Encyclopedia of Physical Science and Technology – Stars and Stellar Systems

Robert A. Meyers (Editor-in-Chief)

Written by a galaxy of Nobel Laureates, the latest edition of this world-renowned Encyclopedia offers hundreds of in-depth, accessible articles addressing all of the key areas in physical science research and applications.Nine years has passed since the 1992 second edition of the encyclopedia was published. This completely revised third edition, which is a university and professional level compendium of chemistry, molecular biology, mathematics, and engineering, is refreshed with numerous articles about current research in these fields. For example, the new edition has an increased emphasis on information processing and biotechnology, reflecting the rapid growth of these areas. The continuing Editor-in-Chief, Robert Meyers , and the Board prepared a new topical outline of physical science and technology to define complete coverage. Section editors are either Nobel Laureates or editors of key journals in their fields. Additional Board members representing the global scientific community were also recruited. The new 18-volume edition of the Encyclopedia of Physical Science and Technology, Third Edition , will have the added feature of an Index Volume, containing abstracts of all of the articles in the en cyclopedia.

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Table of contents :
Glossary……Page 1
Some Preliminaries……Page 2
Reflection Effect: External Illumination……Page 3
Classification of Close Binary Systems……Page 4
The Roche Surface……Page 5
Common Envelope Evolution……Page 6
z Aurigae Stars and Atmospheric Eclipses……Page 7
Evolutionary Processes for Stars in Binary Systems……Page 8
Mass Transfer and Mass Loss in Binaries……Page 9
Accretion Disks Processes……Page 10
Novae and X-Ray Bursts: Surface Nuclear Explosions……Page 12
Black Holes in Binary Systems……Page 14
Formation of Binary Systems……Page 15
References……Page 16
Glossary……Page 17
Einstein’s Theory of Gravitation……Page 18
The Horizon Problem……Page 20
The Flatness Problem……Page 21
Other Problems……Page 22
The Robertson–Walker Metric……Page 23
The Curvature of Space……Page 24
Hubble’s Law……Page 26
Local Energy Conservation……Page 28
Equation for the Hubble Parameter……Page 29
Cosmic Deceleration or Acceleration……Page 30
The Growth of Space……Page 31
The Cosmological Constant……Page 32
Equivalence of Λ to Vacuum Energy and Pressure……Page 33
Kinds of Matter……Page 34
Amounts of Matter……Page 35
Nonbaryonic Matter……Page 36
Vacuum Energy……Page 37
Age and Future of the Cosmos……Page 38
The Horizon Problem……Page 39
The Flatness Problem……Page 41
Quantum Theory of Forces……Page 42
Electroweak Unification via the Higgs Mechanism……Page 43
Grand Unified Theories (GUTs)……Page 46
Phase Transitions……Page 47
The Original Model……Page 48
The New Inflationary Model……Page 51
New, Improved Inflation……Page 52
Successes of Inflation……Page 53
Eternal Inflation, Endless Creation……Page 55
Creation ex nihilo……Page 56
References……Page 60
Glossary……Page 61
Historical Prologue……Page 62
Local Evidence……Page 63
Large-Scale Determinations……Page 64
Radio and Far-Infrared (FIR) Observations……Page 65
Theoretical Studies……Page 66
M 31 and the Rotation Curves of External Galaxies……Page 67
Binary Galaxies……Page 68
The Large-Scale Streaming in the Local Galaxies: Dark Matter and the Hubble Flow……Page 69
Clusters of Galaxies……Page 70
The Distribution of Clusters and Superclustering……Page 71
Cosmological Preliminaries……Page 72
Nucleosynthesis……Page 73
Cold versus Hot Dark Matter: New Results……Page 74
Inflationary Universe and Soon After……Page 75
Baryons…….Page 76
Alternative particles…….Page 77
Future Prospects……Page 78
References……Page 80
Glossary……Page 82
Galaxy Morphology—the Hubble Sequence……Page 83
Elliptical Galaxies……Page 85
Spiral Galaxies……Page 87
Luminosity Function……Page 89
Spectral Energy Distributions……Page 90
Galaxy Masses……Page 92
Gas Content……Page 94
X-Ray Emission……Page 95
Galaxy Formation……Page 96
Population Evolution……Page 97
Dynamical Evolution……Page 98
References……Page 100
Glossary……Page 101
The Intercloud Medium……Page 102
Absorption and Emission of Radiation……Page 103
Shock Fronts……Page 104
Neutral Hydrogen Emission……Page 105
X-Ray Emission and Absorption……Page 106
Abundances: Gas and Solid Phases……Page 107
Evolution……Page 108
Cosmological Implications……Page 109
References……Page 110
Glossary……Page 111
Historical and Conceptual Introduction……Page 112
Formation of Neutron Stars……Page 113
Equations of State: Neutron Stars as Nuclei……Page 114
Equations of Structure……Page 115
Pulsars……Page 116
Cooling Processes……Page 118
Neutron Stars in Binary Systems……Page 119
Magnetic Field Generation and Decay……Page 120
References……Page 121
Introduction……Page 122
Exceptional Pulsars……Page 123
Where do Pulsars Come from?……Page 125
Nature of Pulsars……Page 126
The Pulses……Page 127
Theory of Pulsars……Page 128
References……Page 130
Glossary……Page 131
Taxonomy of Active Galaxies……Page 132
Supermassive Black Holes……Page 133
Alternative Models……Page 134
X-Rays……Page 135
Infrared Emission and Thermal Dust Reprocessing……Page 136
Basic Properties……Page 137
Emission-Line Profiles……Page 138
Absorption in AGNs……Page 139
Radio-Loud/-Quiet Dichotomy……Page 140
Dusty Tori and AGN Unification Models……Page 141
General Principles and Historical Techniques……Page 142
Current Status……Page 143
Quasar Absorption Lines……Page 144
Implications……Page 145
References……Page 146
Glossary……Page 147
Historical Introduction……Page 148
Isochrones and the Interpretation of H-R Diagrams for Clusters……Page 149
Initial Mass Function……Page 150
Star Formation in Clusters……Page 151
Variable Stars in Clusters……Page 152
OB Associations……Page 153
Integrated Properties of the Cluster System of the Galaxy and Comparison with External Galaxies……Page 154
H-R Diagrams and Aggregate Properties……Page 155
Variable Stars……Page 156
Concluding Remarks……Page 157
References……Page 158
Glossary……Page 159
Mass Loss From Stars……Page 160
Formation……Page 161
Main Sequence Stages……Page 162
The Wolf–Rayet Stars……Page 163
Effects of Massive Stars on The Galaxy……Page 164
Induced Star Formation……Page 165
The Luminous Blue Variables……Page 166
See also the Following Articles……Page 167
References……Page 168
Introduction……Page 169
Observations of Stellar Variability……Page 170
Basic Theory of Stellar Pulsation……Page 171
RR Lyrae Stars……Page 174
Delta Cepheid Variables: Classical Cepheids……Page 175
R Corona Borealis stars……Page 176
White Dwarf Stars……Page 177
See also the Following Articles……Page 178
References……Page 179
Glossary……Page 180
Introduction……Page 181
Effective Temperature……Page 182
Abundances……Page 183
Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram……Page 184
Stellar Ages……Page 185
Time Scales……Page 186
Equation of State of a Gas……Page 187
Energy Sources……Page 188
Energy Transport……Page 191
Basic Equilibrium Conditions……Page 193
Star Formation……Page 194
Protostar Collapse……Page 196
Pre-main-Sequence Contraction……Page 197
General Properties……Page 199
Evolution on the Main Sequence……Page 200
The Solar Neutrino Problem……Page 201
Further Evolution of 1 M Stars……Page 202
Evolution of 5 M Stars……Page 205
Evolution of Low-Mass Stars with Low-Metal Abundance……Page 207
Brown Dwarfs……Page 209
White Dwarfs……Page 210
Supernovae……Page 211
Summary: Important Unresolved Problems……Page 212
References……Page 213
Glossary……Page 214
Types……Page 215
Light Curves……Page 216
Sites,Rates,and Stellar Populations……Page 217
The Spectral Lines……Page 218
Polarization……Page 219
Nickel and Cobalt Radioactivity……Page 220
Accerting White Dwarfs……Page 221
Supergiant progenitors……Page 222
Collapse and Explosion……Page 223
Supernova 1987A……Page 224
Supernova Remnants……Page 226
The Extragalastic Distance Scale……Page 227
Prospectus……Page 228
References……Page 229