Stellar structure and evolution II

Duration

20h Th, 20h Pr

Number of credits

Lecturer

Marc-Antoine Dupret

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

This course is a direct continuation of the course: "Structure et Evolution des Etoiles I".The theoretical background presented in the first part allows us now to explore the different phases of stellar evolution, putting the emphasis on the underlying physical processes. The use of homologous transformations allows us to understand the main tendencies and to quantify the importance of each physical aspect. The key phases of a stellar "life" are analysed in details: the initial phase of gravitational contraction, the main sequence (hydrogen fusion) and the next red giant phases. The course does not follow a descriptive approach, the aim is to explore the key physical processes and causes at the origin of the stellar structure evolution in one or another direction. The different scenarios of evolution depending on the stellar mass are explored in detail.

Since 2020, this course has undergone a major overhaul, taking on a mainly practical form. Students are required to make their own calculations of models of the structure and evolution of stars, using the Code Liégeois d'Evolution Stellaire (CLES). This enables them to visualise and understand the internal structure of stars and their evolution (e.g. temperature and chemical composition profiles, nuclear reactions, energy transport, etc.) much better, and to ask themselves relevant questions and answer them with my help.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

Knowing and understanding the main phases of a stellar life. An exhaustive and "descriptive" knowledge is not looked for. Instead, what imports here is a precise understanding of the underlying physical processes and their respective importance.
Through the practical part, students acquire the ability to calculate themselves models of internal structure and evolution of stars and a critical mind on their accuracy. This ability can be very useful to them in other fields of research in astrophysics, because stars are the main visible bodies of the universe. More generally, they will also improve their ability to manage numerous physical data files, graph them and interpret them.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

To have followed the course "Structure et Evolution des Etoiles I" (SPAT 0044-1), which is a "co-required".

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face course


Further information:

The lectures are given second semester, 3h/week.

The practical part of the course makes it essential for students to attend face-to-face the classes.

From the academic year 2015-2016, the lectures are given in English if there is at least one student attending the lectures who does not speak French. If all students speak French, the lectures are given in French.

 

 

Course materials and recommended or required readings

Detailed lecture notes are available to students as well as the powerpoint slides of the lectures. The students can find them here:
https://dox.uliege.be/index.php/s/0iPdRJLEi0blq3X

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

oral exam


Further information:

For the exam, the student presents in 20 minutes the stellar structure & evolution of stars based on figures that he/she made him/herself during the practical classes. The presentation will be followed by 20 minutes of questions. It must include first a general presentation of the evolution of a star with a given mass until just before the starting of core He burning. Each phase and sub-phase must be clearly presented, illustrated and interpreted based both on figures he/she did him/herself and short theoretical derivations (when needed). The core of the explanations must be based on the figures, showing the profiles of physical quantities from the center to the surface. The most important is to be able to physically justify these profiles and their evolution with time and how the evolution of the profile of one quantity relates to the profile of another one. Next, he/she focus on more specific aspects such as the dependence with the mass, the chemical composition, the transport of energy, the energy balance (thermal equilibrium versus disequilibrium), details of nuclear reactions, ...

Work placement(s)

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

Contacts

Marc-Antoine Dupret
email: MA.Dupret@ulg.ac.be
address: Institut d'Astrophysique et Géophysique, bât. B5c, +1
Tél: 04 366 97 32

Association of one or more MOOCs

Items online