Stellar atmospheres

by Cecilia H. Payne

Originally published in 1925, this short, readable, brilliant book was a milestone in the history of astrophysics. This beautiful reprint makes a fantastic gift for any young person interested in science. In its pages, Cecilia H. Payne presented a rigorous and innovative analysis of stellar spectra, which led her to propose that stars were predominantly composed of hydrogen and helium. Her findings, though initially met with skepticism, ultimately revolutionized our understanding of the chemical makeup of stars and laid the foundation for much of modern astrophysics.




Despite the obstacles and limitations faced by women in science during her time, Cecilia Payne defied convention and persevered in her pursuit of knowledge. Born in England in 1900, she attended Cambridge University and later moved to the United States to study at Harvard College Observatory. Here, she became the first person to earn a Ph.D. in astronomy from Radcliffe College, Harvard's sister school for women. Throughout her distinguished career, Payne shattered glass ceilings and paved the way for future generations of female scientists.




This reprint of "Stellar Atmospheres" offers young readers a unique opportunity to delve into the mind of one of the most influential astronomers of the 20th century. As you immerse yourself in the text, you will find a fascinating blend of scientific rigor, analytical prowess, and an insatiable curiosity for the universe. This book is not only a testament to the brilliance of its author but also a reminder of the importance of curiosity, determination, and intellectual courage in the pursuit of scientific knowledge.




The Editor's Foreword, by Harvard's Harlow Shapley, is dated May 1, 1925, and closes with the simple "The book has been accepted as a thesis fulfilling the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Radcliffe College."This centennial edition of "Stellar Atmospheres", reaching bookstores 98 years later, is a powerful reminder that even in the face of adversity, one can achieve great things through hard work, determination, and a relentless pursuit of knowledge.




This book is annotated by Nimble Books AI and includes a Foreword by Aurora [AI]; a variety of pithy, opinionated abstracts including scientific style, tldr, tldr one word, Explain It to Me Like I'm Five Years Old, and Action Items; tools for viewpoint diversity such as Dissents, Red Team Critiques, and MAGA Perspectives; and a recursive summary with synopsis.

Genres: Physics, Astronomy

215 pages, Unknown Binding

Published May 1, 1925

About the author

Cecilia Helena Payne-Gaposchkin (May 10, 1900 – December 7, 1979) was a British–American astronomer and astrophysicist who, in 1925, proposed in her Ph.D. thesis an explanation for the composition of stars in terms of the relative abundances of hydrogen and helium.[1]

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Free download available at Project Gutenberg

I made the proofing of this book for Free Literature and Project Gutenberg will publish it.

CONTENTS

PART I

THE PHYSICAL GROUNDWORK

I. THE LABORATORY BASIS OF ASTROPHYSICS 3
Relation of physics to astrophysics.
Properties of matter associated with nuclear structure.
Arrangement of extra-nuclear electrons.
Critical potentials.
Duration of atomic states.
Relative probabilities of atomic states.
Effect on the spectrum of conditions at the source.
(a) Temperature class.
(b) Pressure effects.
(c) Zeemann effect.
(d) Stark effect.

II. THE STELLAR TEMPERATURE SCALE 27
Definitions.
The mean temperature scale.
Temperatures of individual stars.
Differences in temperature between giants and dwarfs
The temperature scale based on ionization.

III. PRESSURES IN STELLAR ATMOSPHERES 34
Range in stellar pressures.
Measures of pressure in the reversing layer.
(a) Pressure shifts of spectral lines.
(b) Sharpness of lines.
(c) Widths of lines.
(d) Flash spectrum.
(e) Equilibrium of outer layers of the sun.
(f) Observed limit of the Balmer series.
(g) Ionization phenomena.

IV. THE SOURCE AND COMPOSITION OF THE STELLAR SPECTRUM 46
General appearance of the stellar spectrum.
Descriptive definitions.
The continuous background.
The reversing layer.
Emission lines.

V. ELEMENTS AND COMPOUNDS IN STELLAR ATMOSPHERES 55
Identifications with laboratory spectra.
Occurrence and behavior of known lines in stellar spectra.

PART II

THEORY OF THERMAL IONIZATION

VI. THE HIGH-TEMPERATURE ABSORPTION SPECTRUM OF A GAS 91
The schematic reversing layer.
The absorption of radiation.
Low temperature conditions.
Ultimate lines.
Ionization.
Production of subordinate lines.
Lines of ionized atoms.
Summary.

VII. CRITICAL DISCUSSION OF IONIZATION THEORY 105
Saha’s treatment--marginal appearance.
Theoretical formulae.
Physical constants required by the formulae.
Assumptions necessary for the application.
Laboratory evidence bearing on the theory.
(a) Ultimate lines.
(b) Temperature classes.
(c) Furnace experiments.
(d) Conductivity of flames.
Solar intensities as a test of ionization theory.

VIII. OBSERVATIONAL MATERIAL FOR THE TEST OF IONIZATION
THEORY 116
Measurement of line intensity.
Method of standardization.
Summary of results.
Consistency of results.

IX. THE IONIZATION TEMPERATURE SCALE 133
Consistency of the preliminary scale.
Effect of pressure.
Levels of origin of ultimate and subordinate lines.
Influence of relative abundance.
Method of determining effective partial pressure.
The corrected temperature scale.

X. EFFECTS OF ABSOLUTE MAGNITUDE UPON THE SPECTRUM 140
Influence of surface gravity on ionization.
Influence of pressure.
Influence of temperature gradient.
Comparison of predicted and observed effects.
Abnormal behavior of enhanced lines of alkaline earths.

PART III

ADDITIONAL DEDUCTIONS FROM IONIZATION THEORY

XI. THE ASTROPHYSICAL EVALUATION OF PHYSICAL CONSTANTS 155
Spectroscopic constants (Plaskett).
Critical potentials (Payne).
Duration of atomic states (Milne).

XII. SPECIAL PROBLEMS IN STELLAR ATMOSPHERES 161
Class O stars.
Class A stars.
The Balmer lines.
Classification of A stars.
Silicon and Strontium stars.
Peculiar Class A stars.
c-stars.

XIII. THE RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF THE ELEMENTS 177
Terrestrial data.
Astrophysical data.
Uniformity of composition of stellar atmospheres.
Marginal appearance.
Comparison of stellar and terrestrial estimates.

XIV. THE MEANING OF STELLAR CLASSIFICATION 190
Principles of classification.
Object of the Draper Classification.
Method of classifying.
Finer Subdivisions of the Draper Classes.
Implications of the Draper system.
Homogeneity of the classes.
Spectral differences between giants and dwarfs.

XV. ON THE FUTURE OF THE PROBLEM 199

APPENDICES
I. INDEX TO DEFINITIONS 203
II. SERIES RELATIONS IN LINE SPECTRA 203
III. LIST OF STARS USED IN CHAPTER VIII 205
IV. INTENSITY CHANGES OF LINES WITH UNKNOWN SERIES RELATIONS 207
V. MATERIAL ON A STARS, QUOTED IN CHAPTER XII 208
SUBJECT INDEX 211
NAME INDEX 214