Dust formation in massive stars and their explosive ends

TL;DR

This paper reviews observational evidence and theoretical models of dust formation in massive stars, including Wolf-Rayet binaries and supernovae, with new modeling of grain nucleation in early universe supernovae.

Contribution

It introduces a chemical kinetic model for grain nucleation in supernova ejecta, expanding understanding of dust formation in early universe massive stars.

Findings

Evidence of dust in Wolf-Rayet binaries and supernovae

Development of a new chemical kinetic nucleation model

Insights into dust formation in early universe supernovae

Abstract

We review the observational evidence for dust formation in Wolf-Rayet binary systems and in Type II Supernova ejecta. Existing theoretical models describing the condensation of solids in carbon-rich Wolf-Rayet stars and in Supernovae close by and at high redshift are discussed. We describe new modeling of carbon- and oxygen-based grain nucleation using a chemical kinetic approach applied to the ejecta of massive pair-instability Supernovae in the early universe. Finally, dust formation processes in colliding wind regions of WC binary systems are discussed.