The Structure and Evolution of the Sun

Description

This book equips the reader with a coherent understanding of the structure of the Sun and its evolution and provides all the knowledge required to construct a simplified model of the Sun. The early chapters cover key aspects of basic physics and describe the Sun’s size, mass, luminosity, and temperature. Using a semi-empirical approach, the structure of the present Sun is then modeled in detail, layer by layer, proceeding from the photosphere to the convection zone, radiation zone, and core. Finally, all stages of the Sun’s evolution, from its formation to the end of its life, are carefully explained. The book is primarily intended for university students taking the initial steps in moving from physics to astrophysics. It includes worked exercises and problems to illustrate the concepts discussed, as well as additional problems for independent study. With the aim of helping the reader as much as possible, most of the mathematics required to use the book are provided in the text. Front Matter ....Pages i-xiv Some Basic Physics (Giuseppe Severino)....Pages 1-53 Introduction to the Sun (Giuseppe Severino)....Pages 55-70 The Photosphere (Giuseppe Severino)....Pages 71-126 The Convection Zone (Giuseppe Severino)....Pages 127-169 The Radiation Zone (Giuseppe Severino)....Pages 171-188 The Core (Giuseppe Severino)....Pages 189-225 Evolution (Giuseppe Severino)....Pages 227-265 Back Matter ....Pages 267-275