Related papers: SCATTER: A New Common Envelope Formalism
Characterization of the binary fractions in star clusters is of fundamental importance for many fields in astrophysics. Observations indicate that the majority of stars are found in binary systems, while most stars with masses greater than…
One-dimensional (1D) methods for simulating the common-envelope (CE) phase offer advantages over three-dimensional (3D) simulations regarding their computational speed and feasibility. We present the 1D CE method from Bronner et al. (2024),…
Many binary systems are in a state of strong interaction, where mass exchanges, accretion disks, common envelopes provide circumstellar matter which can have significant effects in microlensing light curves of background sources. Such…
Close double neutron stars have been observed as Galactic radio pulsars, while their mergers have been detected as gamma-ray bursts and gravitational-wave sources. They are believed to have experienced at least one common-envelope episode…
The embedded phase of star formation is the crucial phase where most of the stellar mass is assembled. Velocity-resolved spectra reveal an infalling envelope, bipolar outflows, and perhaps an infant circumstellar disk -- all locked together…
Recently, very massive compact stellar systems have been discovered in the intracluster regions of galaxy clusters and in the nuclear regions of late-type disk galaxies. It is unclear how these compact stellar systems -- known as…
Two main mechanisms have classically been proposed for the formation of runaway stars. In the binary supernova scenario (BSS), a massive star in a binary explodes as a supernova, ejecting its companion. In the dynamical ejection scenario, a…
Coalescing compact binaries are thought to be involved in a wide variety of astrophysical phenomena. In particular, they are important sources of gravitational radiation for both ground-based and space-based laser-interferometer detectors,…
In this paper we propose a new plausible mechanism of supernova explosions specific to close binary systems. The starting point is the common envelope phase in the evolution of a binary consisting of a red super giant and a neutron star. As…
Despite being the most abundant (by space density) of interacting binary stars, W Ursae Majoris (W UMa) stars are not understood structurally. Their stellar components are in physical contact, and share a common convective envelope.…
Modeling the evolution of progenitors of gravitational-wave merger events in binary stars faces two major uncertainties: the common-envelope phase and supernova kicks. These two processes are critical for the final orbital configuration of…
In this first in a series of papers related to long-period post-common-envelope (CE) binaries, we investigated whether extra energy is required or not to explain the currently known post-CE binaries with sufficiently long orbital periods…
The final expulsion of gas by a star as it forms a planetary nebula --- the ionized shell of gas often observed surrounding a young white dwarf --- is one of the most poorly understood stages of stellar evolution. Such nebulae form…
Circumstellar envelopes (CEs) around evolved stars are an active site for the production of molecules. After evolving through the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB), proto-planetary nebula (PPN), to planetary nebula (PN) phases, CEs ultimately…
Binary systems are very common among field stars. While this relatively small number of planets in binaries is probably partly due to strong observational biases, there is, however, statistical evidence that planets are indeed less frequent…
Thorne-\.{Z}ytkow objects (T\.{Z}Os), hypothetical merger products in which a neutron star is embedded in a stellar core, are traditionally considered steady-state configurations. Their assembly, especially through dynamical channels, is…
Using the StarTrack population synthesis code we analyze the formation channels possibly available to double neutron star binaries and find that they can be richer than previously thought. We identify a group of short lived, tight binaries,…
We use the rapid binary stellar evolution code BINARY_C to estimate the rate of merging neutron stars with numerous combinations of envelope ejection efficiency and natal kick dispersion. We find a peak in the local rate of merging neutron…
Common envelope (CE) evolution is a critical but still poorly understood progenitor phase of many high-energy astrophysical phenomena. Although 3D global hydrodynamic CE simulations have become more common in recent years, those involving…
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…