On the Eddington limit and WR Stars

TL;DR

This paper investigates the properties of stars near the Eddington limit, focusing on chemically homogeneous evolution and its implications for Wolf-Rayet stars, using analytical models and Geneva code simulations.

Contribution

It derives a relation mu^2 M = const for homologous, chemically homogeneous stars near the Eddington limit, linking stellar mass and composition.

Findings

The relation mu^2 M = const applies to WR stars without hydrogen.

The constant varies with metallicity, initial mass, and evolutionary stage.

The average constant value aligns with observed Galactic WR star masses.

Abstract

We examine some properties of stars evolving close to the classical Eddington limit for electron-scattering opacity, when these stars maintain a chemically homogeneous structure as a result of mixing and/or mass loss. We consider analytical relations and models computed with the Geneva code. Homologous, chemically homogeneous stars evolving with a constant Eddington factor obey a relation of the form mu^2 M = const. This applies, for example, to Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars in stages without hydrogen. The value of the constant may depend on the metallicity, initial mass, evolutionary stage, and physical processes included in the considered homologous evolutionary sequence. An average value of the constant between 20 and 40 in solar units is consistent with the masses of Galactic WR stars.