Gravothermal stellar energy generation

ID: gravothermal-stellar-energy-generation

This term accounts for thermal storage and compression or expansion in the stellar energy balance equation. At fixed composition the first law of thermodynamics makes it . Kelvin-Helmholtz contraction can supply positive luminosity, while thermal adjustment may locally absorb energy. It is not simply the full change in gravitational potential energy: the stellar virial theorem also requires changes in internal energy.

New to topics? Read the docs here!