Stellar Structure and Evolution

Stellar Structure and Evolution, the second volume in the Ohio State Astrophysics Series, takes advantage of our new era of stellar astrophysics, in which modern techniques allow us to map the interiors of stars in unprecedented detail. This textbook for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students aims to develop a broad physical understanding of the fundamental principles that dictate stellar properties. The study of stellar evolution focuses on the 'life cycle' of stars: how they are born, how they live, and how they die. As elements ejected by one generation of stars are incorporated into the next generation, stellar evolution is intertwined with the chemical evolution of our galaxy. Focusing on key physical processes without going into encyclopedic depth, the authors present stellar evolution in a contemporary context, including phenomena such as pulsations, mass loss, binary interactions, and rotation, which contribute to our understanding of stars.

Table of Contents:
Preface; 1. Properties of stars; 2. Equations of stellar structure; 3. Equations of state; 4. Stellar energy transport; 5. Stars as fusion reactors; 6. Main sequence stars; 7. Star formation: before the main sequence; 8. Evolved stars: after the main sequence; 9. Ex-stars; 10. Rotating stars; 11. Pulsating stars; 12. Binary stars; Appendices; Bibliography, references, and figure credits; Index.

About the Author :
Marc Pinsonneault received his Ph.D. in Astronomy from Yale University in 1988. He is a full professor of Astronomy at The Ohio State University, where he has been teaching since 1994. He has an extensive research record in theoretical models of stellar structure and evolution, with an emphasis on stellar rotation and magnetism, rotationally induced mixing, helio- and asteroseismology, solar models, and solar neutrinos. He was elected a Fellow of the AAAS in 2010 and was recognized as a Distinguished University Scholar at Ohio State in 2017. Barbara Ryden received her Ph.D. in astrophysical sciences from Princeton University. After postdocs at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, she joined the astronomy faculty at The Ohio State University, where she is a full professor. She has thirty years of experience in teaching, at levels ranging from introductory undergraduate courses to advanced graduate seminars. She won the Chambliss Astronomical Writing Award for her textbook Introduction to Cosmology (2016), and she is co-author, with Richard Pogge, of Interstellar and Intergalactic Medium (2021).

Review :
'Pinsonneault and Ryden's book is a very welcome addition to the field of stellar evolution at a level appropriate to advanced undergraduate- or graduate-level study, since it manages to provide a clear, comprehensive overview of topics, without being intimidating in size or style. The textbook includes up-to-date results from contemporary missions such as Gaia and Kepler, with the final chapters discussing stellar rotation, pulsations, and binary evolution in depth. Most chapters include a few well-designed exercises, with a research-level reading list provided after the appendix. I would highly recommend it for Master's-level courses on stellar structure and evolution.' Paul Crowther, University of Sheffield 'This text is a welcome addition to the pantheon of monographs and textbooks explaining the physical basics of stellar structure and evolution. Aimed primarily at an audience learning the material for the first time, this text explains the phases of the life of a star through a clear application of physical principles. Weaving together classical fluids, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, and nuclear physics, it enables students and their instructors to gain the physical intuition needed for the study of stars in this time of their observational renaissance.' Lars Bildsten, University of California, Santa Barbara 'This is a welcome addition to the literature, providing a comprehensive overview of stellar structure and evolution, and including insights from the latest data, techniques, and results.' William Chaplin, University of Birmingham