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  1.  the observed properties of stars

    1. introduction
    2. observable properties of stars
    3. the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram
    4. the mass-luminosity relation
    5. clusters of stars

  2.   the equations of stellar structure

    1. introduction
    2. timescales
    3. equation of hydrostatic support
    4. equation of mass conservation
    5. accuracy of hydrostatic assumption
    6. validity of spherical symmetry assumption
    7. minimum value for central pressure of a star
    8. virial theorem
    9. minimum mean temperature of a star
    10. state of stellar material
    11. energy generation
    12. equation of energy production
    13. energy transport
    14. convection
    15. equation of radiative transport
    16. solving the equations of stellar structure

  3.   the physics of stellar interiors

    1. introduction
    2. equation of state of an ideal gas
    3. mean molecular weight
    4. equation of state of a degenerate gas
    5. opacity
    6. approximate form for opacity
    7. energy release from nuclear reactions
    8. occurrence of fusion reactions
    9. hydrogen and helium burning
    10. approximate form for energy release

  4.   the structure of main-sequence stars

    1. introduction
    2. homologous stellar models
    3. the M-L and L-Terelations
    4. polytropes
    5. solving the lane-emden equation
    6. detailed stellar models

  5.   the evolution of stars

    1. introduction
    2. the evolution of low-mass stars
    3. the evolution of high-mass stars
    4. removed from course: white dwarfs
    5. removed from course: neutron stars
    6. removed from course: black holes
    7. removed from course: the lives of binary stars


©Vik Dhillon, 25th September 2013