Preliminary schedule for January 2012

Course Description

Astrophysical hydro- and magnetohydrodynamics

The goal of the course is to understand:
(a) the equations of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD),
(b) waves and instabilities,
(c) shocks, solar wind, accretion,
(d) fundamental aspects of turbulence and convection,
(e) dynamo theory, and
(f) numerical techniques for MHD and turbulence.

Course description:
Solar/terrestrial connection, radial structure, equations,
Atmospheric waves (p and g modes), numerical techniques,
Helioseismology, Abel's integral equation
Supersonic flows, energy conservation,
Magnetic fields, magnetic support and coronal mass ejections,
Thin accretion disc physics: steady, time-dependent
Alfven waves, slow, fast, and MRI
Laminar and turbulent dynamos,
Dimensional analysis, blast waves,
Convection, mixing length, turbulence,
Magnetic reconnection,

Computer exercises:
waves and energy conservation,
dynamo and magnetic helicity,
Alfven waves, Parker wind,
magnetic relaxation, mean-field dynamo models

Teachers:
Axel Brandenburg, Dhrubaditya Mitra

Literature:
S.N. Shore: Astrophysical Hydrodynamics
A.R. Choudhuri: The Physics of Fluids and Plasmas

Examination:
The assessment will be based on weekly exercises, and a final report
summarizing the results from computer exercises.

Prerequisite:
Maxwell equations, basic fluid dynamics,
some familiarity with programming would be useful

Preliminary schedule: see
http://www.nordita.org/~brandenb/teach/MHD/schedule/2012_Jan.html