Time-dependent diffusion in stellar atmospheres

The chemical peculiarities of Ap stars are due to abundance stratifications produced by atomic diffusion in their outer layers. Theoretical models can predict such stratifications, but so far only provide equilibrium solutions which correspond to the maximum depth-dependent abundances for each element that can be supported by the radiation field. However, these stratifications are actually built up through a non-linear, time-dependent process which has never been modelled for realistic stellar atmospheres.