How the mass-loss rates of red-supergiants determine the fate of massive stars ?

TL;DR

This paper examines how the uncertain mass-loss rates of red supergiants influence the evolution and final supernova type of massive stars, highlighting the importance of better constraints on RSG mass loss.

Contribution

It demonstrates the impact of RSG mass-loss rates on stellar evolution and supernova outcomes, and discusses methods to distinguish stars that have undergone an RSG phase.

Findings

Mass-loss rates during RSG phase significantly affect stellar evolution.

Different RSG mass-loss scenarios lead to varied supernova types.

Potential observational strategies to identify stars that experienced an RSG phase.

Abstract

Mass-loss rates are one of the most relevant parameters determining the evolution of massive stars. In particular, the rates at which the star loses mass during the red-supergiant (RSG) phase is the least constrained by the observations or theory. In this paper, we show how the mass loss during the RSG phase affects the later evolution of the star, as well as the final type of supernova towards which it leads. We also discuss some possibilities to discriminate between blue stars that went through a RSG phase and those which remained in the blue part of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram.