Stellar Evolution

Stars must evolve

because they shine
 Gaseous Nebulae

The Trifid Nebula (M20)

Lagoon Nebula (M8)

M24
 Young Clusters

Pleiades

M7
Stellar Nurseries
The Eagle Nebula
Orion Nebula
 The Trigger Mechanism
Spiral Density Waves Movie

Supernova
 Gas Cloud Encounters Spiral Arm

Spiral
Arm

Cloud

Animation
 Angular Momentum

m d

L = (mass)(velocity)(distance from axis)

 Conservation of Angular
Momentum

Total angular momentum is unchanged

As collapse proceeds, d is decreasing
Cloud spins faster
Animation
 Planet Formation
Orbits should be coplanar
Planets should orbit in the same
direction
Planets should rotate in the same
direction
Temperature in the Solar
Nebula
2000
Temperature (K)

1500

1000
Asteroids

500
MVE M J S

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Distance (AU)
 The Power Struggle
Gravity tries to crush the star
Radiation Pressure tries to blow it up
During Pre-Main Sequence Evolution,
gravity is winning
Star collapses
 Ideal Gas
As pressure increases, there are more
atomic collisions
Average particle speed increases
Temperature goes up
P T
 More Ideal Gases
Ex. fill a balloon with air
Carefully heat it up
Balloon expands to try to cool down
Put it in the freezer
Balloon shrinks to try to heat up
Ideal gases work like a safety valve
Evolution on the Blackbody
Curve

Infrared
Brightness

Visible

500 1000 1500 2000 2500

Wavelength (nm)
Evolution on the H-R Diagram
Phase I Pre-Main
Sequence Evolution
Brightness

Temperature
 Stellar Luminosity

L 2
RT 4

Bigger objects are brighter

pre-main sequence objects are above the
main sequence
 Dust Shell
Region around proto-star gets too warm
Dust is pushed back
Proplyds
Bi-polar jet
Inner Region

Protostar
Proplyds
Bi-Polar Jets
 Observed Protostar
Brighter than indicated by temperature
Very large
Redder than indicated by temperature
Dust shell scatters short wavelengths

T Tauri Variables
 Phase II Pre-Main Sequence
Evolution
Protostar begins a very strong solar-
type wind
T Tauri Wind
Dust shell becomes vaporized
Planet formation halted
Now we see protostar for the first time
Star grows fainter (much smaller)
Temperature remains almost constant
Hyashi Track
Hyashi Track
 The Onset of Fusion
Core temperatures reach 10 million K
Fusion begins
Gravity now balanced by radiation pressure
Hydrostatic Equilibrium established
Zero Age Main Sequence (ZAMS)
Pre-Main Sequence
Evolutionary Tracks
 Stellar Structure
Core
Envelope
Fusion reactions here

Core
Envelope
Supplies gravity to
keep core hot and
dense
 Stellar Models
Start at center by guessing
temperature, pressure, and composition
Work outward using well-established
laws of physics and chemistry
Check the surface conditions against
real stars.
 Main Sequence Evolution
Hydrogen is depleted in the current
fusion zone
Reaction rate falls
Core can no longer support its weight
core shrinks
Temperature in the core increases
Gas is ideal
Extra energy produced to -
Begin fusion reaction in next core zone
Lift the envelope
Star brightens slightly
 Main Sequence Evolution
Core

He
He

Current
hydrogen
burning shell New
hydrogen
burning shell
The End