Angular momentum transport by internal gravity waves. IV - Wave generation by surface convection zone, from the pre-main sequence to the early-AGB in intermediate mass stars

TL;DR

This paper investigates how internal gravity waves generated by surface convection influence angular momentum redistribution and chemical mixing in intermediate-mass stars from pre-main sequence to early-AGB, highlighting their significance beyond the main sequence.

Contribution

It extends previous studies by analyzing wave effects during later stellar evolutionary phases, especially the early-AGB, revealing their potential importance in angular momentum and element transport.

Findings

Waves are negligible during the main sequence for such stars.

Internal waves become significant at the end of the sub-giant branch.

Wave-induced mixing is expected during the early-AGB phase.

Abstract

This is the fourth in a series of papers that deal with angular momentum transport by internal gravity waves in stellar interiors. Here, we want to examine the potential role of waves in other evolutionary phases than the main sequence. We study the evolution of a 3Msun Population I model from the pre-main sequence to the early-AGB phase and examine whether waves can lead to angular momentum redistribution and/or element diffusion at the external convection zone boundary. We find that, although waves produced by the surface convection zone can be ignored safely for such a star during the main sequence, it is not the case for later evolutionary stages. In particular, angular momentum transport by internal waves could be quite important at the end of the sub-giant branch and during the early-AGB phase. Wave-induced mixing of chemicals is expected during the early-AGB phase.