Abstract
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a general background for the more specific chapters to follow. Much of the application of variability in astrophysics is concerned with stellar structure; thus we briefly review the calculation of stellar structure and evolution. Furthermore, we present the ‘machinery’ of stellar pulsations. Throughout, the emphasis is on general principles, rather than on specific applications. It is evident that the exposition will be far from complete. For more detailed background information on stellar evolution one of the many books on the subject may be consulted (e.g. Kippenhahn & Weigert 1990; Hansen & Kawaler 1994; Cox & Giuli 1968); much more extensive presentations on stellar pulsations were provided by, for example, Unno et al. (1989), Cox (1980), Gough (1993), and Gautschy & Saio (1995, 1996). Also, Christensen-Dalsgaard et al. (1999) (in the following Chapter II) present applications to the helioseismic studies of the solar interior; further details on the crucially important treatment of the equation of state and opacity are provided by Dappen & Guzik (1999) (in the following Chapter III).
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