Physics Formation And Evolution Of Rotating Stars

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.

Like the Earth and planets, stars rotate. Understanding how stars rotate is central to modelling their structure, formation and evolution, and how they interact with their environment and companion stars. This authoritative volume, first published in 2000, provides a lucid introduction to stellar rotation and the definitive reference to the subject. It combines theory and observation in a comprehensive survey of how the rotation of stars affects the structure and evolution of the Sun, single stars and close binaries. This book will be of primary interest to graduate students and researchers studying solar and stellar rotation and close binary systems. It will also appeal to those with a more general interest in solar and stellar physics, star formation, binary stars and the hydrodynamics of rotating fluids - including geophysicists, planetary scientists and plasma physicists.

The Sun and stars rotate in di?erent ways and at di?erent velocity rates. The knowledge of how they rotate is important in understanding the formation and evolution of stars and their structure. The closest star to our Earth, the Sun, is a good laboratory to study in detail the rotation of a G star and allows to test new ideas and develop new techniques to study stellar rotation. More or less massive, more or lessevolved objects, however, can have averydi?erent rotation rate, structure and history. In recent years our understanding of the rotation of the Sun has greatly improved. The Sun has a well-known large-scale rotation, which can be m- sured thanks to visible features across the solar disk, such as sunspots, or via spectroscopy. In addition, several studies cast light on di?erential rotation in the convective zone and on meridional circulation in the radiative zone of the Sun. Even the rotation of the core of the Sun can now be studied thanks to various methods, such as dynamics of the gravitational moments and of course, helioseismology, through g-modes analysis. Moreover, the magnetic ?eld is strongly linked to the matter motions in the solar plasma. The solar magnetic ?eld can be measured only at the surface or in theupperlayers.Itistheproductoftheinternaldynamoorofthelocaldynamos if they exist – in any case magnetic ?eld and rotation cannot thus be separated.

The Sun and stars rotate in di?erent ways and at di?erent velocity rates. The knowledge of how they rotate is important in understanding the formation and evolution of stars and their structure. The closest star to our Earth, the Sun, is a good laboratory to study in detail the rotation of a G star and allows to test new ideas and develop new techniques to study stellar rotation. More or less massive, more or lessevolved objects, however, can have averydi?erent rotation rate, structure and history. In recent years our understanding of the rotation of the Sun has greatly improved. The Sun has a well-known large-scale rotation, which can be m- sured thanks to visible features across the solar disk, such as sunspots, or via spectroscopy. In addition, several studies cast light on di?erential rotation in the convective zone and on meridional circulation in the radiative zone of the Sun. Even the rotation of the core of the Sun can now be studied thanks to various methods, such as dynamics of the gravitational moments and of course, helioseismology, through g-modes analysis. Moreover, the magnetic ?eld is strongly linked to the matter motions in the solar plasma. The solar magnetic ?eld can be measured only at the surface or in theupperlayers.Itistheproductoftheinternaldynamoorofthelocaldynamos if they exist – in any case magnetic ?eld and rotation cannot thus be separated.

"Stellar Physics" is a rather unique book in the growing literature on star formation and evolution. Not only does the author, a leading expert in the field, give a very thorough description of the current knowledge about stellar physics, but he handles with equal care the many problems that this field of research still faces. A bibliography with well over 650 entries makes this book an unparalleled source of references. "Stellar Evolution and Stability" is the second volume and can be read, as can the first volume, as a largely independent work. It traces in great detail the evolution of the protostar towards the main sequence and beyond this to the last stage of stellar evolution, with the corresponding vast range from white dwarfs to the mighty supernovae explosions and blackhole formation. The book concludes with special chapters on the dynamical, thermal and pulsing stability of stars.

This book reports the Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "An gular Momentum Evolution of Young Stars" held from 17 to 21 September 1990 at Noto, Italy. The workshop had its immediate origin in a discussion about the availability of stel lar rotation data, that took place in 1987 at Viana do Castelo Portugal during the NATO meeting, Formation and Evolution of Low Mass Stars. We recognized that nearly 20 years had passed since the last meeting on stellar rotation and that significant progress in the observation of rotation rates in low mass stars had been made. During the last 20 years, new efficient instrumentation (CCD and photon counting de tectors and echelle spectrographs) and new analysis techniques (profile Fourier analysis) have allowed us to measure rotational velocities as low as 1-2 km/s and to reach low mass stars in young clusters. Even with these advances, rotational velocities of low mass stars would have remained challenging to determine if all single, low mass stars later than GO had rotational velocities of order or less than 10 km/sec. Evidence that this is not always the case was first provided by the photometric variability data obtained by van Leeuwen and Alphenaar for K dwarfs in the Pleiades and more recently by the vsini measurements of low mass stars in several young clusters.

Stellar Physics is a rather unique book among the growing literature on star formation and evolution. Not only does the author, a leading expert in the field, give a very thorough description of the current knowledge about stellar physics but he handles with equal care the many problems that this field of research still faces. A bibliography with well over 650 entries makes this book an unparalleled source of references. Fundamental Concepts and Stellar Equilibrium is the first of two volumes, and can be read, as can the second volume, as an independent work. It provides an extensive introduction into all physical processes that play a role in star formation and evolution. The basic equations describing stellar equilibrium are discussed, where attention is paid to both the theoretical and the numerical aspects.

This book is a comprehensive treatment of star formation, one of the most active fields of modern astronomy. The reader is guided through the subject in a logically compelling manner. Starting from a general description of stars and interstellar clouds, the authors delineate the earliest phases of stellar evolution. They discuss formation activity not only in the Milky Way, but also in other galaxies, both now and in the remote past. Theory and observation are thoroughly integrated, with the aid of numerous figures and images. In summary, this volume is an invaluable resource, both as a text for physics and astronomy graduate students, and as a reference for professional scientists.