Probing the interior physics of stars through asteroseismology

Abstract

By studying the oscillations of a star's surface, it is possible to extract information about stellar strata, age, and dynamics. Though one might guess that observation of surface oscillatory motions would be limited to our Sun, high-precision brightness measurements of distant stars, performed over many years, have enabled the field of asteroseismology. This comprehensive review covers the recent development of this field, the necessary blending of numerical simulation and data, and the way in which this new information enhances our understanding of stellar evolution.

Topics & Concepts