The VLT-FLAMES Survey of Massive Stars

TL;DR

This large-scale survey used high-resolution spectra of over 800 massive stars across different environments to improve understanding of stellar evolution, rotational mixing, and mass-loss processes.

Contribution

It provides the first extensive, high-quality spectral dataset of massive stars in the Galaxy and Magellanic Clouds, enabling detailed analysis and new insights into their evolution.

Findings

Quantitative characterization of over 800 massive stars.

New insights into the effects of metallicity on stellar evolution.

Development of advanced spectral analysis techniques.

Abstract

The VLT-FLAMES Survey of Massive Stars was an ESO Large Programme to understand rotational mixing and stellar mass-loss in different metallicity environments, in order to better constrain massive star evolution. We gathered high-quality spectra of over 800 stars in the Galaxy and in the Magellanic Clouds. A sample of this size is unprecedented, enabled by the first high-resolution, wide-field, multi-object spectrograph on an 8-m telescope. We developed spectral analysis techniques that, in combination with non-LTE, line-blanketed model atmospheres, were used to quantitatively characterise every star. The large sample, combined with the theoretical developments, has produced exciting new insights into the evolution of the most massive stars.