Publication Date:
2019-06-28
Description:
A method is given for determining the sensitivity of certain types of calculations to the uncertainties in the input physics or model parameters; this method is applicable to problems that involve solutions to coupled, ordinary differential equations. In particular the sensitivity of calculations of the thermal structure of neutron star envelopes to uncertainties in the opacity and equation of state is examined. It is found that the uncertainties in the relationship between the surface and interior temperatures of a neutron star are due almost entirely to the imprecision in the values of the conductive opacity in the region where the ions form a liquid; here the conductive opacity is, for the most part, due to the scattering of electrons from ions.
Keywords:
ASTROPHYSICS
Type:
Royal Astronomical Society, Monthly Notices (ISSN 0035-8711); 204; Aug. 198
Format:
text
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