Structure and Evolution of Low-Mass Stars: An Overview and Some Open Problems

A review is presented of some of the ingredients, assumptions and techniques that are used in the computation of the structure and evolution of low-mass stars. Emphasis is placed on several ingredients which are still subject to considerable uncertainty. An overview of the evolution of low-mass stars is also presented, from the cloud collapse phase all the way to the white dwarf cooling curve.Comment: 52 pages, 6 figures. Invited review, to appear in "XIth Special Courses at the National Observatory of Rio de Janeiro" (AIP Conf. Proc.), ed. J. Alcaniz, R. de la Reza, F. Roig, & D. F. Lope