The most authoritative synthesis of the quantitative spectroscopic analysis of stellar atmospheres This book provides an in-depth and self-contained treatment of the latest advances achieved in quantitative spectroscopic analyses of the observable outer layers of stars and similar objects. Written by two leading researchers in the field, it presents a comprehensive account of both the physical foundations and numerical methods of such analyses. The book is ideal for astronomers who want to acquire deeper insight into the physical foundations of the theory of stellar atmospheres, or who want to learn about modern computational techniques for treating radiative transfer in non-equilibrium situations. It can also serve as a rigorous yet accessible introduction to the discipline for graduate students. Provides a comprehensive, up-to-date account of the field - Covers computational methods as well as the underlying physics - Serves as an ideal reference book for researchers and a rigorous yet accessible textbook for graduate students - An online illustration package is available to professors at press.princeton.edu "It is an excellent guide for anyone interested in radiation transport and spectral analyses in astrophysics." ---Claudia-Veronika Meister, Zentralblatt MATH "A magisterial work that will surely be the definitive reference for many years to come." ---Ian D. Howarth, The Observatory "This eagerly anticipated book is an excellent guide for anyone interested in radiation transport in astrophysics, as well as for those wanting to make detailed analyses of astrophysical spectra. Comprehensive, lucid, and stimulating, Theory of Stellar Atmospheres is ideal for students and scientists alike." ―Bengt Gustafsson, Uppsala University " Theory of Stellar Atmospheres will become ‘The Book' in this field, supplanting all others. Every serious student and researcher in astrophysics should own a copy. Hubeny and Mihalas constitute the dream team for this subject, having worked in the area for their entire careers and made fundamental and important contributions." ―James M. Stone, Princeton University " Theory of Stellar Atmospheres is the standard by which other books in the field will be judged." ―Don Winget, University of Texas at Austin "This is an impressive book. Hubeny and Mihalas review the statistical mechanics of matter and radiation; the absorption, emission, and scattering of radiation; and line broadening in the context of the non-equilibrium structure of a stellar atmosphere. They summarize the early fundamental work in the field, and give a detailed account of the methods needed to calculate and study stellar spectra." ―Eugene H. Avrett, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics "This eagerly anticipated book is an excellent guide for anyone interested in radiation transport in astrophysics, as well as for those wanting to make detailed analyses of astrophysical spectra. Comprehensive, lucid, and stimulating, Theory of Stellar Atmospheres is ideal for students and scientists alike." --Bengt Gustafsson, Uppsala University " Theory of Stellar Atmospheres will become ‘The Book' in this field, supplanting all others. Every serious student and researcher in astrophysics should own a copy. Hubeny and Mihalas constitute the dream team for this subject, having worked in the area for their entire careers and made fundamental and important contributions." --James M. Stone, Princeton University " Theory of Stellar Atmospheres is the standard by which other books in the field will be judged." --Don Winget, University of Texas at Austin "This is an impressive book. Hubeny and Mihalas review the statistical mechanics of matter and radiation; the absorption, emission, and scattering of radiation; and line broadening in the context of the non-equilibrium structure of a stellar atmosphere. They summarize the early fundamental work in the field, and give a detailed account of the methods needed to calculate and study stellar spectra." --Eugene H. Avrett, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Ivan Hubeny is a senior research scientist at the Steward Observatory and adjunct professor in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Arizona. Dimitri Mihalas (1939–2013) was an astrophysicist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. His many books include Stellar Atmospheres and Foundations of Radiation Hydrodynamics . Theory of Stellar Atmospheres An Introduction to Astrophysical Non-equilibrium Quantitative Spectroscopic Analysis By Ivan Hubeny, Dimitri Mihalas PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS Copyright © 2015 Princeton University Press All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-691-16329-1 Contents Preface, xi, Chapter 1. Why Study Stellar Atmospheres?, 1, Chapter 2. Observational Foundations, 20, Chapter 3. Radiation, 61, Chapter 4. Statistical Mechanics of Matter and Radiation, 86, Chapter 5. Absorption and Emission of Radiation, 113, Chapter 6. Continuum Scattering, 144, Chapter 7.