Stellar magnetic activity (7 credits), Spring 2012

Level: Advanced studies or post-graduate studies in astronomy

Contents of the course

The aim of the course is to provide a basis for understanding stellar magnetic activity. The emphasis will be both on observations (first part of the course, period 3) as well as theory and modelling of stellar magnetic activity (latter part, period 4) . The course consists of lectures and some exercises.The exercises should be returned to the lecturer of the corresponding lecture.

Lectures

The lectures are organised as informal discussions between the students and lecturers. Each teacher will inform the students when and where the meetings will be held. The lecturers will be Thomas Hackman (TH), Rami Vainio (RV), Jens Pomoell (JP), Petri Käpylä (PJK) and Maarit Mantere (MJM).

Preliminary lecture schedule:

17.1.   Introduction. Manifestations of stellar  magnetic activity (TH)         PDF     Do exercise 1
24.1.   Sunspots (TH)                                                                                 PDF    Do exercise 2
1.2.     Methods of observing starspots I (TH)                                            PDF    Do exercise 3
8.2.     Methods of observing starspots II (TH)                                           PDF
29.2.   Stellar spot activity: Observational results and conclusions (TH)    PDF    Do exercises 4-5      
           Solar chromosphere and corona (RV)
           Coronal mass ejections (JP)                                                                                  
13.3.   Convection and its modeling (PJK/MJM)                                                       
20.3.   Differential rotation (PJK/MJM)                                                                     
27.3.   Basic MHD concepts (PJK/MJM)                                                                  
3.4.     Fossil theory of stellar magnetism / Dynamo theory (PJK/MJM)                       
17.4.   Solar and stellar dynamos I: basic concepts (PJK/MJM)                                   
24.4.   Solar and stellar dynamos II: models (PJK/MJM)                                              
?.5.     Final exam

Passing of the course

The course is passed by a final examination and excercises in connection with the lectures. The maximum points from the exercises correspond to 1/5 of the maximum points for the final exam.

Literature

In addition to the lecture slides the following literature is useful:

- Hackman, T., 2004, "Doppler imaging and photometric time series analysis of stellar spot activity", PhD thesis, p. 1-51 ( http://ethesis.helsinki.fi/julkaisut/mat/tahti/vk/hackman/ )

- Ossendrijver, M., 2003, A&A Rev. 11, 287, chapters 2 & 7  

- Mark S. Miesch: "Large-Scale Dynamics of the Convection Zone and Tachocline", http://solarphysics.livingreviews.org/Articles/lrsp-2005-1/

- Paul Charbonneau: "Dynamo Models of the Solar Cycle", http://solarphysics.livingreviews.org/Articles/lrsp-2005-2/

- Jeffrey C. Hall: "Stellar Chromospheric Activity", http://solarphysics.livingreviews.org/Articles/lrsp-2008-2/

- L. Mestel: Stellar magnetism, 1999, Oxford University Press

- Schrijver & Zwaan: Solar and stellar magnetic activity, 2000 Cambridge University Press

- Michael Stix: "The Sun - An Introduction" (2nd or newer edition) chapters 6-9