Issue |
EAS Publications Series
Volume 19, 2006
Stars and Nuclei: A Tribute to Manuel Forestini
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Page(s) | 103 - 124 | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/eas:2006028 | |
Published online | 25 March 2006 |
T. Montmerle and C. Kahane (eds)
EAS Publications Series, 19 (2006) 103-124
Evolution of massive AGB stars
Institut d'Astronomie et d'Astrophysique, Université Libre de
Bruxelles, CP 226, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
The evolution of stars in the mass range 7–12 M๏ is characterized by the off-center ignition of carbon in condition of partially degeneracy followed by the propagation of a convectively bound flame and the formation of a neon-oxygen core. In this chapter, we review the evolutionary features of these peculiar stars and pay a special attention to the thermally pulsing super-AGB phase and associated nucleosynthesis. The evolution toward electron capture supernovae for the most massive members of this class is briefly mentioned. In light of new computations, we also discuss the question of Mup, the critical mass above which carbon ignites as well as Mn, the minimum mass for the formation of a neutron star and analyze the dependence of these transition masses on metallicity.
© EAS, EDP Sciences, 2006