The Sun

The first edition of this successful textbook became outdated because of the wealth of new observations from space missions. The second edition is thus 100 pages longer than the first. All nine chapters have been thoroughly revised. The book now includes the 11-year variation of the solar luminosity, and a discussion of 13 years of solar neutrino search. The reader will find a discussion of the improved standard model of the sun. It takes advantage of advances made in helioseismology, in numerical simulations, and observations from space to improve the sections on, for example, the hydrodynamics of the convection zone or on the source region of the solar wind. The many problems for students have been redone and expanded.

A wealth of new experimental and theoretical results has been obtained in solar physics since the first edition of this textbook appeared in 1989. Thus all nine chapters have been thoroughly revised, and about 100 pages and many new illustrations have been added to the text. The additions include element diffusion in the solar interior, the recent neutrino experiments, methods of image restoration, observational devices used for spectroscopy and polarimetry, and new developments in helioseismology and numerical simulation. The book takes particular advantage of the results of several recent space missions, which lead to substantial progress in our understanding of the Sun, from the deep interior to the corona and solar wind.

Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Contenu

1. Characteristics of the Sun.- 1.1 Distance.- 1.2 Mass.- 1.3 Radius.- 1.4 Luminosity.- 1.5 Spectral Energy Distribution.- 1.6 Bibliographical Notes.- 2. Internal Structure.- 2.1 Construction of a Model.- 2.2 Age and Pre-Main-Sequence Evolution.- 2.3 Model Ingredients.- 2.4 Results for a Standard Solar Model.- 2.5 Non-Standard Models.- 2.6 Bibliographical Notes.- 3. Tools for Solar Observation.- 3.1 Limitations.- 3.2 High-Resolution Telescopes.- 3.3 Spectrographs and Spectrometers.- 3.4 Filters and Monochromators.- 3.5 Polarimetry.- 3.6 Special-Purpose Instruments.- 3.7 Bibliographical Notes.- 4. The Atmosphere.- 4.1 Radiative Transfer Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium.- 4.2 Radiative Transfer Statistical Equilibrium.- 4.3 Atmospheric Models.- 4.4 The Chemical Composition of the Sun.- 4.5 Bibliographical Notes.- 5. Oscillations.- 5.1 Observations.- 5.2 Linear Adiabatic Oscillations of a Non-Rotating Sun.- 5.3 Helioseismology.- 5.4 Excitation and Damping.- 5.5 Bibliographical Notes.-6. Convection.- 6.1 Stability.- 6.2 Mixing-Length Theory.- 6.3 Granulation.- 6.4 Mesogranulation.- 6.5 Supergranulation.- 6.6 Giant Cells.- 6.7 Bibliographical Notes.- 7. Rotation.- 7.1 Axis of Rotation.- 7.2 Oblateness.- 7.3 Rotational History.- 7.4 The Angular Velocity of the Sun.- 7.5 Models of a Rotating Convection Zone.- 7.6 Bibliographical Notes.- 8. Magnetism.- 8.1 Fields and Conducting Matter.- 8.2 Flux Tubes.- 8.3 Sunspots.- 8.4 The Solar Cycle.- 8.5 Bibliographical Notes.- 9. Chromosphere, Corona, and Solar Wind.- 9.1 Empirical Facts.- 9.2 Consequences of High Temperature.- 9.3 The Magnetic Field in the Outer Atmosphere.- 9.4 The Energy Balance.- 9.5 Explosive Events.- 9.6 Bibliographical Notes.- List of Symbols.- References.