Poster abstract
The Most Massive Stars
Abstract
The presently accepted upper stellar mass limit is 150 solar masses.
However, new studies of the brightest WN-type members within two star
clusters, R136 and NGC3603 challenge this limit. R136 appears to host
stars whose initial masses are significantly in excess of 150 Msol, with
consideration given to possibly binarity, on the basis of spectroscopic
radial velocity studies, X- ray observations and dynamical effects in
dense clusters. The high mass star content of the Arches cluster is
placed within this context, as is the potential significance of a higher
stellar mass limit for the integrated properties of young, spatially
unresolved star clusters.
However, new studies of the brightest WN-type members within two star
clusters, R136 and NGC3603 challenge this limit. R136 appears to host
stars whose initial masses are significantly in excess of 150 Msol, with
consideration given to possibly binarity, on the basis of spectroscopic
radial velocity studies, X- ray observations and dynamical effects in
dense clusters. The high mass star content of the Arches cluster is
placed within this context, as is the potential significance of a higher
stellar mass limit for the integrated properties of young, spatially
unresolved star clusters.