Observational Tests of the Stellar Evolution Theory

ISBN-13: 9789027717740 / Angielski / Twarda / 1984 / 590 str.

Alvio Renzini; Andre Maeder; A. Maeder

Opis

"If simple perfect laws uniquely rule the universe, should not pure thought be capable of uncovering this perfect set of laws without having to lean on the crutches of tediously assembled observations? True, the laws to be discovered may be perfect, but the human brain is not. Left on its own, it is prone to stray, as many past examples sadly prove. In fact, we have missed few chances to err until new data freshly gleaned from nature set us right again for the next steps. Thus pillars rather than crutches are the observations on which we base our theories; and for the theory of stellar evolution these pillars must be there before we can get far on the right track. " These words written by Martin Schwarzschi1d in his famous book en- titled "Structure and Evolution of the Stars"(1958) remind us how necessary and fruitful is the interplay of stellar evolution theory and observations. Clearly, observations are the great censor by their possibility of confirming or contradicting theoretical constructions. In addition, they have a driving role: new and sometimes unexpected facts may give rise to progressive ideas and stimulate further theoretical developments. In turn, theory, in its major role of sifting out and placing the facts in a logical sequence based on physical laws, must also be predictive and indicate new and pertinent observations to be undertaken.

Recenzje

`This book can be highly recommended to advanced students and to professional astronomers. It should be required reading for all investigators in the theory of stellar evolution.'
Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, 79:6 (1985)

Spis treści

I. Evolution Of Low And Intermediate Mass Stars: Observations And Models.- Fundamental problems and basic tests of stellar evolution theory — The case of carbon stars.- Selected topics on the evolution of low and intermediate mass stars.- Some investigations about the Carson opacities.- Solar Constraints.- Solar constraints.- Resonant three-wave interactions and an application to solar g mode oscillations.- Convective motions as an indicator of solar structure.- Two nonstandard solar models: with mixed interiors and with enhanced heavy element opacity.- Open and Populous Clusters, Red Giants.- Intermediate mass stellar models: ages of Magellanic Cloud star clusters.- Comparisons between observational color-magnitude diagrams and synthetic cluster diagrams for young star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds.- The role of the radiation pressure gradient in giant and supergiant star evolution.- Stellar evolution as evidenced by members of open clusters near the turn-off from the main sequence.- Strömgren photometry of F-type stars in M67 and NGC 3680.- Statistical analysis of the red giant distributions of old open clusters.- X-ray survey of the Pleiades: dependence of X-ray luminosity on stellar age.- The log L/log Te diagram for intermediate mass pop I red giants.- Grain sedimentation and main sequence evolution.- Rotation of B-type stars as an indicator of star formation mechanisms.- A composite color-magnitude diagram for a number of very poor clusterings in the Milky Way.- UBV photometry of NGC 581.- The luminosity function of the SMC clusters NGC 152 and K3.- Globular Clusters and Horizontal Branch Stars.- Observations of low mass stars in clusters: some constraints and puzzles for stellar evolution theory.- Spectroscopy of main-sequence and subgiant stars in globular star clusters.- Theoretical red-giant branches for globular clusters.- Faint CCD photometry in globular clusters. II. Comparison of theoretical isochrones with the globular clusters M4 and M15.- Systematic main sequence photometry of globular cluster stars for age determination.- The main-sequences of NGCs 288, 3201, 4590, and 6809.- Monte Carlo simulations of globular cluster red giant branches.- The NGC 6752 HR-diagram.- A non-explanation of the Sandage effect: [CNO/Fe] # 0.- Remarks concerning the masses of horizontal-branch A stars.- Asymptotic Giant Branch Evolution.- Luminosity functions for asymptotic giant branch stars.- On the termination of asymptotic giant branch evolution.- Constraints on terminal AGB evolution from properties of Miras and OH-IR sources.- Radial velocity observations of Barium, CH and R stars.- On the origin of the Barium stars.- Some observable indicators of s-process environments?.- HCN and C2H2 in carbon stars.- Evolution of S stars in the Magellanic Clouds.- Planetary Nuclei and OB Subdwarfs.- Non-LTE analysis of central stars.- The H.R.-diagram of central stars of planetary nebulae.- Spectroscopic observations of nuclei of planetary nebulae.- NLTE analysis of SDO stars.- The H-R diagram of O-type subdwarfs.- The atmosphere of subluminous B stars.- Mass loss from highly evolved stars.- Constraints on stellar evolution by observation of white dwarfs.- II. Evolution of Massive Stars: Evolution and Models.- Basic observational constraints on the evolution of massive stars.- Ultraviolet spectral morphology of ON and OC stars.- CNO-cycled material ejected by Eta Carinae.- Non-LTE analysis of massive O-stars.- On the hydrogen abundance in Wolf-Rayet stars.- Circumstellar dust shells around WN10–11 and WC8–10 stars: an evolutionary sequence?.- Massive star evolution in nearby galaxies.- Evolution of massive stars, supergiants and Wolf-Rayet stars.- The interaction of the supermassive object R136a with the interstellar environment.- Further candidates of supermassive stars in other galaxies.- Evolution of massive stars with mass loss: surface abundances.- Observational tests for overshoot and opacity enhancement based on massive stars.- P Cygni stars as an intermediate stage between red supergiants and Wolf-Rayet stars.- The “age” of OB associations.- Ages, age differences, masses of stars in young open clusters.- Evidence for a main sequence widening for massive stars.- Infrared and visual observations of h and ? Persei.- Neutrino-pair Bremsstrahlung in dense stars.- III. Binarity, Pulsation, Rotation and Mixing.- Binary Evolution.- Binary evolution and observational constraints.- Tidal effects in close binary stars.- Constraints on stellar evolution theory from precise eclipsing binary data.- A test of stellar evolution theory by visual binaries.- A new test case for normal giant evolution: TZ Fornacis.- The evolutionary history of Be/X-ray binaries.- Observational study of the evolution of massive binary stars.- Observational constraints from models of close binary evolution.- Orbit circularization time in binary stellar systems.- Apsidal motion in main-sequence binary stars.- Apsidal motion in evolved binary systems.- Evolution and Pulsation.- Constraints on stellar evolution from pulsations.- Cepheid period changes and stellar evolution.- Observations of evolutionary changes in the pulsation period of cepheids.- Cepheid companions and the masses of cepheids.- HR 7308 (V473 Lyr): the strangest cepheid.- RR Lyrae variables and stellar evolution in M15.- Convective effects and the RR Lyrae instability strip.- Double-mode RR Lyrae stars in the Draco dwarf galaxy and in other stellar systems.- BV photometry of RR Lyrae variables in M15.- FG Sagittae, a test of the theory of evolution of double shell source stars.- Rotation and Mixing.- The role of rotation in stellar evolution.- Physical mechanisms of mixing in stellar interiors.- Some remarks on the theory of rotating stars.- On the Tassoul approximation scheme for determining the structure of rotating stars.- On turbulent mixing.- Evolution of the sun with mixing by hydrodynamic instabilities.- Stellar evolution with turbulent diffusion mixing in low mass stars and 12C/13C ratio in giants of the first ascending branch.- Lithium abundances in late main-sequence stars. The case of the Hyades.- A random walk approach to the problem of turbulent diffusion and lithium destruction in main-sequence stars.- An observational test on stellar interior mixing: The lithium depletion in twelve Hyades dwarfs.- IV. Relation with Chemical Evolution of Galaxies and Cosmology.- Relations between the galactic evolution and the stellar evolution.- The relation between stellar evolution and cosmology.- Theoretical predictions for the radial distribution of oxygen in spiral galaxies.- 3He+ in galactic H II regions: possible evidence for non-convective mixing in low mass stars.- M giants at two latitudes in the nuclear bulge of the galaxy.- Primeval oxygen overabundance and type I-1/2 supernovae.- Evolutionary track of an intermediate mass first-generation star.- Concluding Remarks: Looking Ahead.- Index of Names.