Rotational mixing in close binaries
Abstract
Rotational mixing a very important but uncertain process in the evolution of massive stars. We propose to use close binaries to test its efficiency. Based on rotating single stellar models we predict nitrogen surface enhancements for tidally locked binaries. Furthermore we demonstrate the possibility of a new evolutionary scenario for very massive (M > 40M⊙) close (P < 3 days) binaries: Case M, in which mixing is so efficient that the stars evolve quasi-chemically homogeneously, stay compact and avoid any Roche-lobe overflow, leading to very close (double) WR binaries.
- Publication:
-
The Art of Modeling Stars in the 21st Century
- Pub Date:
- October 2008
- DOI:
- arXiv:
- arXiv:0805.2544
- Bibcode:
- 2008IAUS..252..365D
- Keywords:
-
- stars: rotation;
- binaries: close;
- stars: Wolf-Rayet;
- stars: abundances;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 5 pages, 5 figures: to appear in the proceedings of IAU 252 "The Art of Modelling Stars in the 21st Century", April 6-11, 2008, Sanya, China