ASTR 530/CSI 661 Fall 2005
Dr. John Wallin
Lane-Emden Solutions
In this homework, you are going to compare
a very simple stellar model to the "Standard
Solar Model" created by John Bahcall.
The idea is to see the limits of the Lane-Emden
equation with different polytropic indices.
You will run models for n= 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5
and compare the density, temperature,
pressure, and cumulative mass as a function
of radius to the standard model.
When you do this comparision, please put all the
different models on the same graph, so that you
have lines for pressure vs radius for n=1, 1.5....
and the Bahcall model all on the same graph.
Write a short (1 page) summary of the conclusions
of this comparision.
As an extra credit assignment, you may write a code that
solves the Lane-Emden equation numerically. You may
use matlab, octave, or a similar program to do this
calculation.