Learning Physics from the Stars: Its All in the Coefficients

TL;DR

This paper reviews the fundamental equations of stellar structure, emphasizing how physics is embedded in their coefficients, and discusses how asteroseismology can help refine these physics models to address uncertainties.

Contribution

It provides an overview of stellar structure equations, highlights current physics uncertainties, and discusses the potential of asteroseismology to improve understanding of stellar physics.

Findings

Asteroseismology can significantly reduce uncertainties in stellar physics.

The coefficients of stellar structure equations encode key physical information.

Current physics models of stellar interiors have notable weaknesses.

Abstract

In this chapter, I present an overview and discussion of the basic equations of stellar structure, and show where the physics of stellar interiors appears within the coefficients of these famous equations. I discuss the basic input physics and weaknesses that we need to fix. Asteroseismology shows significant promise in helping us reduce those uncertainties and, in the process, improve our understanding of a variety of nasty physics problems. This chapter summarizes a series of lectures that were a part of the 22nd Canary Islands Winter School of Astrophysics, presented in November 2010.