Astrophysics

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Astrophysics is a hybrid of Physics and Astronomy that attempts to explain the physical workings of the celestial objects or phenomenons. Astrophysics has two subdivisions: theoretical, and applied or experimental.

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Research focus

Research in astrophysics addresses a great variety of topics, for example:

  • Stars
- stellar evolution
- magnetic field properties
- stellar convection
  • Stellar atmospheres
- nature of spectral analysis
- electron density
  • The Galaxy (the Milky Way)
- interstellar gas and dust
  • Galaxies
- modeling the environs of galactic-centre massive black holes;
- the structure and dynamics of galactic bars;
- the flow of gas into and out of galaxies;
- the role of active galactic nuclei in limiting the growth of galaxies.
  • CMB (cosmic microwave background radiation)
  • Astroparticles
  • Black holes
  • Dark matter
  • Dark energy[1]
  • Astrochemistry (The role of the chemical bond and organic chemistry in nature on a cosmic scale)
Over 140 molecules have been identified in the interstellar gas and circumstellar shells. To date the largest is a carbon chain with 13 atoms and a molecular weight of 147.

[2][3][4][5]


Notes

  1. [1] Cosmology with dark energy decaying through its chemical-potential contribution. Besprovsvany, J., Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (2007). Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical, 40 7099-7104
  2. Theoretical astrphysics Oxford P{hysics, Oxford University
  3. Degenerate electron pressure Swineburn University, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing
  4. CfA Research Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
  5. Astrochemistry Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics