GOALS

1. To understand the physics of the transfer of radiation through plasmas.
2. To calculate the emission and absorption of radiation by plasmas due to both thermal and non-thermal processes.
3. To understand the process of line formation in stellar atmospheres and the interstellar medium.
4. To interpret observed spectra of stars, nebula and galaxies to determine the physical state of the radiating plasma, e.g. its temperature and density.