Donald D. Clayton's Principles of Stellar Evolution and Nucleosynthesis remains the standard work on the subject, a popular textbook for students in astronomy and astrophysics and a rich sourcebook for researchers. The basic principles of physics as they apply to the origin and evolution of stars and physical processes of the stellar interior are thoroughly and systematically set out. Clayton's new preface, which includes commentary and selected references to the recent literature, reviews the most important research carried out since the book's original publication in 1968.
Donald D. Clayton's Principles of Stellar Evolution and Nucleosynthesis remains the standard work on the subject, a popular textbook for students in astronomy and astrophysics and a rich sourcebook for researchers. The basic principles of physics as they apply to the origin and evolution of stars and physical processes of the stellar interior are thoroughly and systematically set out. Clayton's new preface, which includes commentary and selected references to the recent literature, reviews the most important research carried out since the book's original publication in 1968.
A complete and comprehensive treatment of the physics of the stellar interior and the underlying fundamental processes and parameters. The text presents an overview of the models developed to explain the stability, dynamics and evolution of the stars, and great care is taken to detail the various stages in a star's life. The authors have succeeded in producing a unique text based on their own pioneering work in stellar modeling. Since its publication, this textbook has come to be considered a classic by both readers and teachers in astrophysics. This study edition is intended for students in astronomy and physics alike.
Using fundamental physics, the theory of stellar structure and evolution can predict how stars are born, how their complex internal structure changes, what nuclear fuel they burn, and their ultimate fate. This textbook is a stimulating introduction for undergraduates in astronomy, physics and applied mathematics, taking a course on the physics of stars. It uniquely emphasises the basic physical principles governing stellar structure and evolution. This second edition contains two new chapters on mass loss from stars and interacting binary stars, and new exercises. Clear and methodical, it explains the processes in simple terms, while maintaining mathematical rigour. Starting from general principles, this textbook leads students step-by-step to a global, comprehensive understanding of the subject. Fifty exercises and full solutions allow students to test their understanding. No prior knowledge of astronomy is required, and only a basic background in physics and mathematics is necessary.
The?rsteditionofthistextappearedin1994.Shortlyafterthethirdprinting, our editor suggested that we attempt a second edition because new devel- mentsinstellarstructureandevolutionhadmadeouroriginalworkoutdated. We (the original authors, CJH and SDK) reluctantly agreed but with res- vations due to the e?ort involved. Our initial reluctance disappeared when we were able to convince (cajole, twist the arm of, etc.) our new coauth- colleague Virginia Trimble to join us. (Welcome Virginia!) We (i.e., all three of us) hope that you agree that the present edition is a great improvement compared to the 1994 e?ort. Our objectives in this edition are the same ones we set forth in 1994: Whatyouwill?ndisatextdesignedforourtargetaudience:thety- cal senior undergraduate or beginning graduate student in astronomy or astrophysics who wishes an overview of stellar structure and e- lution with just enough detail to understand the general picture. She or he can go on from there to more specialized texts or directly to the research literature depending on talent and interests. To this end, this text presents the basic physical principles without chasing all the (interesting!) details. For those of you familiar with the ?rst edition, you will ?nd that some things have not been changed substantially (F = ma is still F = ma), while othersde?nitelyhave.Forexample,Chapter2hasbeencompletelyrewritten.
Understanding star formation is one of the key fields in present-day astrophysics. This book treats a wide variety of the physical processes involved, as well as the main observational discoveries, with key points being discussed in detail. The current star formation in our galaxy is emphasized, because the most detailed observations are available for this case. The book presents a comparison of the various scenarios for star formation, discusses the basic physics underlying each one, and follows in detail the history of a star from its initial state in the interstellar gas to its becoming a condensed object in equilibrium. Both theoretical and observational evidence to support the validity of the general evolutionary path are presented, and methods for comparing the two are emphasized. The author is a recognized expert in calculations of the evolution of protostars, the structure and evolution of disks, and stellar evolution in general. This book will be of value to graduate students in astronomy and astrophysics as well as to active researchers in the field.
Stars are the fundamental observable constituents of the Universe. They are the first objects we see in the night sky, they dominate the light produced in our own and other galaxies, and nucleosynthesis in stars produces all the elements heavier than helium. A knowledge of stars and their evolution is vital to understand other astrophysical objects from accreting black holes and galaxies to the Universe itself.The structure of a star can be described mathematically by differential equations derived from the principles of hydrodynamics, electromagnetic theory, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, atomic and nuclear physics. The basic equations of a spherical star are derived in detail at an accessible level. The topics discussed include modes of energy transport, the equation of state, the physics of the opacity sources and the nuclear reactions. Attention is also given to the virial theorem, polytropic gas spheres and homology principles and the procedure for numerical solution of the equations is outlined. This book tracks the evolution of stars from their main-sequence evolution through the exhaustion of various nuclear fuels to the end points of evolution and also introduces the topic of interacting binary stars. The aim is to take the reader from the essential underlying physical principles to the doors to current research on stellar interiors.
This book investigates the question of how matter has evolved since its origin in the Big Bang, from the cosmological synthesis of hydrogen and helium to the generation of the complex set of nuclei that comprise our world and our selves. A central theme is the evolution of gravitationally contained thermonuclear reactors, otherwise known as stars. Our current understanding is presented systematically and quantitatively, by combining simple analytic models with new state-of-the-art computer simulations. The narrative begins with the clues (primarily the solar system abundance pattern), the constraining physics (primarily nuclear and particle physics), and the thermonuclear burning in the Big Bang itself. It continues with a step-by-step description of how stars evolve by nuclear reactions, a critical investigation of supernova explosion mechanisms and the formation of neutron stars and of black holes, and an analysis of how such explosions appear to astronomers (illustrated by comparison with recent observations). It concludes with a synthesis of these ideas for galactic evolution, with implications for nucleosynthesis in the first generation of stars and for the solar system abundance pattern. Emphasis is given to questions that remain open, and to active research areas that bridge the disciplines of astronomy, cosmochemistry, physics, and planetary and space science. Extensive references are given.
With the development of nuclear physics the theory of the stellar interior entered a new phase. Many new investigations have been conducted and the results published in a variety of specialized media. This book brings these results together in a single volume and summarizes the present status of the theory of stellar evolution. Originally published in 1958. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.
