Admission requirements
Bachelor in Astronomy or equivalent. In terms of the Leiden curriculum, the prerequisites for this course are the bachelor courses Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology and Radiative processes. The bachelor courses Astronomical Relativity and Astro-Particle Physics would provide very useful background material.
Description
Active galactic nuclei, or AGN, are associated with very luminous central regions of galaxies. For some objects, their incredible luminosity can even outshine the whole hosting galaxy, and only a stellar-like object is observed. Such objects are usually called quasi-stellar objects or quasars. AGN are often luminous not only in the optical but also over the entire electromagnetic spectrum, from the hard gamma-ray and X-ray photons to the long decameter waves in the radio. AGN can have many different physical components, such as accretion disks, jets and dusty tori, to name a few. These components all emit different kinds of radiation that combined lead to their spectral characteristics. These spectral characteristics can vary dramatically from object to object. As a result, observing AGN is an interesting endeavour: their often fascinating appearances can differ so hugely from object to object that we speak of the Zoo of AGN. The energetic outflows from these objects transport huge amounts of energy away from the black holes into the surrounding galaxies. This energy heats the gas in the hosting galaxies and slows down star formation. This process, called feedback, is an essential process that shapes galaxies during their formation. A puzzling aspect is the existence of AGN with very massive black holes in the Early Universe. With exciting new observations from Euclid, JWST and LOFAR, understanding the formation of these first massive blackholes is an active research field.
Topics that will be addressed include:
Observational results and AGN taxonomy
Measurements of masses of black holes
The physics of the various AGN building blocks, including black holes, accretion disks, dusty tori, narrow and broad line emission regions, and radio jets
Properties of the galaxies hosting AGN
Triggering of AGN activity
Unification: the physical processes that link the various types of AGN
The evolution of the various AGN population
The role of AGN in the formation and evolution of galaxies
The formation of the first AGN
Course objectives
Upon completion of this course, you will not only have a good understanding of the role AGN play in modern astrophysics but also obtain a good feeling for the open questions in this field. The aim is to provide a solid background to be able to carry out research in this or related fields at the master or PhD level.
Upon completion of this course, you will:
be able to interpret observations at virtually the whole electromagnetic spectrum of AGN
have a good understanding of the basic physical properties of AGN building blocks
understand how AGN evolve, and ideas on what might be driving this evolution
be familiar with the various scenarios for the formation of the first AGN
be acquainted with ideas on how AGN impact the formation of galaxies
Timetable
You will find the timetables for all courses and degree programmes of Leiden University in the tool MyTimetable (login). Any teaching activities that you have successfully registered for in MyStudyMap will automatically be displayed in MyTimeTable. Any timetables that you add manually, will be saved and automatically displayed the next time you sign in.
MyTimetable allows you to integrate your timetable with your calendar apps such as Outlook, Google Calendar, Apple Calendar and other calendar apps on your smartphone. Any timetable changes will be automatically synced with your calendar. If you wish, you can also receive an email notification of the change. You can turn notifications on in ‘Settings’ (after login).
For more information, watch the video or go to the 'help-page' in MyTimetable. Pleas note: Joint Degree students Leiden/Delft have to merge their two different timetables into one. This video explains how to do this.
Mode of instruction
The setup is a combination of eight lectures and four mandatory exercise classes. In the lectures, the main material will be presented in an atmosphere that will hopefully encourage frequent interaction between the lecturer and the students. The aims of the exercise classes are to gain an initial understanding of how AGN research is conducted, learn how to delve into the literature, and solve concrete physics problems that provide some insights. The assignments will be graded.
Assessment method
Written exam
Homework assignments
Passing grades are required in both the final exam and the homework.
Reading list
- Extensive lecture notes will be provided
Registration
As a student, you are responsible for registering on time, i.e. 14 days before the start of the course. This can be done via Mystudymap. You do this twice a year: once for the courses you want to take in semester 1 and once for the courses you want to take in semester 2. Please note: late registration is not possible.
Registration for courses in the first semester is possible from July; registration for courses in the second semester is possible from December. First-year bachelor students are registered for semester 1 by the faculty student administration; they do not have to do this themselves. For more information, see this page.
In addition, it is mandatory for all students, including first-year bachelor students, to register for exams. This can be done up to and including 10 calendar days prior to the exam or up to five calendar days in case of a retake exam. You cannot participate in the exam or retake without a valid registration in My Studymap.
Extensive FAQ's on MyStudymap can be found here.
Contact
Lecturer: Prof. H.J.A. Rottgering
Remarks
Soft skills
In this course, you are trained in the following behaviour-oriented skills:
Abstract thinking
Explaining and analyzing complex and non-intuitive concepts