Physics, Formation and Evolution of Rotating Stars

✍ Scribed by André Maeder (auth.)

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 833
• Series: Astronomy and Astrophysics Library
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Rotation is ubiquitous at each step of stellar evolution, from star formation to the final stages, and it affects the course of evolution, the timescales and nucleosynthesis. Stellar rotation is also an essential prerequisite for the occurrence of Gamma-Ray Bursts.

In this book the author thoroughly examines the basic mechanical and thermal effects of rotation, their influence on mass loss by stellar winds, the effects of differential rotation and its associated instabilities, the relation with magnetic fields and the evolution of the internal and surface rotation. Further, he discusses the numerous observational signatures of rotational effects obtained from spectroscopy and interferometric observations, as well as from chemical abundance determinations, helioseismology and asteroseismology, etc.

On an introductory level, this book presents in a didactical way the basic concepts of stellar structure and evolution in "track 1" chapters. The other more specialized chapters form an advanced course on the graduate level and will further serve as a valuable reference work for professional astrophysicists.

✦ Table of Contents

Front Matter....Pages I-XXI
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
The Mechanical Equilibrium of Stars....Pages 3-18
The Mechanical Equilibrium of Rotating Stars....Pages 19-34
The Energetic Equilibrium of Stars....Pages 35-65
The Energy Conservation and Radiative Equilibrium in Rotating Stars....Pages 67-82
Stellar Convection....Pages 83-107
Overshoot, Semiconvection, Thermohaline Convection, Rotation and Solberg–Hoiland Criterion....Pages 109-133
Front Matter....Pages 135-135
The Equation of State....Pages 137-175
The Opacities....Pages 177-192
Nuclear Reactions and Neutrino Processes....Pages 193-212
Front Matter....Pages 213-213
Transport Processes: Diffusion and Advection....Pages 215-247
Meridional Circulation....Pages 249-282
Rotation-Driven Instabilities....Pages 283-309
Magnetic Field Instabilities and Transport Processes....Pages 311-354
Physics of Mass Loss by Stellar Winds....Pages 355-368
Front Matter....Pages 369-369
Radial Pulsations of Stars....Pages 371-399
Nonradial Stellar Oscillations....Pages 401-448
Transport by Gravity Waves....Pages 449-472
Front Matter....Pages 473-473
Pre-stellar Phase....Pages 475-495
The Protostellar Phase and Accretion Disks....Pages 497-512
The Pre-main Sequence Phase and the Birthlines....Pages 513-538
Front Matter....Pages 473-473
Rotation in Star Formation....Pages 539-550
The Formation of Massive Stars....Pages 551-570
The Formation of First Stars in the Universe: Pop. III and Pop. II.5 Stars....Pages 571-590
Front Matter....Pages 591-591
Solutions of the Equations and Simple Models....Pages 593-611
Evolution in the H-Burning Phases....Pages 613-644
Evolution in the He Burning and AGB Phases of Low and Intermediate Mass Stars with Rotation....Pages 645-683
Massive Star Evolution with Mass Loss and Rotation....Pages 685-717
Advanced Evolutionary Stages and Pre-supernovae....Pages 719-754
Evolution of Z = 0 and Very Low Z Stars....Pages 755-769
Back Matter....Pages 771-829

✦ Subjects

Astrophysics; Astronomy