Digital image processing allows us to analyze the wealth of data captured by modern telescopes and satellites, and it provides access to the enormous data contained in astronomical databases. This lecture with computer exercises covers the fundamentals of image processing such as image enhancement, image restoration, color image processing, wavelet and multi-resolution processing, morphological image processing, image segmentation, and object recognition. In addition, a variety of techniques, commonly used in astronomy and astrophysics, will be introduced: optical flow measurements, speckle interferometry, phase diversity techniques, and Doppler imaging, among others.

Celestial mechanics is a special field of Theoretical Mechanics which concerns with the calculation of the trajectories of cosmic bodies (particles, granules, planetary rings, planetesimals, satellites (natural, artificial), planets, stars, star clusters, galaxies) in space under the influence of different forces - essentially (mutual) gravity!

Contents:

  •  repetition: theoretical mechanics/principle mechanics
  •  repetition: coordinates, moving - & accelerating frames, coordinate transformations
  • gravitational fields, Poisson- & Laplace Eqs.; Greens formalism (Sketch of general relativity, if time is left)
  •  the two-body problem: cone-section solutions, elliptic -, parabolic -, and hyperbolic orbits; integrals of motion
  • perturbation theory: Gauß- and Laplace formalisms (and corresponding Eqs.)
  •  the three-body problem:

      -  the restricted three-body problem/Jacobi-integral (Jacobian)/the "zoo" of orbits!

      -  the elliptic three-body problem/Jacobian <=> oscillating orbits

      -  the Hills-problem ==> reduced Jacobian

  •  non-conservative perturbation forces: radiation pressure, plasma-drag
  •  space science examples <=> own contributions ==> the Cassini-mission @ Saturn

 

This course will give an overview about the first astrophysical sources that formed after the Big Bang and their effects on their environment. Addressed topics include (1) cosmological structure formation, (2) primordial star formation and feedback processes, (3) galaxies at cosmic dawn, (4) formation of the first quasars, and (5) the epoch of reionization. In the seminar, current topics in this active research field will be discussed, based on recently published scientific articles.