Stellar Evolution

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• describe how astrophysics brings together all branches of physics and thus allows us to understand the ‘big picture’ of physics
• demonstrate clear insight into the underlying physical principles associated with all the key stages of stellar evolution from initial star formation within gas clouds in the Galactic plane, through the various stages of “stability,” to the final end products
• be able to solve order-of-magnitude problems on any part of the syllabus

• Overview of gravitational contraction and star formation, nucleosynthesis, virial theorem, stellar timescales.
• Properties of matter and radiation: Ideal gas, electron and neutron degeneracy, blackbody radiation, ionization.
• Heat transfer: Radiation transport, conduction, convection.
• Thermonuclear fusion: Barrier penetration, reaction rates, hydrogen and helium burning, neutrino emission.
• Stellar modelling: Equations of stellar structure, polytropes.
• Stellar death: Supernovae, white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes.

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

D. Prialnik (2009). An Introduction to the Theory of Stellar Structure and Evolution. Cambridge University Press.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External