 Kelvin–Helmholtz mechanism

Kelvin-Helmholtz contraction releases gravitational binding energy as a self-gravitating body cools and shrinks. It powers young stars and giant planets before nuclear burning or degeneracy dominates their thermal evolution.

The Kelvin–Helmholtz mechanism refers to a physical phenomenon that occurs when two different fluid layers of varying density and velocity are in contact with one another, leading to the formation of waves or instabilities at their interface. Named after the British physicist Lord Kelvin and the German physicist Hermann von Helmholtz, this mechanism is commonly observed in various contexts, including astronomy, meteorology, and oceanography.