This course introduces you to the evidence by which we deduce that about 95% of the mass of galaxies and galaxy clusters appears to be comprised primarily of dark matter -- an as yet unknown something that exhibits its presence through gravity, yet does not emit or absorb electromagnetic radiation, rendering it invisible. It is through the study of galaxies, in particular the luminous material in the galaxies, that the presence of this unknown material was traditionally inferred, hence the name of the course.
The course is taught with an experiential approach to the material, using both simulated and real data that allow you to make discoveries on your own, as you would in a research project. There will be two comprehensive research projects that will be based on data, each culminating in a written project report of about 10 pages. After we have established the evidence for dark matter we will then explore the possibilities for its composition, whether it could be familiar matter (baryons) behaving in unfamiliar ways or whether it might be an as-yet-unknown substance that permeates and dominates our universe.
Much of the data exploration will be conducted through the use of a JAVA Application that is on the classroom computers. You will want to install this on a computer that you have ready access to, following the instructions in the download directory on the class website. We will use Microsoft Excel for analyzing and graphing the data.
There is no textbook for the class, but we will have readings of chapters from various books through out the term. The book Introductory Astronomy and Astrophysics by Zeilik and Gregory (a copy is on reserve at the Young Science Library at Smith College) is a useful reference for understanding how to interpret the data you will be analyzing.
Class attendance and participation in group and class discussions are an important part of this course, and will be included in the determination of the grade. Grades will be determined approximately as follows:
Homework |
25% |
Project 1: Gravity in Star and Planetary Systems |
20% |
Project 2: Gravity in Galaxies |
25% |
Project 3: Dark Matter Candidates |
25% |
Attendance/Participation |
5% |