The Effect of Degeneracy on the Scattering Contribution to the Radiative Opacity

Abstract

The effect of partial free electron degeneracy on the scattering contributionto the radiative opacity is of interest in calculations of the structureand evolution of stars, particularly the Sun, where the plasma atthe Sun's center is partially degenerate and scattering is a majorcontribution to the opacity. We present a simple multiplicative correctionfactor to the scattering opacity that accounts for the effect ofdegeneracy on the final scattering state. We discuss the connectionbetween this work and other calculations which have included thiseffect.