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E5 Stellar Processes and Stellar Evolution
E5 Stellar Processes and Stellar Evolution
Star formation
Star formation
Interstellar space consists of gas (74% H, 25% He by mass) and dust at a density of about 10-21 kg.m-3. This is about one hydrogen atom to every cm3 of space.
Star formation
When the gravitational energy of a given mass of gas exceeds the average kinetic energy of the molescules the gas cloud becomes unstable and starts to collapse. GM2/R > (3/2)NkT Jeans criterion
Star formation
As the cloud collapses, the particles get faster and eventually clumps form that are hot enough to emit light. Protostars are formed.
Star formation
If the star is big enough the collapse will continue until the star is hot enough for nuclear fusion to occur. The radiation pressure produced by the fusion balances the pull of gravity and equilibrium is reached. The star is a main sequence star (like our sun).
Main sequence
41H
4He
+ 2e+ + 2 + 2
(26.7 MeV)
M
>4
where 3 <
Lifetime of a star
-3 M
The bigger the mass of a star, the shorter its life (it burns out quicker)
A star with a mass 10x greater than the sun will have a life time a factor 10-3 (1/1000) less than the sun
and neon
Stellar evolution
Pulsars
Another very important property of neutron star is its strong magnetic field. When electrons move in spirals around magnetic lines of force, radio waves are produced and radiated out along the two magnetic poles of the star.
Pulsars
Usually, the rotational axis of the neutron star does not align with the magnetic axis. The radiation beams will sweep around and create the light house effect. What we observe on Earth will be pulses of radio wave with very stable period. This is a pulsar.