Physics of stellar evolution and cosmology

Book · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6468798

Goldberg, H S; Scadron, M D

Astrophysical phenomena are examined on a fundamental level, stressing basic physical laws, in a textbook suitable for a one-semester intermediate course. The ideal gas law, the meaning of temperature, black-body radiation, discrete spectra, and the Doppler effect are introduced and used to study such features of the interstellar medium as 21-cm radiation, nebulae and dust, and the galactic magnetic field. The phases of stellar evolution are discussed, including stellar collapse, quasi-hydrostatic equilibrium, the main sequence, red giants, white dwarves, neutron stars, supernovae, pulsars, and black holes. Among the cosmological topics covered are the implications of Hubble's constant, the red-shift curve, the steady-state universe, the evolution of the big bang (thermal equilibrium, hadron era, lepton era, primordial nucleosynthesis, hydrogen recombination, galaxy formation, and the cosmic fireball), and the future (cold end or big crunch). 72 references.

• OSTI ID: 6468798
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COSMOLOGY
STAR EVOLUTION
ASTROPHYSICS
GALACTIC EVOLUTION
GRAVITATIONAL COLLAPSE
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
MILKY WAY
QUANTUM MECHANICS
SUPERNOVAE
WHITE DWARF STARS
DWARF STARS
ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS
GALAXIES
MECHANICS
SPACE
STARS
VARIABLE STARS
640102* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
640106 - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Cosmology