ASTROPHYSICAL OPACITY

An array of problems in astronomy, cosmology, and particle physics is dependent on our understanding of the evolution and structure of stars . Stellar structure and evolution, in turn, depend on how the nuclear energy generated in the stellar center is transported to the surface. Energy transport by photons is a primary transfer mechanism. Recent im provements in the calculation of the radiative properties of stellar m atter have helped resolve several long-standing discrepancies between observations and the predictions of theoretical models.