Physics of Mass Loss in Massive Stars


J. Puls(1), J.O. Sundqvist(1), N. Markova(2)

1 - University Observatory Munich, Germany
2 - Institute of Astronomy with NAO Smolyan, Bulgaria

We review potential mass-loss mechanisms in the various evolutionary stages of massive stars, from the well-known line-driven winds of O-stars and BA supergiants to the less-understood winds from Red Supergiants. We discuss optically thick winds from Wolf-Rayet stars and Very Massive Stars, and the hypothesis of porosity-moderated, continuum-driven mass loss from stars formally exceeding the Eddington limit, which might explain the giant outbursts from Luminous Blue Variables. We finish this review with a glance on the impact of rapid rotation, magnetic fields and small-scale inhomogeneities in line-driven winds.

Reference: Invited review to appear in: New windows on massive stars: asteroseismology, interferometry, and spectropolarimetry. G. Meynet, C. Georgy, J.H. Groh & Ph. Stee, eds.
Status: Conference proceedings

Weblink: http://arxiv.org/abs/1409.3582

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Email: uh101aw@usm.uni-muenchen.de