The chemistry of dust formation in red supergiants

TL;DR

This review summarizes current understanding of dust formation and chemistry in the winds of red supergiants, highlighting the synthesis processes and molecular components involved in oxygen-rich dust production.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the chemical processes and dust formation mechanisms in red supergiant stellar winds, integrating recent observational and theoretical insights.

Findings

Dust forms via non-equilibrium processes in stellar winds

Oxygen-rich dust includes silicates and metal oxides

Molecular complexity observed in stars like VY CMa and Betelgeuse

Abstract

Massive stars in their late stages of evolution as Red Supergiants experience mass loss. The resulting winds show various degrees of dynamical and chemical complexity and produce molecules and dust grains. This review summarises our knowledge of the molecular and dust components of the wind of Red Supergiants, including VY CMa and Betelgeuse. We discuss the synthesis of dust as a non-equilibrium process in stellar winds, and present the current knowledge of the chemistry involved in the formation of oxygen-rich dust such as silicates and metal oxides.