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3 Radiative Transfer #2

The document discusses the theory of radiative transfer in stellar atmospheres, focusing on the concepts of optical depth, absorption, and emission of radiation. It explains how the intensity of light changes as it passes through a medium, highlighting the relationship between absorption coefficients and the source function. Additionally, it presents the equation of radiative transfer and its implications for understanding radiation in stellar environments.

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jagan8334091
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4 views10 pages

3 Radiative Transfer #2

The document discusses the theory of radiative transfer in stellar atmospheres, focusing on the concepts of optical depth, absorption, and emission of radiation. It explains how the intensity of light changes as it passes through a medium, highlighting the relationship between absorption coefficients and the source function. Additionally, it presents the equation of radiative transfer and its implications for understanding radiation in stellar environments.

Uploaded by

jagan8334091
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Stellar Atmosphere

Theory of Radiative Transfer


Absorption of Radiation
Optical Depth

⇒ refers to a specific level of transparency

We know that,
𝑑𝐼𝜆 = −𝜅𝜆 𝜌𝐼𝜆 𝑑𝑠

Let
𝑑𝜏𝜆 = −𝜅𝜆 𝜌𝑑𝑠

Change in 𝜏𝜆

𝑠
0 − 𝜏𝜆 = − න 𝜅𝜆 𝜌𝑑𝑠
0

𝑠
𝜏𝜆 = න 𝜅𝜆 𝜌𝑑𝑠
0 Optical depth
Absorption of Radiation
Emerged intensity,
𝐼𝜆 = 𝐼𝜆,0 𝑒 −𝜏𝜆

⇒ as the optical depth gets larger, the amount of light drops exponentially

𝐼𝜆,0
If 𝜏𝜆 = 1, 𝐼𝜆 = 𝑒

1
⇒ intensity of the ray will be reduced by a factor of 𝑒 before escaping from the star

We typically see no deeper into an atmosphere at a given wavelength than 𝜏𝜆 ≈ 1

If 𝜏𝜆 ≫ 1, optically thick
If 𝜏𝜆 ≪ 1, optically thin

For example, the Earth’s atmosphere is optically thin at visible wavelength (we can
see star) but optically thick at x-ray wavelength
Absorption of Radiation

For optically thin case (𝜏𝜆 ≪ 1),

𝑒 −𝜏𝜆 ≈ 1 − 𝜏𝜆

𝐼𝜆 = 𝐼𝜆,0 (1 − 𝜏𝜆 )

Exercise. How large must the optical depth be in order to absorb 10% of the incident
photons?

4
Emission of Radiation
Emission coefficient.
⇒ measure of the rate of increase in the intensity of electromagnetic radiation as it
passes through a given substance

𝐼𝜆 𝜌 r 𝐼𝜆 + 𝑑𝐼𝜆

𝑑𝑠

Increase in the intensity after passing through the medium with density 𝜌

𝑑𝐼𝜆 ∝ 𝜌𝑑𝑠
𝑑𝐼𝜆 = 𝑗𝜆 𝜌𝑑𝑠
Where,
𝑗𝜆 - emission coefficient of the medium
Unit: 𝑚𝑠 −3 𝑠𝑟 −1

5
Equation of radiative transfer
➢ describes the interactions (absorption, emission and scattering) of radiation with medium

𝐼𝜆 𝜌, 𝜅r𝜆 , 𝑗𝜆 𝐼𝜆 + 𝑑𝐼𝜆

𝑑𝑠

Total change in the intensity


𝑑𝐼𝜆 = −𝜅𝜆 𝜌𝐼𝜆 𝑑𝑠 + 𝑗𝜆 𝜌𝑑𝑠

1 𝑑𝐼𝜆 𝑗𝜆
− = 𝐼𝜆 −
𝜅𝜆 𝜌 𝑑𝑠 𝜅𝜆

1 𝑑𝐼𝜆
− = 𝐼𝜆 − 𝑆𝜆
𝜅𝜆 𝜌 𝑑𝑠

⇓
Equation of radiative transfer
𝑗
Where, 𝑆𝜆 = 𝜅𝜆 is called the source function (𝑊𝑚−3 𝑠𝑟 −1 )
𝜆 6
Equation of radiative transfer
1 𝑑𝐼𝜆
− = 𝐼𝜆 − 𝑆𝜆
𝜅𝜆 𝜌 𝑑𝑠

⇒ 𝑆𝜆 descries how photons originally traveling with the beam are removed and
replaced by photons from the surrounding gas

𝑑𝐼𝜆
If 𝐼𝜆 < 𝑆𝜆 , then >0
𝑑𝑠

⇒ 𝐼𝜆 will increase on the way out

𝑑𝐼𝜆
If 𝐼𝜆 > 𝑆𝜆 , then <0
𝑑𝑠

⇒ 𝐼𝜆 will decrease on the way out

𝑑𝐼𝜆
If 𝐼𝜆 = 𝑆𝜆 , then =0
𝑑𝑠

⇒ 𝐼𝜆 will be constant with distance


7
Equation of radiative transfer
For a blackbody, 𝐼𝜆 = 𝐵𝜆 (Planck function)

2ℎ𝑐 2 1
𝑆𝜆 = 𝐼𝜆 = 𝐵𝜆 =
𝜆 𝑒 ℎ𝑐/𝜆𝑘𝑇 − 1

⇒ In complete thermodynamic equilibrium, the source function equals the


Planck function
𝑗𝜆
𝑆𝜆 = = 𝐵𝜆
𝜅𝜆
⇒ 𝑗𝜆 = 𝜅𝜆 𝐵𝜆

From previous analysis,

𝑑𝐼𝜆 𝑑𝐼𝜆
> 0 if 𝐵𝜆 > 𝐼𝜆 , < 0 if 𝐵𝜆 < 𝐼𝜆 ,
𝑑𝑠 𝑑𝑠

Note. Assumption of 𝑆𝜆 = 𝐵𝜆 for an stellar atmosphere is called assumption of local


thermodynamic equilibrium and abbreviated as LTE
8
Solution of Radiative Transfer Equation

1 𝑑𝐼𝜆
− = 𝐼𝜆 − 𝑆𝜆
𝜅𝜆 𝜌 𝑑𝑠

Let, 𝑑𝜏𝜆 = −𝜅𝜆 𝜌𝑑𝑠 then,

𝑑𝐼𝜆
− 𝐼𝜆 = 𝑆𝜆
𝑑𝜏𝜆

Multiplying both sides by 𝑒 −𝜏𝜆 ,

𝑑𝐼𝜆 −𝜏
𝑒 𝜆 − 𝐼𝜆 𝑒 −𝜏𝜆 = −𝑆𝜆 𝑒 −𝜏𝜆
𝑑𝜏𝜆
𝑑
𝐼𝜆 𝑒 −𝜏𝜆 = −𝑆𝜆 𝑒 −𝜏𝜆
𝑑𝜏𝜆

Integrating from 0 to 𝜏𝜆
𝜏𝜆 𝜏𝜆
′
𝐼𝜆 𝑒 −𝜏𝜆 ቚ = − න 𝑆𝜆 𝑒 −𝜏𝜆 𝑑𝜏𝜆′
0 0
9
Solution of Radiative Transfer Equation

𝜏𝜆 𝜏𝜆
′
𝐼𝜆 𝑒 −𝜏𝜆 ቚ = − න 𝑆𝜆 𝑒 −𝜏𝜆 𝑑𝜏𝜆′
0 0

𝜏𝜆
′
𝐼𝜆 𝑒 −𝜏𝜆 − 𝐼𝜆,0 = − න 𝑆𝜆 𝑒 −𝜏𝜆 𝑑𝜏𝜆′
0

𝜏𝜆
′
𝐼𝜆 (𝑠) = 𝐼𝜆,0 𝑒 𝜏𝜆 − න 𝑆𝜆 𝑒 𝜏𝜆 −𝜏𝜆 𝑑𝜏𝜆′
0

⇓
General solution of the RT equation

10

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