PHYS 592 Directed Readings in Physics

This course provides an introduction to physical processes in the interstellar medium. It covers the observational part; how do we obtain information about the interstellar medium, and how do we analyze the data. Cooling and heating processes, formation of dust grains, and interstellar molecules. The course also provides an introduction to gas dynamical processes in interstellar space, and how this is related to the formation of stars, and galaxy evolution in general.