Selected Transcript of Graduate Courses
Electromagnetic theory
Text: Classical Electrodynamics by J. D. Jackson
Topics: Maxwell's equations, Green functions, spherical harmonics, multipole expansion, gauge transformations, Poynting's theorem, conservation laws, wave guides, and radiation
Grade: High pass
Classical Mechanics
Texts: Classical Mechanics by H. Goldstein, C. Poole, & J. Safko, Theoretical Mechanics of Particles and Continua by A. L. Fetter & J. D. Walecka, and Mechanics by L. D. Landau and E. M. Lifshitz
Topics: Kinetics, conservation laws, central forces, collisions, small oscillations, rigid body motion, Lagrangian & Hamiltonian formalisms, Liouville's theorem, and adiabatic invariants
Grade: High pass
Statistical Mechanics
Texts: Statistical Physics of Particles by M. Kardar and Statistical Mechanics by R. K. Pathria & P. D. Beale
Topics: Thermodynamics, Carnot engines, adiabatic evolution, probability theory, the central limit theorem, entropy, Boltzmann statistics, statistical ensembles, moments, Fermions, Bosons, black body radiation, and the UV catastrophe
Grade: Pass
Quantum Mechanics
Text: Modern Quantum Mechanics by J. J. Sakurai & J. Napolitano
Topics: Hilbert spaces, the Stern-Gerlach experiment, Matrix representations, wave functions, simple harmonic oscillators, Schrödinger's equation, angular-momentum commutation, spin-½ systems, density operators, orbitals, Fine structure, the Zeeman effect, nuclear magnetic resonance, and time-ordered exponentials
Grade: Pass
Intro to Plasma Physics
Text: Intro to Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion by F. F. Chen
Topics: Guiding center drifts, adiabatic invariants, plasmas as fluids, the plasma approximation, waves in magnetized plasmas, diffusion & resistivity, magnetohydrodynamics, equilibrium & instabilities, kinetic theory, fusion, and Tokamaks
Grade: High pass
Magnetohydrodynamics
Text: Fundamentals of Plasma Physics by P. M. Bellan and Magnetic Reconnection in Plasmas by D. Biskamp
Topics: Distribution functions, Vlasov equation, shocks, Klimontovich equation, two-fluid theory, magnetohydrodynamic equations, stress tensor, generalized Ohm's law, plasma waves, Kevon-Helmholtz instability, Rayleigh-Taylor instability, shocks, vorticity, and gyrokinetics
Grade: Pass
Plasma Kinetic Theory
Texts: Intro to Plasma Physics by D. A. Gurnett & A. Bhattacharjee and Advanced Space Plasma Physics by R. A. Treumann & W. Baumjohann
Topics: Evolution of phase space, Boltzmann equation, Vlasov equation, ES waves in unmagnetized plasmas, waves in magnetized plasmas, velocity space instabilities, drift wave instabilities, collisions, wave-particle interactions, Landau damping, and wave-wave interactions
Grade: High pass
Computational Plasma Dynamics
Text: Numerical Computation of Internal & External Flows by C. Hirsch
Topics: Fluid models and techniques, Finite difference methods, finite volume methods, total variation diminishing methods, hyperbolic equations, adaptive meshes, magnetohydrodynamic methods, Hall MHD methods, gyrokinetic extensions, and particle-in-cell
Grade: High pass