Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2003 / iii / Paper 63 / 1 / c

Retain fixed dimensionless structure constants and fixed $M$. Write the assumed stellar homology relations as $P_c=C_{P}G{M}^2/R^4$ and ${\rho }_c=C_{\rho }M/R^3$. The equation of state giveswhere $A=C_P/C_{\rho }$ and $B=C_{\rho }^{2/3}$. The first term is the temperature required for ordinary thermal pressure support; the second subtracts the support supplied by nonrelativistic electron degeneracy pressure.

As a function of $u=1/R$, this is a concave quadratic polynomial. Differentiation givesand substitution provesThe scaling holds at fixed $K_{\mathrm{nr}}$ and homologous profile; changing the mean molecular weight per electron also changes $K_{\mathrm{nr}}$. At the maximum the ion thermal pressure and electron degeneracy pressure contribute equally. Subsequent contraction lets electron degeneracy pressure carry more of the load without raising the temperature; eventually the assumed positive-temperature branch approaches a cold, degenerate configuration.

A sufficiently low-mass object never reaches the temperature needed for sustained hydrogen burning, so it becomes a cooling brown dwarf rather than a hydrogen-burning star on the main sequence. The scaling explains a hydrogen-burning minimum mass; its numerical value additionally requires the composition, detailed structure and nuclear ignition conditions, which are not specified here.