Project description
Uncovering the mass loss mechanisms in massive stars
Massive stars are cosmic engines that enable researchers to study the universe, from the solar neighbourhood to stars forming in distant galaxies. Despite their importance, their evolutionary stage – from their formation till their expansion and collapse remains unknown. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the POEMS project aims to establish a multidisciplinary international network of researchers from Europe, Asia and South America with expertise in a variety of fields. The ultimate goal is to shed further light on the processes that trigger mass loss in massive stars during the last evolution stages. The project will develop cutting-edge numerical codes to describe the chemical and dynamical evolution of stars, their winds and their large-scale environments.
Objective
Massive stars are extreme cosmic engines, enriching their environments with chemically processed material throughout their entire life-time, and triggering star and planet formation. Despite their importance for the cosmic evolution, their evolutionary path up to their deaths as spectacular supernova explosions is most uncertain due to the lack of precise knowledge of the physical mechanisms behind mass eruptions. We wish to establish a multidisciplinary, international network of researchers from Europe, Asia, and South America with expertise in a variety of disciplines, and with background in both theory and observations. Our ultimate goal is to enlighten the processes that trigger mass loss in massive stars during extreme phases of their evolution. We will develop cutting-edge numerical codes suitable to describe the chemical and dynamical evolution of the stars, their winds, and their large-scale environments. In addition, we will initiate global observing campaigns utilizing facilities at major renowned observatories in combination with our national facilities, and exploit public archives from ground-based and space missions to acquire an outstanding set of urgently needed highest quality data. Confronting predictions from the numerical models with the observations will empower us to derive the first extensive and comprehensive set of precise physical parameters. The acquired results will significantly enhance our knowledge and lead to major advancements in all related fields. The bulk of exchanges will be undertaken by Early Stage Researchers and young Post-docs, who will be educated and trained in modern observing and data analyzing techniques and in high-performance computation, equipping them with excellent skills for their future careers. We will organize schools and workshops to share knowledge and to communicate and disseminate our results, which will be major breakthroughs and support the leading role of Europe in Astronomy.
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Coordinator
25165 Ondrejov
Czechia