XXIX WS2017
Applications of

Radiative Transfer

to stellar and planetary atmospheres
Tenerife, Spain - 13-17 Nov. 2017

Poster abstract details

Testing the effect of mass-loss prescriptions on the evolution of hydrogen-free Wolf-Rayet stars
Carlos Viscasillas (ESA). Frank Tramper (ESA). Danny Lennon (ESA).

Abstract

To understand the evolution of massive stars and their impact on their surroundings, knowing the effect of the mass loss is critical. In this poster, we present stellar evolution models for Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars developed using the Models for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA) code. These models incorporate a new prescription for the WR mass loss rate, which is considerably more accurate than the older prescriptions currently in use. The predictions from these models are compared to those of published models from various groups to asses the impact of the more accurate mass loss rates on, e.g., the lifetimes and final masses. The observed properties of WR stars are compared to those predicted by the new models.