Author Description

This text, updated and expanded from the first edition, is designed for beginning students of stellar physics, and introduces the fundamentals of stellar structure and evolution. In emphasizing the general picture of the life cycles of stars and the physics responsible, it also allows prospective specialists a taste of many of the detailed aspects of this mature discipline. The authors develop a solid foundation in important theory that is often overlooked in typical courses yet steer clear of extraneous intensive mathematics and physics. Topics include: *The life stories of stars explained by observation and theory *Equations of state of stellar material *Basic radiative transfer and stellar spectra *Stellar energy sources and nucleosynthesis *Phenomenological approaches to convection *Numerical techniques for computation of stellar evolution Keeping pace with recent developments, the authors incorporate important elements such as asteroseismology, and the effects of rotation and magnetic fields. This edition contains an extensive set of exercises that supplement and expand on the text. About the authors: Carl Hansen is Professor Emeritus of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, and Fellow Adjoint of JILA, at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Steve Kawaler is Professor of Astrophysics at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Virginia Trimble is Professor of Physics at the University of California, Irvine, and Visiting Professor of Astronomy at the University of Maryland, College Park.