Issue |
EAS Publications Series
Volume 26, 2007
Stellar Evolution and Seismic Tools for Asteroseismology - Diffusive Processes in Stars and Seismic Analysis
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Page(s) | 25 - 36 | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/eas:2007123 | |
Published online | 20 June 2007 |
C.W. Straka, Y. Lebreton and M.J.P.F.G. Monteiro (eds)
EAS Publications Series, 26 (2007) 25-36
Microscopic Diffusion in Stellar Plasmas
Department of Astrophysics and Geophysics, Liège University,
17 allée du 6 août, 4000 Liège, Belgium
We review the basic equations describing the microscopic diffusion of elements in stars. We describe the two formalisms commonly used to describe a stellar plasma, i.e., the Chapman-Enskog method and the Burgers equations. We point out the underlying assumptions about the physical state of the plasma itself. We briefly describe the different approximations which are often used to solve these equations, and discuss their validity. One of the major problems lies in the calculation of the collision integrals, and we discuss the different approaches to solving these integrals, emphasizing on their domain of validity.
© EAS, EDP Sciences, 2007