Radiative Processes: Werkcollege 1; solutions

Michiel Hogerheijde, Leiden Observatory

September 4, 2019

1. a. The magnitude system is defined as

F 
?
m? − mS = −2.5 log10 .
FS

Rearranging and filling in the given values gives F? = 2.3 × 10−22

erg s−1 cm−2 .
b. The solid angle of a beam with an angular diameter of θ = 1.200 is
Ωtelescope = π(θ/2)2 . Expressing θ in radians gives Ω = 2.7 × 10−11
sr and Iν = 8.77 × 10−12 erg s−1 cm−2 sr−1 .
c. This is eseentially the same calculation as (b), but now we take
θ = θ? = (1.2 R )/(43.3 pc) = 6.28×10−10 rad = 1.2×10−4 arcsec.
This way we find Ω = 1.24 × 10−18 sr, and get Iν = 1.88 × 10−4
erg s−1 cm−2 sr−1 .

1
2. Calculate the total flux at point P emanating from an isotropic, optically
think sphere of radius R (see Figure 1).

Figure 1
Figure 1: Geometry for problem 2.

2. The derivation is given in RL in the text above eq. (1.13).

Optically thick: the only emission we detect comes from the surface of
the sphere. a. The derivation goes as follows
Isotropic: the intensity I‹ isZ the same Zat 2π each
Z θ point on the surface.
c
F = I cos θdΩ = dφ I cos θ sin θdθ,
3. Calculate the flux observed at the detector (indicated by a B) from a
0 0

supernova (SN), where

that θwent off at an angle – from the vector normal to the
c is the largest angle of a ray that still goes through the
sphere, θc = arcsin(R/r).
detector surface. Assume that the SN is an optically thick sphere with
radius R a distance r ∫ R away.
Z θ c
⇔ F = 2πB sin θ cos θdθ
0

1  2 θc
= 2πB cos θ 
2 0
 
= πB 1 − cos2 θc
= πB sin2 θc
 R 2
= πB .
r
3. (RL problem 1.3) Solution given in solutions section RL.

4. Problem 4 has been moved to a future werkcollege.

Figure 2

Having calculated the observed flux, could you have guessed this answer
2

a priori using your result from question 2?

4. Calculate the flux from an isotropic, circular disk of radius R we measure

at detector B. The disk is observed at an angle – from the normal vector