Descripción del proyecto
Estudio de la evolución de la envoltura común en estrellas binarias
Una cuestión básica en astrofísica es comprender cómo evolucionan las estrellas, sobre todo en el caso de estrellas binarias o grupos de estrellas. Un misterio concreto es lo que ocurre cuando una estrella de un binomio entra en espiral en la envoltura de la otra estrella, un fenómeno denominado «fase de envoltura común». En el proyecto ExCEED, financiado por el Consejo Europeo de Investigación, se pretende ahondar en este fenómeno utilizando modelos innovadores y simulaciones magnetohidrodinámicas avanzadas tridimensionales. Los hallazgos del proyecto podrían ayudar a esclarecer cómo evolucionan e interactúan estas parejas de estrellas. También podrían ayudar a comprender mejor fenómenos cósmicos importantes como, por ejemplo, la formación de objetivos de ondas gravitacionales y ciertos tipos de supernovas.
Objetivo
A thorough understanding of stellar evolution is key to nearly any branch of astrophysics. The majority of stars evolves in binary or multiple systems and interactions often occur between their components. Such dynamical interaction phases are pivotal for the fate of the system and its constituents, but they elude classical stellar modeling. Common-envelope phases, in which a compact companion spirals into the envelope of a giant primary star, are the glaring gaps in our knowledge and pose one of the last unsolved fundamental problems to stellar astrophysics.
The ExCEED project breaks new ground by developing a strategy to reach a comprehensive understanding of common-envelope evolution. It combines leading three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic moving-mesh simulations with innovative models of physical processes to decipher the dynamical interaction between the stellar cores and the envelope material. On this basis, the post-common envelope evolution is explored by consistently linking to classical one-dimensional models. Predictions for astronomical observables are derived and a faithful effective prescription for representing common-envelope phases in binary stellar evolution and population synthesis calculations is constructed.
The new understanding of common-envelope evolution provided by the ExCEED project marks a break- through in stellar astrophysics and has implications beyond this field. ExCEED finally settles the long- standing questions of the mechanism of envelope ejection and the orbital separation of the post-common envelope remnant binary system. This allows to understand the formation of the targets of gravitational- wave astronomy that holds promise to solve problems of fundamental physics, the progenitors of Type Ia supernovae, and many other astrophysical events.
Ámbito científico
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Régimen de financiación
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC GrantsInstitución de acogida
69117 Heidelberg
Alemania