Radiation-matter interaction – Sources of high ener gy (UV-gamma rays) radiation in the universe - Detectors for high energy particles, X-r ays, gamma rays and neutrinos – Space astronomy - Elements of General Relativity - compac t stars – magnetospheric processes around neutron stars (pulsars and magnetars) – inte racting binaries – Roche potential and accretion – Shkura-Sunyaev thin disk model – accret ion phenomenology around compact objects – stellar mass black holes vs supermassive black holes – AGN phenomenology and unified scheme – Jet production and superluminal mo tion – Supernova

Occurrence and state of cosmic diffuse matter – ion ized, atomic, molecular gas and dust – heating and cooling, equilibrium phases – probes of diffuse matter (line and continuum radiations at various wavelengths) – Thermal and io nization equilibrium of HII regions – UV shielding in molecular gas – extinction/reddening/p olarization due to dust – dust heating and IR emission – star forming regions - cosmic rays and n on-thermal synchrotron emission – recombination and re-ionization of IGM – Lyman alph a forest, Mg absorption systems – Gunn Peterson effect – Heating of intracluster gas – Sun

Conservation laws – Euler’s Equations – Common Equa tions of State – Hydrostatic Equiibrium – Isothermal sphere – Virial Theorem – linear pertu rbation theory – acoustic waves – Jeans’ instability – Rayleigh Taylor instability – de Lava l nozzle - Parker wind solution – Bondi accretion – Shock waves– Sedov solution – elements of plasma physics - Debye screening – orbit theory - elements of MHD – flux freezing – Alfven waves - Langmuir oscillations –dispersion relation of electromagnetic waves propagating in plasmas- plasm a instabilities - transport phenomena

Instruments and Measurement Systems: Instrument Response, Measurement Quality, Signal to Noise ratio, Measurement Artifacts, Instrument Response Time, Instrumental Time Resolution, Detection Limit and Sensivity, Sources of Uncertainties, Calibration procedures. Basic statistics, concept of error and uncertainty analysis, Error analysis, probability distribution functions, regression analysis, least square fit, goodness of fit, uncertainties in the fit, propagation of error for a simple linear system.

Introduction to hydrometeorology, hydrologic and bio geochemical cycles, Water vapour in atmosphere, Vertical gradients in atmosphere, Atmospheric Boundary Layer, Surface Energy balances, Sensible heat flux, Latent heat flux, heat budgets, Plant canopy interactions with the atmosphere. Evaporation, evapotranspiration and their measurements, empirical equations, potential evapotranspiration, Global carbon cycling, Leaf energy fluxes, vegetation dynamics, Canopy processes and Canopy resistance.

Unit I:

Unit 1: Structure and variability of Earth's ionosphere

Introduction to neutral upper atmosphere and its interaction with solar radiation: Thermal structure of the atmosphere, Heat balance and temperature profile of thermosphere, Dissociation and diffusive separation and thermospheric composition, Exosphere, Solar radiation at the top of the atmosphere, Attenuation of solar radiation in the atmosphere, thermal effect of radiation, photochemical effects of radiation, Airglow

Overview of Polar Geography and Climate; History of Indian Antarctic programme; Physical characteristics; weather and climate, ice coring in Antarctica for Paleo-environment studies, logistics of Antarctic Science, opportunities, Antarctic governance and protection of Antarctic environment, International linkages.

Introduction: definitions and background, variables, wind and flow, turbulent transports; Taylor’s hypothesis and observing techniques, boundary layer depth and structure Mathematical and conceptual tools: Turbulence and its spectrum; spectral gap; mean and turbulent parts; basic statistical methods; rules of averaging; turbulent kinetic energy; kinematic flux, eddy flux; stresses. Governing equations for turbulent flow: methodology, basic equations, simplifications and approximations, equations for mean variables in a turbulent flow.

History of satellite and radar meteorology; Orbits and navigation, Orbit perturbations, Meteorological satellite orbits, Satellite positioning, tracking, and navigation, Space-time sampling, Launch vehicles and profiles; Elements of radiative transfer - Basic quantities, Blackbody radiation, Radiative transfer equation, Gaseous absorption, Scattering, Solar radiation and surface reflection; Meteorological satellite instrumentation - Operational polar orbiting satellites, Operational geostationary satellites, Other satellite instruments, Satellite data archives; Radar - Radar basics, Convent

The significance of Air-Sea Interaction; Atmospheric and Oceanic Interaction at various scales; Concept of Boundary Layer; Atmospheric Heat Budget; Variations of wind, temperature and moisture over the sea surface. Air sea temperature differences; Wind stress and resultant drag coefficient with variation to wind speed; Upper ocean boundary layer. Oceanic heat budget.

Tropospheric Aerosols: Aerosols, Historical understanding of tropospheric aerosols, Contemporary understanding of tropospheric aerosols; Particle Sources and Strengths - widespread surface sources (Biogenic sources, Volcanoes, Ocean and fresh water, Crustal and Cryospheric Aerosols, Biomass burning); Spatial Sources - Gas to particle conversion (Sulfur & Nitrogern - Containing compounds, Organic and Carbonaceous Particles), Cloud as a Source of Aerosols, External Sources; Particle Size Distribution and Chemical Compositions (Polar aerosols, Background aerosols, Maritime aerosols, Remote