We list here external courses which have been taken in the past by various
NMSU astronomy graduate students. They have been used to fulfill the
out-of-department graduate course requirement of 6 units of 500+ level
material in the physical sciences, engineering, or mathematics departments.
| Physics Department |
|
| PHYS461 |
Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism I (3 credits) |
|
Covers electro-and magneto-statics, dielectric and magnetic materials, DC and
AC circuits, electromagnetic wave propagation, reflection, refraction,
waveguides, radiating systems, interference and diffraction, Newtonian and
relativistic electrodynamics, magnetohydrodynamics and plasma
physics.
|
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Prerequisite: PHYS214 or PHYS216 or equivalent. |
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PHYS462 |
Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism II (3 credits) |
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Continuation of topics in PHYS 461.
|
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Prerequisite: PHYS461 or consent of instructor.
|
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PHYS511 |
Mathematical Methods of Physics I (3 credits) |
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Applications of mathematics to experimental and theoretical physics. Topics
selected from: complex variables; special functions; numerical analysis;
Fourier series and transforms, Laplace transforms.
|
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PHYS528 / EE528 |
Optical Sources, Detectors, and Radiometry (4 credits) |
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See Electrical Engineering Department listings below.
|
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Note: Typically offered in the Fall; unavailable Fall 2008, but should be offered both Spring and Fall 2009.
|
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PHYS529 / EE529 |
Lasers and Applications (4 credits) |
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See Electrical Engineering Department listings below.
|
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PHYS535 |
Experimental Spectroscopy (2 credits) |
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Selected experiments in atomic and molecular spectroscopy; visible, UV and IR
spectroscopy; laser techniques.
|
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Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
|
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PHYS551 |
Classical Mechanics (3 credits) |
|
Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulation of dynamics. Advanced treatments of
most topics listed under PHYS451, PHYS452, plus canonical transformations and
Hamilton-Jacobi theory.
|
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PHYS451 and PHYS452 strongly recommended.
|
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PHYS554 |
Quantum Mechanics I (3 credits) |
|
Wave function, indeterminacy, classical limit. Schrodinger equation. Atomic
and nuclear systems. Angular momentum, intrinsic spin, identical
particles. Scattering theory. Mathematical formalism, symmetry and conserved
quantities. Perturbation theory. Dirac theory, introduction to quantized
fields.
|
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PHYS452, PHYS454, and PHYS456 strongly recommended.
|
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PHYS555 |
Quantum Mechanics II (3 credits) |
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Continuation of topics in PHYS554.
|
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Prerequisites: PHYS554 or consent of instructor.
|
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PHYS560 / GPHYS560 |
Applied Inverse Theory (3 credits) |
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Inversion of data with an emphasis on geophysical problems. curve fitting,
tomography, earthquake location, overdetermined and underdetermined problems,
linear and nonlinear problems.
|
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Prerequisite: either MATH280, equivalent, or consent of instructor. Computing
experience desirable.
|
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PHYS561 |
Electromagnetic Theory I (3 credits) |
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Detailed advanced treatments of most topics listed under PHYS461, PHYS462,
plus multipole radiation, collisions of charged particles and bremsstrahlung,
scattering, and radiation reaction.
|
|
PHYS461 and PHYS462 strongly recommended.
|
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PHYS562 |
Electromagnetic Theory II (3 credits) |
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Continuation of topics in PHYS561.
|
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Prerequisites: PHYS561 or consent of instructor.
|
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PHYS571 / EE591 |
Experimental Optics (2 credits) |
|
A variety of laboratory exercises for setting up and using optical systems,
including grating spectrometers, acousto-optical filters, Fabry-Perot etalons,
and multi-slit interferometers. Ideal for understanding the details of
optical systems. Students build their own 6-element optical interferometers,
and observe the fringes in real time (this takes the mystery out of the VLA).
|
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Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Corequisite: PHYS570.
|
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PHYS576 |
Advanced Computational Physics I (3 credits) |
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Applications of numerical methods to complex physical systems. Advanced
treatment of finite difference methods, Fourier expansions, Fourier integrals,
solution of differential equations, Monte Carlo calculations, and application
to advanced physics problems.
|
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Recommended: knowledge of FORTRAN or C, and MATH377 or MATH392.
|
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PHYS577 / EE577 |
Fourier Methods in Electro-Optics (3 credits) |
|
See Electrical Engineering Department listings below.
|
|
PHYS578 / EE578 |
Electro-Optical Systems (3 credits) |
|
Linear systems theory is applied to the design and analysis of optical and
electro-optical systems. Emphasis on basic concepts such as throughput,
optical invariants, modulation transfer and point spread or impulse
response.
|
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Prerequisite: EE577.
|
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PHYS584 |
Statistical Mechanics (3 credits) |
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Thermodynamics review. Probability, entropy, equilibrium. Canonical and grand
canonical ensembles. Classical and quantum statistics. Degenerate and
classical gases. Application to the equilibrium properties of solids, liquids,
and gases. Kinetic theory and transport processes.
|
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PHYS452, PHYS454, and PHYS455 strongly recommended.
|
|
PHYS590 |
Nuclear and Particle Physics (3 credits) |
|
Introduction to nuclei, nuclear reactions, and elementary particles, with
applications to astronomy and astrophysics. May include nucleosynthesis,
thermonuclear reactions, the major burning phases in stars, and the weak
interaction in astrophysics.
|
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Prerequisites: PHYS555 or consent of instructor.
|
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PHYS620 |
Advanced Topics in Physics - Tensor Analysis (3 credits) |
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Manipulation of tensors and tensor calculus with some application of tensors.
Includes general coordinate transformations.
|
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PHYS620 |
Advanced Topics in Physics - Black Holes (3 credits) |
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Application of general relativity to black holes.
|
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Prerequisite: PHYS650 or equivalent.
|
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PHYS620 |
Advanced Topics in Physics - Relativistic Cosmology (3 credits) |
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Analysis of cosmological models.
|
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Prerequisite: PHYS650 or equivalent.
|
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PHYS650 |
General Relativity (3 credits) |
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Inertial frames and noninertial forces. Tensor calculus, parallel
displacement, Riemannian geometry. Geodesic motion. The Einstein field
equations and particular exact solutions. Weak field theory. Applications to
cosmology and gravitational collapse.
|
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Prerequisite: PHYS551 or equivalent; possibly PHYS620 (Tensor Analysis).
|
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PHYS652 |
General Relativity III (3 credits) |
|
Inertial frames and noninertial forces. Tensor calculus, parallel
displacement, Riemannian geometry. Geodesic motion. The Einstein field
equations and particular exact solutions. Weak field theory. Applications to
cosmology and gravitational collapse.
|
|
Prerequisite: PHYS551 or equivalent; possibly PHYS620 (Tensor Analysis).
|
| Electrical Engineering Department |
|
EE528 / PHYS528 |
Optical Sources, Detectors, and Radiometry (4 credits) |
|
Fundamentals of optical sources, detectors, and radiometric measurements in
the visible and infrared. Radiometry of imaging and nonimaging optical
systems, including optical fibers. Detector preamplifiers, noise, NEP, D*, and
optical filters.
|
|
Corequisite: undergraduate optics course.
|
|
Note: Typically offered in the Fall; unavailable Fall 2008, but should be offered both Spring and Fall 2009.
|
|
EE529 / PHYS529 |
Lasers and Applications (4 credits) |
|
Lasers, their construction, operating principles, characteristics, and
applications with hands-on experience. Beam propagation in optical
fibers.
|
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Prerequisite: C or better in either EE315 or PHYS461.
|
|
EE545 |
Digital Signal Processing (3 credits) |
|
Graduate treatment of discrete-time signals and systems, sampling and
reconstruction, z-transforms, transform analysis of linear time-invariant
systems, structures for discrete-time systems, filter design techniques,
discrete Fourier transform (DFT) and fast Fourier transform (FFT), spectral
analysis, and advanced topics.
|
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Prerequisite: EE313.
|
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EE555 |
Advanced Linear Systems (3 credits) |
|
Advanced level study of linear systems and associated mathematical tools
including linear equations, spectral theory, normal matrices, projections,
quadratic forms, discrete and continuous time dynamical systems.
|
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Prerequisite: MATH480 or consent of instructor.
|
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EE565 |
Pattern Recognition (3 credits) |
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Statistical pattern classification, supervised and unsupervised learning,
feature selection and extraction, clustering, image classification and
syntactical pattern recognition.
|
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Prerequisite: EE571 or equivalent.
|
|
EE571 |
Random Signal Analysis (3 credits) |
|
Application of probability and random variables to problems in communication
systems, analysis of random signal and noise in linear and nonlinear systems.
|
|
EE577 / PHYS577 |
Fourier Methods in Electro-Optics (3 credits) |
|
General harmonic analysis, linear systems theory, convolution and Fourier
transformation are applied to one-dimensional and two dimensional signals
encountered in electro-optical systems. Applications in diffraction, coherent
and noncoherent imaging, optical information processing, and holography.
|
|
EE578 / PHYS578 |
Electro-Optical Systems (3 credits) |
|
See Physics Department listings above.
|
|
EE591 / PHYS571 |
Experimental Optics (2 credits) |
|
See Physics Department listings above.
|
|
EE596 |
Digital Image Processing (3 credits) |
|
Two-dimensional transform theory, color images, image enhancement,
restoration, registration, segmentation, compression and
understanding.
|
|
Prerequisite: EE571 or consent of instructor.
|
| Geology Department |
|
GEOL520 |
Selected Topics - Isotope Geology (3 credits) |
|
Geochemistry of stable and radiogenic isotopes and its application to a wide range of problems in the earth and planetary sciences.
|
|
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
|
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GEOL553 |
Applied Geomorphology (3 credits) |
|
Geomorphic concepts applied to human activities that affect landforms.
|
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Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
|
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GEOL562 |
Analytical Geochemistry (3 credits) |
|
Techniques used to determine the major and trace element composition of rocks
and minerals and the determination of mineral structure.
|
|
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
|
| Computer Science Department |
|
|
Under most circumstances, 400-level CS courses WILL NOT be counted toward the
Astronomy MS or PhD degree requirements. They are still worth considering
for their programming language content, however, and can be of value
both to aid research efforts and to assist with other courses.
|
|
CS457 |
FORTRAN Programming (3 credits) |
|
Programming in the FORTRAN language.
|
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Recommended for nonmajors.
|
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CS467 (also in Fall) |
C Programming (3 credits) |
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Programming in the C language.
|
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Recommended for nonmajors.
|
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CS477 |
C++ Programming (3 credits) |
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Programming in the C++ language.
|
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Recommended for nonmajors.
|
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CS579 |
Special Topics - Introduction to Computational Science (3 credits) |
|
More advanced programming techniques, including algorithm designs, numerical
methods, databases, and use of parallel processing.
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