From: Amara Graps (amara@amara.com)
Date: Thu Jan 10 2002 - 05:37:07 MST
>As I recall, the sun hasn't started it's helium burning phase in earnest
>yet, nor has it exhausted the hydrogen in the core. This means that the core
>of the sun is still pretty much H/He. I forget the exact percentages arrived
>at through simulation. Go google.
For those 'googling'.. please read up on the helioseismology papers.
I can write alot regarding the sound speed, and how well they've verified
the standard solar model (to the second or third decimal place), but
I'm short on time presently (maybe later). The nucleosynthesis process
and stellar evolution of stars is one of the best understood and
firmly based aspects of astrophysics, and we know to great detail
from GONG/SOHO/MDI about the structure of our Sun. BTW: nucleosynthesis
and stellar evolution forms the foundation for which the ages of
stars, galaxies, and so on are based. If you start questioning the
structure of our Sun (which is based on the firmest foundations),
then the field of astrophysics turns over on its head.
Amara
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Amara Graps, PhD | Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik
Heidelberg Cosmic Dust Group | Saupfercheckweg 1
+49-6221-516-543 | 69117 Heidelberg, GERMANY
Amara.Graps@mpi-hd.mpg.de * http://www.mpi-hd.mpg.de/dustgroup/~graps
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"We came whirling out of Nothingness scattering stars like dust." --Rumi
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