| Issue |
A&A
Volume 395, Number 1, November III 2002
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | L1 - L4 | |
| Section | Letters | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20021381 | |
| Published online | 29 October 2002 | |
Letter to the Editor
An explanation for the curious mass loss history of massive stars: From OB stars, through Luminous Blue Variables to Wolf-Rayet stars
1
Astronomical Institute, University of Utrecht, Princetonplein 5, 3584CC, Utrecht, The Netherlands
2
SRON Laboratory for Space Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands
3
Tartu Observatory, 61602 Tõravere, Estonia
Corresponding author: H. J. G. L. M. Lamers, lamers@astro.uu.nl
Accepted: 20 September 2002
The stellar winds of massive stars show large changes in mass-loss rates and terminal velocities during their evolution from O-star through the Luminous Blue Variable phase to the Wolf-Rayet phase. The luminosity remains approximately unchanged during these phases. These large changes in wind properties are explained in the context of the radiation driven wind theory, of which we consider four different models. They are due to the evolutionary changes in radius, gravity and surface composition and to the change from optically thin (in continuum) line driven winds to optically thick radiation driven winds.
Key words: stars: evolution / stars: mass-loss / stars: Luminous Blue Variables Stars: OB / stars: Wolf–Rayet
© ESO, 2002
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