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Envelope of red giant very loosely held
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Star is so big, gravity very weak at the surface
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Degenerate core makes nuclear “thermostat”
sluggish
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Core doesn’t quickly expand and cool when fusion
is to fast
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Energy can be generated in “thermal pulses”
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Low temperature opaque envelope can also
“oscillate”
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Energy is transmitted in “pulses” as envelope
expands and
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contracts
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Main cause of “Variable Stars”
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