Understanding Stellar Evolution

Understanding Stellar Evolution is based on a series of graduate-level courses taught at the University of Washington since 2004. It describes the structure and evolution of stars, with emphasis on the basic physical principles and the interplay between the different processes inside stars. Based on these principles, the evolution of low- and high-mass stars is explained from their formation to their death.

Understanding Stellar Evolution is based on a series of graduate-level courses taught at the University of Washington since 2004, and is written for physics and astronomy students and for anyone with a physics background who is interested in stars. It describes the structure and evolution of stars, with emphasis on the basic physical principles and the interplay between the different processes inside stars, such as nuclear reactions, energy transport, chemical mixing, pulsation, mass loss and rotation. Based on these principles, the evolution of low- and high-mass stars is explained from their formation to their death. In addition to homework exercises for each chapter, the text contains a large number of questions that are meant to stimulate the understanding of the physical principles. An extensive set of accompanying lecture slides is available for teachers in both Keynote® and PowerPoint® formats.

1 - Stars: setting the stage

2 - Observations of stellar parameters

3 - Hydrostatic equilibrium and its consequences

4 - Gas physics of stars

5 - Opacities in stars

6 - Radiative energy transfer

7 - Convective energy transport

8 - Nuclear fusion

9 - Stellar timescales

10 - Calculating stellar evolution

11 - Polytropic stars

12 - Star formation

13 - H fusion in the core: the main sequence phase

14 - Principles of post main sequence evolution

15 - Stellar winds and mass loss

16 - Shell H fusion in low mass stars: the red giant phase

17 - Helium fusion in low mass stars: horizontal branch stars

18 - Double shell fusion: Asymptotic Giant Brach stars

19 - Post-AGB evolution and planetary nebulae

20 - White dwarfs and neutron stars

21 - Pulsating stars

22 - Observations of massive stars: evidence for evolution with mass loss

23 - Evolution of massive stars of 8 – 25 Mʘ

24 - The evolution of massive stars of 25 – 120 Mʘ : dominated by mass loss

25 - Rotation and stellar evolution

26 - Late evolution stages of massive stars

27 - Supernovae

28 - Principles of close binary evolution

29 - Close binaries: examples of evolution with mass transfer

30 - Chemical yields: products of stellar evolution

Appendix A - Physical and astronomical constants

Appendix B - Stellar parameters

Appendix C - Solar Model

Appendix D - Main sequence from ZAMS to TAMS

Appendix E - Acronyms