Related papers: New mass estimates for massive binary systems: a p…

Astronomical polarimetry is a powerful technique that can provide physical information sometimes difficult or impossible to obtain by any other type of observation. Almost every class of binary star can benefit from polarimetric…

A newly developed 3-D Monte Carlo model is used, in conjunction with a multi-line non-LTE radiative transfer model, to determine the mass-loss rate of the Wolf-Rayet (W-R) star in the massive binary \object{V444 Cyg} (WN5+O6). This…

Some studies have claimed a universal stellar upper-mass limit of 150 Msun. A factor that is often overlooked is that there might be a difference between the current and initial masses of the most massive stars, as a result of mass loss. We…

Evolution of Population I stars with initial masses from 70M_\odot to 130M_\odot is considered under various assumptions on the mass loss rate \dot M. The mass-luminosity relation of W-R stars is shown to be most sensitive to the mass loss…

The stability criteria of rapid mass transfer and common-envelope evolution are fundamental in binary star evolution. They determine the mass, mass ratio, and orbital distribution of many important systems, such as X-ray binaries, type Ia…

To better understand the evolution of stars in binary systems as well as to constrain the formation of binary stars, it is important to know the binary mass-ratio distribution. However, in most cases, i.e. for single-lined spectroscopic…

The hypothesis that CAK-type line driving is responsible for the large observed Wolf-Rayet (W-R) mass-loss rates has been called into question in recent theoretical studies. The purpose of this paper is to reconsider the plausibility of…

We present the first calculations of mass transfer via RLOF for a binary system with a significant eccentricity using our new binary stellar evolution code. The study focuses on a 1.50+1.40 Msun main sequence binary with an eccentricity of…

We analyze new high-resolution Chandra X-ray images of the Wolf-Rayet binary system WR147. This system contains a WN8 star with an early-type companion located 0.6'' to its north, and is the only known early-type binary with a separation on…

We review recent developments regarding radiation driven mass loss from OB-stars. We first summarize the fundamental theoretical predictions, and then compare these to observational results (including the VLT-FLAMES survey of massive…

We perform hydrodynamic simulations of mass transfer in binaries that contain a white dwarf and a neutron star (WD-NS binaries), and measure the specific angular momentum of material lost from the binary in disc winds. By incorporating our…

The large number of gravitational wave (GW) detections have revealed the properties of the merging black hole binary population, but how such systems are formed is still heavily debated. Understanding the imprint of stellar physics on the…

We explore the ability of high energy observations to constrain orbital parameters of long period massive binary systems by means of an inverse Compton model acting in colliding wind environments. This is particular relevant for (very) long…

In order to predict the black hole mass distributions at high redshift, we need to understand whether very massive single stars ($M>40$ M$_\odot$) at low metallicity $Z$ lose their hydrogen-rich envelopes, like their metal-rich…

Most massive stars reside in multiple systems that will interact over the course of their lifetime. Classical Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars represent the final end stages of stellar evolution at the upper-mass end. As part of a homogeneous,…

Three-dimensional hydrodynamic calculations are performed in order to investigate mass transfer in a close binary system, in which one component undergoes mass loss through a wind. The mass ratio is assumed to be unity. The radius of the…

The evolution of massive stars is only partly understood. Observational constraints can be obtained from the study of massive stars located in young massive clusters. The ESO Public Survey VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) discovered…

A large fraction of stars in binary systems are expected to undergo mass and angular momentum exchange at some point in their evolution, which can drastically alter the chemical and dynamical properties and fates of the systems. Interaction…

In the Milky Way, $\sim$18 Wolf-Rayet+O (WR+O) binaries are known with estimates of their stellar and orbital parameters. Whereas black hole+O (BH+O) binaries are thought to evolve from the former, only one such system is known in the Milky…

The coalescence of compact binaries containing neutron stars or black holes is one of the most promising signals for advanced ground-based laser interferometer gravitational-wave detectors, with the first direct detections expected over the…