Theory of Rotating Stars. (PSA-1), Volume 1

Jean-Louis Tassoul

• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN:
  9780691628073
  9780691648316
• eBook ISBN:
  9781400868988
• Topic: Physical Sciences
• Subtopic: Astronomy & Astrophysics

Ever since the first observations of sunspots in the early seventeenth century, stellar rotation has been a major topic in astronomy and astrophysics. Jean-Louis Tassoul synthesizes a large number of theoretical investigations on rotating stars. Drawing upon his own research, Professor Tassoul also carefully critiques various competing ideas.

In the first three chapters, the author provides a short historical sketch of stellar rotation, the main observational data on the Sun and other stars on which the subsequent theory is based, and the basic Newtonian hydrodynamics used to study rotating stars. Following a discussion of some general mechanical properties of stars in a state of permanent rotation, he reviews the main techniques for determining the structure of a rotating star and its stability with respect to infinitesimal disturbances. Since the actual distribution of angular momentum within stars is still unknown, Professor Tassoul considers various models of angular momentum as well as of meridional circulation. He devotes the rest of his study to the problems concerning various groups of stars and stages in stellar evolution.

Originally published in 1979.

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Table of contents

• Cover
• Contents
• Preface
• 1 An Historical Overview
• 2 The Observational Data
• 3 Stellar Hydrodynamics
• 4 Permanent Rotations
• 5 Stellar Models: Techniques
• 6 Small Oscillations and Stability: Techniques
• 7 The Angular Momentum Distribution
• 8 Meridional Circulation
• 9 The Solar Differential Rotation
• 10 Solid-Body Rotation vs. Differential Rotation
• 11 Collapse and Fission
• 12 Stellar Models: Structure and Evolution
• 13 Rotating White Dwarfs
• 14 Oscillations and Stability
• 15 Stellar Magnetism and Rotation
• 16 Rotation in Close Binaries
• Epilogue
• Appendix A: A Table of Physical and Astronomical Constants
• Appendix B: The Hydrodynamical Equations in Cylindrical and Spherical Coordinates
• Appendix C: The Spherical Harmonics
• Appendix D: The Maclaurin and Jacobi Ellipsoids
• Appendix E: The - And Χ-Functions
• Index of Names
• Subject Index