Welcome to
Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
course page
Spring 2023, George Mason University
[23 January 2023 - 17 May, 2023]
Spring 2023, George Mason University
[23 January 2023 - 17 May, 2023]
Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics (PHYS 390/590) is an interdisciplinary introduction to the theory of fluid dynamics for astrophysicists, physicists, and space scientists. The focus is on the physical and mathematical understanding of the governing equations of fluid mechanics and how they help us better understand various physical processes in nature and the universe.
PHYS 260, PHYS 301 (or MATH 214)
Fluids in the universe
Mathematical preliminaries
Ideal fluids
Basic conservations laws and equations of fluid dynamics
Thermodynamics of fluids
Transport processes
Turbulence
Waves
Instabilities
Chaos
Modeling of fluid phenomena
Applications of fluid dynamics to space physics and astrophysics
The branch of mechanics that studies the effects of forces on the motion of a body or system of bodies.
Instabilities in astrophysical fluids
Convection
Differential rotation and meridional flows in stars
Stellar oscillations driven by convection, instabilities or tidal forcing
Astrophysical dynamos
Magnetospheres of stars, planets and black hole
Interacting binary stars and Roche-lobe overflow
Tidal disruption and stellar collisions
Supernovae
Planetary nebulae
Jets and winds from stars and discs
Star formation and the physics of the interstellar medium
Astrophysical discs, including protoplanetary discs, accretion discs in interacting binary stars and galactic nuclei, planetary rings, etc.
Other accretion flows (Bondi, Bondi–Hoyle, etc.)
Processes related to planet formation and planet–disc interactions
Planetary atmospheric dynamics (Atmopsheric wave, e.g., gravity wave, tides, planetary waves, Kelvin waves)
Galaxy clusters and the physics of the intergalactic medium
Cosmology and structure formation
The lecture notes will be self-contained, but the following books could be helpful
Carswell, Principles of Astrophysical Fluid dynamics (primary)
Kato, Fundamentals of astrophysical fluid dynamics
Batchelor, Introduction to fluid dynamics
Paterson, First course in fluid dynamics
Of course there are other good books and sources that are useful.
The Great Red Spot as seen by the Juno spacecraft via JunoCam, in April 2018 (NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt/Seán Doran - https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA21985)
Accretion disks (NASA/JPL-Caltech)
Eddies and turbulence
Homeworks are distributed via OneNote.