Descrizione del progetto
Esplorare l’evoluzione dell’involucro comune nelle stelle binarie
Comprendere l’evoluzione stellare è fondamentale per l’astrofisica, soprattutto in relazione alle stelle che esistono in coppie o gruppi. Un particolare mistero riguarda il fenomeno in cui una stella facente parte di una stella binaria entra a spirale nell’involucro dell’altra stella, noto come fase di inviluppo comune. Finanziato dal Consiglio europeo della ricerca, il progetto ExCEED mira a far luce su questo fenomeno utilizzando modelli innovativi e simulazioni magnetoidrodinamiche tridimensionali avanzate, fornendo risultati che potrebbero contribuire a rivelare di più sull’evoluzione e l’interazione di queste stelle binarie. Inoltre, la ricerca di ExCEED potrebbe aiutarci a comprendere meglio eventi cosmici significativi, come la formazione di onde gravitazionali bersaglio e di alcuni tipi di supernove.
Obiettivo
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.
Campo scientifico
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC GrantsIstituzione ospitante
69117 Heidelberg
Germania