This week we're in Pratt!

"Redefining the Standard for 1D Stellar Modeling"

One-dimensional stellar structure and evolution models are the foundation upon which our chains of inference regarding all manner of cosmological phenomena are built. Questions regarding the enrichment of the interstellar medium, the initial mass functions of galaxies, the frequency of supernovae, the formation mechanisms of planetary systems, the origins of heavy elements and life, and the value of the Hubble constant cannot be answered without understanding the physics and life cycles of stars.

Stellar models are the means by which astronomers infer the ages, masses, and distances of stars, thus setting the first rungs of the cosmological distance ladder and allowing us to peer into the history of our Galaxy and Universe. Thanks to instruments like Gaia and TESS, we now have enormous, high-precision data sets comprising millions of stars. However, astronomy has now entered an era in which observational precision eclipses modeling precision by a factor of 10. This means the barrier to more precise fundamental stellar parameters---and hence to progress in astrophysics as a whole---lies in the theoretical and computational domain rather than in the power of our telescopes. Using my studies of Betelgeuse, the Milky Way's galactic bulge, and other stellar settings as examples, I will discuss the power, limitations, and future of stellar modeling.