Physics
PHYS 102X 4
Credits
Energy and Society (n)
Exploring the concept of energy. Investigation of the
sources, conversion, distribution and ultimate dispersion of energy, as well as
the consequences of its use in the development and maintenance of modern
society. May be used to fulfill part of the natural science requirement.
Designed for non-science majors. Course fee: $42. (3 + 3) Offered
Spring
PHYS 103X 4
Credits
College Physics (n)
Classical physics including vectors, kinematics, Newton's
Laws, momentum, work, energy, rotational motion, oscillations, waves, gravity,
fluids, heat, temperature, laws of thermodynamics and kinetic theory. For
mathematics, science and liberal arts majors. Course fee: $42. (Prerequisites:
High school algebra, trigonometry and geometry or permission of instructor.)
(3 + 3) Offered Fall
PHYS 104X 4
Credits
College Physics (n)
Coulomb's Law, electrical potential, capacitance, Kirchoff's
Laws, magnetic fields, Faraday's Law, electromagnetic waves, physical and
geometrical optics, waves and particles, atomic and nuclear physics. For
mathematics, science and liberal arts majors. Course fee: $42. (Prerequisite:
PHYS 103X or permission of instructor.) (3 + 3) Offered Spring
PHYS 113 1
Credit
Concepts of Physics
Review of experimental and theoretical studies of fundamental
interactions of nature leading to major advances in human knowledge. Application
of these discoveries to modern technologies, such as solid state electronics,
lasers, holography, nuclear fusion, medical diagnostics and remote sensing.
(1 + 0) Offered Fall
PHYS 115X 4
Credits
Physical Science I (n)
Basic concepts and general overview in physics. Presents
interrelatedness and interdependence within this scientific field. Course fee:
$42. (Recommended: DEVM 105.) (3 + 3) Offered Fall
PHYS 116X 4
Credits
Physical Science II (n)
Basic concepts and general overview in chemistry, astronomy,
meteorology and geology. Presents interrelatedness and interdependence of these
scientific fields. Course fee: $42. (Recommended: PHYS 115X and DEVM 105.)
(3 + 3) Offered Spring
PHYS 175X 4
Credits
Introduction to Astronomy (n)
Examination of the science of astronomy and its social
consequences, with an emphasis on the interrelationships between astronomy and
other sciences. Topics covered: astronomical concepts and tools, the solar
system, stellar astronomy and cosmology. Designed for non-science majors.
Course fee: $42. (3 + 3) Offered Fall
PHYS 211X 4
Credits
General Physics (n)
Vectors, kinematics, Newton's Laws, momentum, work, energy,
rotational motion, oscillations, waves, gravity and fluids. For engineering,
mathematics and physical science majors. Course fee: $42. (Prerequisites:
Concurrent enrollment in MATH 201X or permission of instructor. Recommended:
one year of high school physics.) (3 + 3) Offered Fall, Spring
PHYS 212X 4
Credits
General Physics (n)
Heat, temperature, laws of thermodynamics, Coulomb's Law,
electrical potential, capacitance, Kirchoff's Laws, Biot-Savart Law, Faraday's
Law and electromagnetic waves. For engineering, mathematics and physical
science majors. Course fee: $42. (Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in MATH
202X; and PHYS 211X or ES 208 or concurrent enrollment in ES 210; or permission
of instructor.) (3 + 3) Offered Fall, Spring
PHYS 213X 4
Credits
Elementary Modern Physics (n)
Geometrical and physical optics, elementary-level modern
physics including special relativity, atomic physics, nuclear physics,
solid-state physics, elementary particles, simple transport theory, kinetic theory
and concepts of wave mechanics. Course fee: $42. (Prerequisites: PHYS 211X and
212X; or permission of instructor.) (3 + 3) Offered Fall
PHYS 220 4
Credits
Introduction to Computational Physics (n)
Introduction to computational techniques for solving physics
problems. The computer is used as a tool to provide insight into physical
systems and their behavior in all areas of physics. (Prerequisites: PHYS 211X,
212X, 213X; and Math 202X; or permission of instructor.) (3 + 3)
Offered Spring
PHYS 301 4
Credits
Introduction to Mathematical Physics (n)
Introduction to theoretical foundations of classical and
modern physics. Includes calculus of vector fields, linear algebra and elementary
tensor theory, complex analysis, ordinary linear differential equations, linear
partial differential equations, Fourier analysis and probability. Physical
applications include planetary motion, rotating bodies and inertia tensor,
damped and driven harmonic oscillator, wave equation, Schroedinger's equation
and diffusive systems. (Prerequisites: PHYS 211X, 212X, 213X, MATH 202X, or
permission of instructor.) (4 + 0) Offered Spring
PHYS 313 4
Credits
Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics (n)
Thermodynamic systems, equations of state, the laws of
thermodynamics, changes of phase, thermodynamics of reactions, kinetic theory
and introduction to statistical mechanics. (Prerequisite: PHYS 212X and
concurrent enrollment in PHYS 301; or permission of instructor.)
(4 + 0) Offered Spring
PHYS 341 4
Credits
Classical Physics I: Particle Mechanics
Newtonian mechanics, conserved mechanical quantities, motion
of systems of particles, rigid body statics and dynamics, moving and accelerated
coordinate systems, rigid body rotations and Lagrangian mechanics.
(Prerequisites: PHYS 211X, 212X, 220, 301; or permission of instructor.)
(4 + 0) Offered Fall
PHYS 342 4
Credits
Classical Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism
Statics and dynamics of electric and magnetic fields in
vacuum and in the presence of materials. Lorentz force law. Maxwell's equations.
(Prerequisites: PHYS 341 or permission of instructor.) (4 + 0)
Offered Spring
PHYS 343 4
Credits
Classical Physics III: Vibration and Waves
Normal modes and small vibrations, continuum systems, wave
mechanics, electromagnetic waves and radiation. Relativistic mechanics and
electromagnetism. (Prerequisites: PHYS 342 or permission of instructor.)
(4 + 0) Offered Fall
PHYS 381W, O 3
Credits
Physics Laboratory (n)
Laboratory experiments in classical and modern physics.
Course fee: $42. (Prerequisites: COMM 131X or 141X; ENGL 111X and
ENGL 211X or 213X; and PHYS 213X or permission of instructor.)
(1 + 6) Offered Fall
PHYS 382W 3
Credits
Physics Laboratory (n)
Laboratory experiments in classical and modern physics.
Course fee: $42. (Prerequisite: ENGL 111X; ENGL 211X or ENGL 213X, PHYS 381.)
(1 + 6) Offered Spring
PHYS 411 4
Credits
PHYS 412 4
Credits
Modern Physics (n)
Relativity, elementary particles, quantum theory, atomic and
molecular physics, x-rays and nuclear physics. (Prerequisites: PHYS 213X, MATH
302, 314; and PHYS 411 for 412; or permission of instructor.) (4 + 0)
PHYS 411 Offered Fall, PHYS 412 Offered Spring
PHYS 421 4
Credits
Quantum Mechanics (n)
Schrodinger's equation, Born interpretation, operator
formalism, measurement and projection, stationary states, one-dimensional
systems, hydrogen atom, states of definite angular momentum, perturbation
theory. (Prerequisites: PHYS 213X, 220, and 301 or permission of instructor.)
(4 + 0) Offered Fall
PHYS 445 4
Credits
Solid State Physics and Physical Electronics (n)
Theory of matter in the solid state and the interaction of
matter with particles and waves. (Prerequisites: MATH 302, 314; and PHYS 411;
or permission of instructor.) (4 + 0) Offered Spring
PHYS 462 4
Credits
Geometrical and Physical Optics (n)
Geometrical optics, interference and diffraction theory,
nonlinear optics, Fourier optics and coherent wave theory. Course fee: $42.
(Prerequisites: MATH 302, 314; and PHYS 213X, 331; or permission of
instructor.) (3 + 3) Offered Spring
PHYS 471 1
Credit
Advanced Topics in Physics I (n)
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 selection is made from
within the following: 471A Condensed Matter Physics I, 471B Condensed Matter
Physics II, 471C Space and Auroral Physics, 471D Nonlinear Dynamics, 471E
Biophysics, 471F Nuclear and Particle Physics, 471G General Relativity, 471H
Astrophysics, 471I Topics in Modern Mathematical Physics. (Prerequisites: PHYS
220 and 301 or permission of instructor.) (1 + 0) Offered Fall,
Spring
PHYS 472 1
Credit
Advanced Topics in Physics II (n)
Application topics provide expanded exposure to subjects in
physics. Three topics are offered within the fall and spring semesters of each
academic year as compressed 14-lecture, one-credit courses. The selection is
made from within the following: 472A Planetary Atmospheres, 472B Fluid
Dynamics, 472C Plasma Physics, 472D Hamiltonian Mechanics, 472E Physics of
Glaciers, 472F Remote Sensing, 472G Solar Physics, 472H Advanced Laboratory,
472I Spectroscopy, 472J Cosmology, 472K Quantum Computation, 472L Covariant
Kinematics and Dynamics. (Prerequisites: PHYS 220 and 301 or permission of
instructor.) (1 + 0) Offered Fall, Spring
PHYS 488 1-3
Credits
Undergraduate Research
Advanced research topics from outside the usual undergraduate
requirements. (Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Recommendations: A
substantial level of technical/scientific background.) Offered Fall, Spring
PHYS 611 3
Credits
Mathematical Physics I
(Cross-listed with MATH 611)
Mathematical tools and theory for classical and modern
physics. Core topics: linear algebra including eigenvalues, eigenvectors and
inner products, infinite dimensional spaces. Infinite series. Hilbert spaces
and generalized functions. Complex analysis, including Laurent series and
contour methods. Applications to problems arising in physics. Selected
additional topics, which may include operator and spectral theory, groups,
tensor fields and hypercomplex numbers. (Prerequisites: MATH 302, MATH 314,
MATH 421/422 or permission of instructor.) (3 + 0) Offered Fall
PHYS 612 3
Credits
Mathematical Physics II
(Cross-listed with MATH 612)
Continuation of Mathematical Physics I; mathematical tools
and theory for classical and modern physics. Core topics: classical solutions
to the principal linear partial differential equations of electromagnetism,
classical and quantum mechanics. Boundary value problems and Sturm-Liouville theory. Green's
functions and eigenfunction expansions. Integral transforms. Orthogonal polynomials
and special functions. Applications to problems arising in physics. Selected
additional topics, which may include integral equations and Hilbert-Schmidt
theory, perturbation methods and probability theory. (Prerequisites: PHYS/MATH
611 or equivalent or permission of instructor.) (3 + 0) Offered
Spring
PHYS 614 3
Credits
Ice Physics
(Cross-listed with GEOS 614)
A survey of the physics of ice, including the crystal
structure and properties of ice, high pressure phases, hydrogen bonding, mechanical
properties, thermal properties, electrical and acoustic properties, nucleation
and growth, optical properties and surface properties (adhesion, friction).
(Prerequisites: MATH 421, 422; graduate standing or permission of instructor.
Next offered: 2008-09.) (3 + 0) Offered Alternate Spring
PHYS 621 3
Credits
Classical Mechanics
Lagrange's equations, two-body problem, rigid body motion,
special relativity, canonical equations, transformation theory and
Hamilton-Jacobi method. (Prerequisites: PHYS 312 or equivalent; graduate
standing or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2007-08.)
(3 + 0) Offered Alternate Fall
PHYS 622 3
Credits
Statistical Mechanics
Classical and quantum statistics of independent particles,
ensemble theory and applications. (Prerequisites: PHYS 621; graduate standing
or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2007-08.) (3 + 0) Offered
Alternate Spring
PHYS 626 3
Credits
Fundamentals of Plasma Physics
Single charge particle motion in the electromagnetic fields,
plasma kinetic theory, Vlasov equations for collisionless plasmas, magnetohydrodynamic
equations, linear plasma waves and instabilities, nonlinear plasma waves and
instabilities. (Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of instructor.
Next offered: 2007-08.) (3 + 0) Offered Fall
PHYS 628 3
Credits
Digital Time Series Analysis
Applied time series analysis, including correlation,
convolution, filtering and spectral estimation of multivariate data. The
statistical properties of estimators; signal detection; and array processing.
(Prerequisites: MATH 401, 402 or equivalent; familiarity with a programming
language such as C or Fortran; graduate standing or permission of instructor.
Next offered: 2007-08.) (3 + 0) Offered Alternate Spring
PHYS 629 3
Credits
Methods of Numerical Simulation in Fluids and Plasma
The fundamentals of computer simulation for fluids and
multi-particle systems. Topics include methods for the discretization of numerical
solutions, and boundary and initial conditions. Methods will be applied to
convection, diffusion and steady states in fluids and plasmas. (Prerequisites:
MATH 310, 421 or equivalent; PHYS 311, 312, 331, 332 or equivalent;
experience in programming; graduate standing or permission of instructor. Next
offered: 2008-09.) (3 + 0) Offered Alternate Spring
PHYS 631 3
Credits
PHYS 632 3
Credits
Electromagnetic Theory
Electrostatics, magnetostatics, Maxwell's equations and
potentials. Lorentz equations, field energy, gauge conditions, retarded
potentials, waves, radiation and tensor formulations. (Prerequisites:
PHYS 631 or the equivalent for PHYS 632; graduate standing or permission
of instructor. Next offered: 2008-09.) (3 + 0) PHYS 631 Offered
Alternate Fall, PHYS 632 Offered Alternate Spring
PHYS 639 3
Credits
InSAR and its Applications
(Cross-listed with GEOS 639)
Introduction to the concepts of repeat-pass spaceborne SAR
interferometry and practical use of the technique to derive displacements of
the solid Earth, glacier and ice sheets to precision of a few centimeters and
accurate digital elevation models of the Earth's surface. (Prerequisite: Basic
remote sensing course or permission from instructor.) (2 + 2) Offered
As Demand Warrants
PHYS 640 3
Credits
Auroral Physics
Survey of aurora phenomena, the associated physical processes
and techniques used to investigate the aurora. Includes electron and proton
impact spectra; physical processes that accelerate and precipitate electrons
and protons; auroral currents; ionospheric effects of auroral activity; and
principles for ground-based satellite spectroscopy and imaging and the
measurements of magnetic and electric fields. (Prerequisites: PHYS 312, 332,
441 or equivalents; graduate standing or permission of instructor. Next
offered: 2008-09.) (3 + 0) Offered Alternate Spring
PHYS 645 3
Credits
Fundamentals of Geophysical Fluid Dynamics
Introduction to the mechanics of fluid systems, the
fundamental processes, Navier-Stokes' equations in rotating and stratified
fluids, kinematics, conservation laws, vortex motion, irrotational flow,
laminar flow, boundary layer phenomena, waves, instabilities, turbulent flows
and mixing. (Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of instructor. Next
offered: 2007-08.) (3 + 0) Offered Alternate Fall
PHYS 650 3
Credits
Aeronomy
The physical and chemical processes that govern the response
of planetary atmospheres to solar radiation and energetic particles. Formation
of and characteristic processes in the layers within the ionosphere and basic
magneto-ionic theory. Includes principles of remote sensing by lidar and radar
techniques. (Prerequisites: PHYS 312, 332, 411 or equivalents; graduate
standing or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2008-09.)
(3 + 0) Offered Alternate Fall
PHYS 651 3
Credits
PHYS 652 3
Credits
Quantum Mechanics
Schrodinger's equations, operator formalism, correspondence
principle, central force problems, perturbation theory, quantum statistical
mechanics and applications of quantum mechanics to collision problems,
radiation and spectroscopy. (Prerequisites: PHYS 651 or the equivalent for PHYS
652; graduate standing or permission of instructor. Next offered: 2008-09.)
(3 + 0) PHYS 651 Offered Alternate Fall, PHYS 652 Offered Alternate
Spring
PHYS 660 3
Credits
Radiative Transfer
The interaction of radiation with matter. The physical
processes related to scattering, absorption and emission of radiation in an optical
medium as well as the formulation and mathematical solution of radiative energy
transport including multiple scattering in layered media. Demonstrations of how
to use the theory in remote sensing applications and earth radiation budget
studies (climate). (Prerequisites: Graduate standing in chemistry, geology or
physics; or permission of instructor.) (3 + 0) Offered As Demand Warrants
PHYS 672 3
Credits
Magnetospheric Physics
The physics and dynamics of Earth's magnetosphere. Discusses
the magnetosphere as a test bed for microscopic plasma processes, equilibrium
configurations, plasma instabilities, highly nonlinear eruptive plasma
processes and global dynamics which involve the interaction of various regions
of the magnetosphere. Introduction to various aspects of magnetospheric physics
with a systematic discussion of the various elements of the magnetosphere,
their structure and dynamics, and a discussion of the relevant plasma physics.
(Prerequisite: PHYS 626; graduate standing or permission of instructor. Next
offered: 2007-08.) (3 + 0) Offered Alternate Spring
PHYS 673 3
Credits
Space Physics
Plasma physics of the heliosphere from the solar core to the
interstellar medium. Includes coronal structure, interplanetary magnetic field
and solar wind, shocks, interactions with planets, planetary magentospheres,
cosmic rays, solar-terrestrial relations and instrumentation. (Prerequisites:
PHYS 312, 332, 411 or equivalents; graduate standing or permission of
instructor. Next offered: 2007-08.) (3 + 0) Offered Alternate Fall