Vth School of Astroparticle Physics
23 - 28 May 2016
OHP, Saint Michel l'Observatoire

Physics of the Universe in X-rays

General view on radiative mechanisms thermal
and non-thermal processes, transfer, absorption

Annalisa CELOTTI
International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA)

Course
The lecture will present at a basic level the main emission processes in different context of X-ray astrophysics, at an interpretational level. Emphasis will be given on the interpretation in specific contexts.

Outline
  1. Fundamentals definiitons
  2. Black body and bremsstrahlung
  3. Relativistic beaming
  4. Synchrotron radiation
  5. Compton scattering
  6. Basic on electron -positron pairs
  7. Some astrophysical examples and open questions

Context

Radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum - from radio to TeV energies - is (still) the key tool to “see” astrophysical phenomena and be able to study their nature and physics. Clearly, depending on the emitting matter conditions in general  and the particle distribution in particular, different radiation processes - and its polarisation - will be dominant. In interpreting what observed   both emission by also absorption of the gas and plasma along the line of sight have to be taken into account.


 

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