What is conduction in stellar atmospheres?

Question

Emma Arguello · Accepted Answer

Transfer of heat energy by physical contact of stellar materials. Current models do not assume any conduction in stellar atmospheres.

Convection, which involves the movement of gas molecules and typically includes conduction to the gases from the source and from the gases to the object, radiation, which is the direct energetic transfer by electromagnetic radiation, and conduction, which is the physical contact of solids, are the three ways that heat can be transferred. According to current stellar models, convection (in colder stars) and conduction contributions are negligible, and radiation accounts for the majority of heat transfer (https://tutor.hix.ai https://tutor.hix.ai).

Parker Albertson · Answer

undefined One of the three main mechanisms of heat transfer in stars, along with convection and radiation, is conduction, which is defined as the transfer of heat through direct contact between neighboring particles, such as atoms or molecules, within the star's atmosphere. Conduction mostly takes place in the outer layers of the star's atmosphere, where the density of particles is high enough to facilitate collisions and the transfer of thermal energy, though it is generally less significant than radiation and convection in terms of heat transfer within stellar atmospheres.