Stellar Interiors: Physical Principles, Structure, and Evolution (Astronomy and Astrophysics Library) - Hardcover

Hansen, Carl J.; Kawaler, Steven D

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 038794138X ISBN 13: 9780387941387

Publisher: Springer, 1994

Synopsis

This text, designed for beginning students of stellar physics, introduces the fundamentals of stellar structure and evolution. In emphasizing the general picture of the life cycles of stars and the physics responsible, it also allows prospective specialists a taste of many of the detailed aspects of this mature discipline. The authors develop a solid foundation in important theory that is often overlooked in typical courses, yet steer clear of extraneous intensive mathematics and physics. Topics include nuclear physics and stellar energy sources, the equation of state of stellar material, phenomenological approaches to convection, and modern numerical techniques for computation of stellar evolution. Keeping pace with recent developments, the authors incorporate important elements such as asteroseismology, and the effects of rotation and magnetic fields. The text contains the source code for two useful programs, ZAMS (for constructing chemically homogeneous zero-age main sequence models) and PULS (to study the seismological properties of the ZAMS models). Some chapters include exercises. The diskette can be used on any computer with a FORTRAN compiler.

About this title

From the Back Cover

This text, updated and expanded from the first edition, is designed for beginning students of stellar physics, and introduces the fundamentals of stellar structure and evolution. In emphasizing the general picture of the life cycles of stars and the physics responsible, it also allows prospective specialists a taste of many of the detailed aspects of this mature discipline. The authors develop a solid foundation in important theory that is often overlooked in typical courses yet steer clear of extraneous intensive mathematics and physics.
Topics include:
*The life stories of stars explained by observation and theory
*Equations of state of stellar material
*Basic radiative transfer and stellar spectra
*Stellar energy sources and nucleosynthesis
*Phenomenological approaches to convection
*Numerical techniques for computation of stellar evolution
Keeping pace with recent developments, the authors incorporate important elements such as asteroseismology, and the effects of rotation and magnetic fields.
This edition contains an extensive set of exercises that supplement and expand on the text.
About the authors:
Carl Hansen is Professor Emeritus of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, and Fellow Adjoint of JILA, at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Steve Kawaler is Professor of Astrophysics at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.
Virginia Trimble is Professor of Physics at the University of California, Irvine, and Visiting Professor of Astronomy at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Review

From the reviews
"Besides being well-written, it presents some fresh perspectives ... Well designed to be a textbook in a senior-level course both for students interested in astronomy and space, planetary and Earth sciences, and for students seeking to consolidate their understanding by using it in a broad set of applications. It can also provide a readable introduction to the subject for scientists working in related areas... The book comes with a PC diskette containing two FORTRAN programs (on stellar evolution). This is now my favorite book to use in a senior-level course."
PHYSICS TODAY

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 038794138X
• ISBN 13: 9780387941387
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 447