UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON

EXAMINATION FOR INTERNAL STUDENTS

MODULE CODE : PHAS2112

ASSESSMENT : PHAS2112A
PATTERN

MODULE NAME : Astrophysical Processes: Nebulae to Stars

DATE : 30-Apr-08
TIME : 14:30

TIME ALLOWED : 2 Hours 30 Minutes

2007 I 08-PHAS2 11 2A-00 1 -EXAM-2g

@2007 University College London TURN OVER
Answer ALL SIX questions from Section A, and answer THREE questions
from Section B

Numbers in in the ri,ght-hand, margi,n indicate

square brackets a proai,sional allocation
of marimum possible marks for different parts of each question.
The following may be assumed, if required:

Speed of iight in vacuo: c: 2.998 x 108 m s-r Planck constant: h

: 6.626 x 10-34 J s
Soiar mass' Mo : 1.99 x 1030 kg Parsec, pc:3.086 x 1016 m
Solar luminositY, Lo :3.86 x 1026 W 1eV: 1.602 x 10-1e J
Solar rad.ius, Ro : 6'9598 x 108 m
Proton mass: 1.007276 amu : 1.67266 x 10-27 kg
aHe mass: 4.0026 amu
Gravitational constant G : 6.67 x 10-11 N m2 kg-2
Electron scattering (Thomson) cross-section or:6'65 x 10-2e m2
1 nm (nanometre) : 10-e m
1 pc (parsec) : 3.09 x 1016 m
Boitzmann'sconstant k:1.381 x 10-23 J K-l
Planck tunction: B,(T) : ry {""p (#) - 1}-t

Section A
(Answer ALL questi,ons from this secti'on)

1. Define the terms 'specific intensity'; 'mean intensity'; and 'physical flux',
as used t5]
to describe radiation in astrophysics.
lintensity' and 'flux'' t2)
Expiain the difference between
2. with the aid of a sketch, expiain the term'equivalent width'. [3]
Outline why OB stars a,ffordpa,rticula"riy useful probes of the diffuse, neutrai
inter- t3j
stella^r medium.

3. what is meant by Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (tlIE)? (Your ?":yut should [5]
but
include statements of the forms oi th. particle velocities, radiation field, etc.,
formulae are not required).
Under what generaf circumstances is LifE a reasonable approximation in stellar [2]
atmospheres?

4. Explain, in words, what is meant by the 'Eddington Luminosity' of a star, ZBaa' [4]

Show that

,
ItFdd:
4nGMcm(H)
,,

an6 calculate the Eddinglon luminosity of a star of 50M6 composed

entirely of [2]

ionized hydrogen. (Give your answer in units of L6')

PHAS2r.1212008 PLEASE TURN OVER

5. Briefly d.esgibe the most important physical processes involved in heating and [7]
cooling of neutral ciouds in the diffuse interstellar medium. (Detailed discussions
and formulae are not required.)

6. What is a 'strijmgren Sphere'? 12)

Derive an expression for the radius of the Stromgren Sphere. tB]

A sta,r is embedded in a pure-hydlogen nebula with a uniform density of nu : l2l

108.5 m-3, and. emits 3 x 10ae ionizing photons s-1. If the case B recombination
rate is dB : 2xL1-re m3 s-1, what is the radius of the Stromgren sphere (in
parsecs)?

Section B
(Answer THREE questi,ons from thi's Section)

7. For an ionized nebula, the equation of radiative transfer for free-free emission may [10]
be written as
dI" j,
kvlv,
dt - -
Defining all quantities and explaining any assumptions, give
(i) A general soiution f.or I, in terms of r,, and
(ii) Approximate solutions fot r, ( 1 and rr D l.

The freefree volume opacity may be taken to be

k, x u-2'rT;r'35n"flp.
Sketch and discuss the rad.io-frequency spectrum of free-free emission from a nebula [10]
(considering the optically-thick and optically-thin limits); you may assume that the
Rayleigh-J.uns to the Planck function is valid. Which properties of
the ne6uia might"pp.o*imation
be measured from its radio spectrum?

PHLS2LL2/2008 CONTINUED
8. Define the 'mean molecular weight', p. Calculate the numerical value of p' f.ot a IDJ

fully ionized gas with composition X : 0.7I, Y :0.27.

Derive the equation of hydrostatic equilibrium in the form [4]

dP -Gm(r)p(r)
_:
dr T2

Using onlg this equation, obtain an approximate expression for the central pressure IDJ

of a star. Thereby estimate the central pressure for a star of mass 2Mr, radius
1.7Ro (quoting the units of your answer).
Adopting the perfect-gas equation of state, l2l

pkr
-h
f:-
p,n'L(H)

estimate the central temperature of this star, adopting the value of ,r,l from the
start of this question.
State the equation of mass continuity. By dividing this into the equation of hydro- [4]
static equilibrium, obtain an expression for a lower limit to the central pressure of
a star.

9. Derive the Virial Equation, [12]

2U + Cl:0,
defining all quantities.
The sound speed in a star may be taken to be

,
c(:?
( kT
\
-D '\pm(H)/
with 7 - lfs. By using your derivation of the Viriat Equation, obtain an expression [8]
for the stellar iound-ciossing time - a dynamical timescale - solely in terms of
stellar mass and radius (together with any necessary physical or mathematical
constants).
Estimate the sound-crossing time, in minutes, for the Sun'

PHAS2112/2008 PLEASE TURN OVER

10. Explain the terms 'mass defect' and 'binding energy'. tsl
The binding energy peaks at iron-group elements. Explain how, and under what [12]
circumstances, heavier elements are produced by the r and s plocesses.
Astrobiologists have suggested that an essential step in the development of life is [3]
the production of 'tholins', compounds containing nitrogen. In view of this, why
is the CNO cycle essential for life in the Universe?

11. The Boitzmann distribution for the relative populations of two levels 'm' and 'n' lL2l
is:

n^ :9=.*o -(E^ - E" ))

nn9"L { KT

where E,,',,, are the level energies.(measured from the ground state, Er : 0) and
9m,n &re their statistical weights
(2J +l).
Using this as a starting point, obtain the Saha equation,

T:*"*{*\ryy
Develop this to the form [4]

nt _ f -xo I
(znnzds/2
ns uo hr Wexp
2_Vr
Ye -Ik./
You should include explanations of all terms and symbols you use.
By reference to the Saha equation, explain how supergiant and main-sequence stars l4l
of the same spectral type may have different temperatures.
You may assume the standard integral

T ,' "*, (-a2r2\ 6s: ,fr1 (aa3)

J
0

END OF PAPER

PHAS2TL2/2008