Related papers: Post-common-envelope binary stars, radiative levit…
The evolution of star clusters is studied using N-body simulations in which the evolution of single stars and binaries are taken self-consistently into account. Initial conditions are chosen to represent relatively young Galactic open…
Three topics are discussed: 1) Photometric observations of the rapidly oscillating Ap stars have shown that the pulsation amplitude drops dramatically as a function of wavelength from the blue to the red. A theoretical derivation, plus…
In the context of the standard model of particle physics, there is a definite upper limit to the density of stable compact stars. However, if there is a deeper layer of constituents, below that of quarks and leptons, stability may be…
Evolutionary calculations of population I stars with initial masses $M_0=1M_\odot$, $1.5M_\odot$ and $2M_\odot$ were carried out up to the stage of the proto--planetary nebula. Selected models of post--AGB evolutionary sequences with…
Hot subluminous stars of spectral type B and O are core helium-burning stars at the blue end of the horizontal branch or have evolved even beyond that stage. Strikingly, the distribution in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram of He-rich vs.…
The evolution of massive stars is the basis of several astrophysical investigations, from predicting gravitational-wave event rates to studying star-formation and stellar populations in clusters. However, uncertainties in massive star…
The Luminous Blue Variable stars exhibit behavior ranging from light curve `microvariations' on timescales of tens of days, to `outbursts' accompanied by mass loss of up to 10e-03 solar masses per year, occurring decades apart, to `giant…
(Abridged) Stars more massive than $20-30M_{\odot}$ are so luminous that the radiation force on the cooler, more opaque outer layers can balance or exceed the force of gravity. These near or super-Eddington outer envelopes represent a long…
Binary central stars have long been invoked to explain the vexing shapes of planetary nebulae (PNe) despite there being scant direct evidence to support this hypothesis. Modern large-scale surveys and improved observing strategies have…
Evidence suggests that the direct progenitor stars of some core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) are luminous blue variables (LBVs), perhaps including some `superluminous supernovae' (SLSNe). We examine models in which massive stars gain mass…
We construct a speculative scenario for rotation-induced extra helium mixing to the envelope of horizontal branch (HB) stars. This scenario differs from previous ones in that the mixing occurs after the star has left the red giant branch…
Luminous blue variables (LBVs) are hot, very luminous massive stars displaying large quasi-periodic variations in brightness, radius,and photospheric temperature, on timescales of years to decades. The physical origin of this variability,…
At least one in five of all planetary nebulae are the product of a common envelope (CE) interaction, where the companion in-spirals into the envelope of an asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star ejecting the nebula and leaving behind a compact…
Most massive stars experience binary interactions in their lifetimes that can alter both the surface and core structure of the stripped star with significant effects on their ultimate fate as core-collapse supernovae. However, core-collapse…
We review three main results of our recent study: * We show that a proper treatment of the tidal interaction prior to the onset of the common envelope (CE) leads to an enhance mass loss. This might increase the survivability of planets and…
Recent observational and theoretical studies of classical Be stars have established the utility of polarization color diagrams (PCD) in helping to constrain the time-dependent mass decretion rates of these systems. We expand on our pilot…
Realistic stellar models are essential to the forward modelling approach in asteroseismology. For practicality however, certain model assumptions are also required. For example, in the case of subdwarf B stars, one usually starts with…
Common envelope evolution (CEE) occurs in some binary systems involving asymptotic giant branch (AGB) or red giant branch (RGB) stars, and understanding this process is crucial for understanding the origins of various transient phenomena.…
Common envelope evolution (CEE) physics plays a fundamental role in the formation of binary systems, such as mergering stellar gravitational wave sources, pulsar binaries and type Ia supernovae. A precisely constrained CEE has become more…
The major mass fraction of the envelope of hot luminous stars is radiatively stable. However, the partial ionisation of hydrogen, helium and iron gives rise to extended sub-surface convection zones in all of them. In this work, we…