Stellar Evolution and NucleosynthesisThis self-contained astrophysics textbook for advanced undergraduates explores how stars form, what happens to them as they age, and what becomes of them when they die. Students can investigate the physical processes sustaining the energy output of stars during each stage of their evolution and which drive the progression from one stage to the next, and examine the relationship between different stages of stellar evolution and the production of the chemical elements. The textbook contains a wealth of worked examples and exercises with full solutions. Summaries, key facts and equations are clearly identified, and there are full colour illustrations throughout. Drawing on decades of experience in supported learning and independent study, this textbook is an ideal bridging text for astrophysics and physics majors looking to move on from the introductory texts. Accompanying resources to this textbook are available at: http://www.cambridge.org/features/astrophysics. |
Contents
STELLAR EVOLUTION AND NUCLEOSYNTHESIS | 9 |
Gravitational contraction | 31 |
Nuclear fusion | 49 |
From main sequence to redgiant branch | 78 |
Heliumburning stars | 101 |
Late stages of stellar evolution | 126 |
Supernovae neutron stars black holes | 150 |
Star formation | 176 |
Appendix | 201 |
Acknowledgements | 230 |
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Common terms and phrases
adiabatic atomic mass atomic number becomes calculate capture Chapter clusters CNO cycle collapse constant contraction convection core density core temperature Coulomb barrier Crab pulsar cross-section degeneracy degenerate electrons dloge effective surface temperature EG 4kT elements envelope Equation Exercise Figure fusion rate Gamow energy gas cloud gradient gravitational potential energy H-R diagram helium burning helium-4 helium-4 nuclei hence hydrogen hydrogen burning hydrostatic equilibrium ideal gas increases ionized isotopes Jeans line keV barns kinetic energy loge low-mass stars luminosity main sequence main-sequence stars mass fraction mass number mean molecular mass nebula neutrinos neutron number neutron star neutron-capture non-relativistic nuclei nucleosynthesis number density number of particles opacity p-p chain phase proton-proton chain protons protostar quantum radiation radius reaction rotation s-process shell star's stellar evolution stellar structure supernova Teff thermal timescale triple-alpha process ultra-relativistic unit volume wavelength white dwarfs