PH642 Quantum Field Theory: Three hours. Prerequisites: PH641. Classical field theory, quantization of free fields, interacting fields, the scattering matrix, Feyman rules and diagrams, evaluation of integrals and divergences, and electroweak and strong interactions. Offered according to demand.
PH651 Advanced Atomic and Molecular Physics: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH551. Special topics course in atomic and molecular physics for advanced graduate students. Detailed coverage of topics that are arranged with the instructor. Offered according to demand.
PH661 High Energy Physics. Three hours. Prerequisite: PH642. Gauge invariance, non-Abelian gauge theories, hidden symmetries, and electroweak interactions of leptons and quarks, strong interactions among quarks, string theories, and phenomenology of high-energy interactions. Offered according to demand.
PH671 Kinetic Theory and Statistical Mechanics: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH571. Single particle distribution functions, ensembles, identical particles, thermodynamics of simple systems, equations of state, Fermi liquids, etc.; nonequilibrium problems, fluctuations, transport, magnetism, and phase transitions.
PH681 Advanced Solid-State Physics: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH581. Computational methods in solid state physics are explored in more detail than in PH581. Band structure calculations, Green's functions, density-functional methods, superconductivity, and disordered materials. Offered according to demand.
PH682 Selected Topics in Physics: One to three hours. Prerequisite: consent of the instructor. The course may deal with any physics topic not covered by existing courses. The course title is added at the time each course is taught. Repeat credit is allowed for different course titles.
PH698 Nondissertation Research: Variable credit.
PH699 Dissertation Research: Variable credit.

ASTRONOMY
Professor Stanley T. Jones, Chairperson 206 Gallalee Hall, Contact: physgrad@ua.edu

AY501 Celestial Mechanics and Astrodynamics: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH301. Dynamics of space probes; solar system objects; stars and clusters; galaxies and galaxy clusters.
AY521 Theoretical Astrophysics: Three hours. Prerequisite PH332. Introduction to astrophysical radiation processes as relevant to stellar atmospheres, interstellar medium, active galaxies, and quasars.
AY533 Observational Techniques: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH333. Theoretical and practical aspects of modern astronomical observational techniques. Photometry, spectroscopy, interferometry, optical and radio data reduction and image processing.
AY550 Stars and Stellar Evolution: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH442. Photospheric structure, radiative processes, spectral lines, interpretation of stellar spectra; internal structure, evolution, nucleosynthesis, Hertzspring-Russell diagram.
AY570 Galaxy and Interstellar Medium: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH441. Dynamics and evolution, stellar populations, star formation, physical processes in the interstellar medium, spectral lines.
AY620 Extragalactic Astronomy: Three hours. Prerequisite: PH441. Galaxies, clusters, active galaxies, quasars, distance scale, physical processes
AY640 Radiation Processes in Astrophysics: Three hours. Prerequisite: AY521 or equivalent. Radiation processes of importance in high-energy radio, UV-optical-IR astronomy. Emphasis is on continuum processes.
AY650 Special Topics in Astronomy and Astrophysics: One to three hours. Prerequisite: consent of the instructor. The course may deal with any topic in astronomy or astrophysics not covered by existing courses. The course title is added at the time each course is taught. Repeat credit is allowed for different course titles.
AY660 Astrophysical Plasmas and Magnetodynamics: Three hours. Prerequisites: PH301 and PH332. Includes particle orbit theory, hydromagnetics, shock waves in plasmas, waves in plasmas, and macroscopic and microscopic stability of astrophysical plasmas.