Introduction to Stellar Structure

by Walter J. Maciel (Author)
Provides a comprehensive overview on stellar structure, evolution and basic stellar properties
Derives main stellar structure equations and explains their various applications at different points throughout the lifetime of a star
Includes many problems throughout the chapters with worked out solutions

From the Back Cover
In the first part of this book, the author presents the basic properties of the stellar interior and describes them thoroughly, along with deriving the main stellar structure equations of temperature, density, pressure and luminosity, among others. The process and application of solving these equations is explained, as well as linking these results with actual observations. The second part of the text describes what happens to a star over time, and how to determine this by solving the same equations at different points during a star’s lifetime. The fate of various stars is quite different depending on their masses, and this is described in the final parts of the book. This text can be used for an upper level undergraduate course or an introductory graduate course on stellar physics.

About the Author
Dr. Walter J. Maciel received his Bachelors in Physics from Federal University of Minas Gerais (1970), his MSc in Astronomy from the Aeronautics Technology Institute (1973) and a PhD in Astronomy from the University of São Paulo (1977). Dr. Maciel is a full professor of astronomy at the University of São Paulo and has been at the university for over 35 years. He is the author of three books published by EdUSP, the biggest Brazilian university press. He received the Jabuti prize in 2000 for the Portuguese edition of this book; his other two books, Astrophysics of the Interstellar Medium and Hydrodynamics and Stellar Winds: An Introduction, were among the finalists in 2003 and 2006, respectively. Both of these books have been published in English with Springer.

Number of Illustrations and Tables
49 illus.
Additional Information
Originally published as Introdução à Estrutura e Evolução Estelar, © Editora da Universidade de São Paulo

Topics
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology