Undergraduate Course: Astronomical Statistics and Measurement (PHYS10080)
Course Outline
| School | School of Physics and Astronomy |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 10 |
| Home subject area | Undergraduate (School of Physics and Astronomy) |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
http://www2.ph.ed.ac.uk/teaching/course-notes/notes/list/86 |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | Astronomical Statistics:
A section on probability and statistics for astronomers introduces the elements of probability theory, the calculus of probabilities and the central limit theorem, going on to consider various uses of statistics, including hypothesis testing, parameter estimation, and model selection, Bayes' theorem, and the effect of biases in data. The emphasis is on methods that are common in astronomical research, and how to avoid the notorious pitfalls that frequently trap the unwary.
Astronomical Measurement:
The course is concerned with ground- and space-based astronomical instrumentation across the full electromagnetic spectrum from radio waves to gamma rays. The emphasis is on the physical processes exploited in the
design and construction of instruments and in particular their detectors. As well as describing current state-of-the-art instrumentation, the course will cover techniques currently at the development stage.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Physical Mathematics (PHYS09015) AND
Diffraction Physics (PHYS09047)
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | At least 80 credit points accrued in courses of SCQF Level 9 or 10 drawn from Schedule Q. |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2011/12 Semester 1, Available to all students (SV1)
|
WebCT enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| Other | Lecture | | 1-11 | 11:10 - 12:00 | | | | | | Other | Lecture | | 1-11 | | | | 11:10 - 12:00 | |
| First Class |
Week 1, Monday, 11:10 - 12:00, Zone: Other. RoE Lecture Theatre |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours:Minutes |
|
|
| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | Astronomical Statistics and Measurement | 2:00 | | |
|
| Delivery period: 2011/12 Semester 1, Part-year visiting students only (VV1)
|
WebCT enabled: No |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| Other | Lecture | | 1-11 | 11:10 - 12:00 | | | | | | Other | Lecture | | 1-11 | | | | 11:10 - 12:00 | |
| First Class |
Week 1, Monday, 11:10 - 12:00, Zone: Central. ROE, Lecture Theatre |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours:Minutes |
|
|
| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | Astronomical Statistics and Measurement (VS1) | 2:00 | | |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course it is intended that a student will be able to:
Astronomical Statistics:
1) Describe the axioms of probability and be able to apply them to problems
2) Derive the Binomial, Poisson and Gaussian distributions and their application in probability
3) Explain the Central Limit Theorem, and show its general importance in probability and statistics
4) Understand how to fit models and estimate parameters using the Least Squares fit and Maximum Likelihood methods
5) Discuss and apply Bayes' Theorem
6) Understand and be able to apply non-parameteric statistics such as the chi-squared
7) Understand and perform Hypothesis testing, parameter estimation and model selection.
Astronomical Measurement:
1) describe the main types of telescope, imager and spectrometer used by modern astronomers across the electromagnetic spectrum from radio waves to gamma rays.
2) understand the basic physics behind the technology of the various instruments and detectors.
3) discuss the effect of the atmospheric emission, absorption and refraction on various types of instrument, and why some observations can only be made from above the atmosphere.
4) perform simple calculations on the basic design of instruments across the electromagnetic spectrum. |
Assessment Information
Degree Examination 100%
Visiting Student Variant Assessment
Degree Examination 100% |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
* Introduction to Probability and Statistics: definitions, properties, Bayesian & Frequenstist viewpoints, ...
* Probability distributions: binomial, Poisson, Gaussian, ...
* Central Limit Theorem (CLT): addition of random variables, characteristic functions, CLT, error propagation, ...
* Statistical Inference: model fitting, parameter estimation, goodness of fit, maximum likelihood methods, hypothesis testing, model selection, non-parametric statistics, Monte-Carlo methods.
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| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | AstSM |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Andy Lawrence
Tel: (0131) 668 8346
Email: Andy.Lawrence@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Paula Wilkie
Tel: (0131) 668 8403
Email: paw@roe.ac.uk |
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© Copyright 2011 The University of Edinburgh - 16 January 2012 6:41 am
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