A Detailed Study of Feedback from a Massive Star

TL;DR

This study uses 3D simulations to analyze how stellar winds, photoionisation, and supernovae from a 15 solar mass star transfer energy to the interstellar medium, highlighting the dominant role of photoionisation.

Contribution

It provides a detailed simulation-based quantification of feedback processes from a massive star, emphasizing the relative impacts of winds, photoionisation, and supernovae.

Findings

Stellar winds have negligible impact due to low luminosity.

Photoionisation reduces ambient density, affecting supernova cooling.

Provides a model grid for ISM feedback simulations.

Abstract

We present numerical simulations of a 15 solar mass star in a suite of idealised environments in order to quantify the amount of energy transmitted to the interstellar medium (ISM). We include models of stellar winds, UV photoionisation and the subsequent supernova based on theoretical models and observations of stellar evolution. The system is simulated in 3D using RAMSES-RT, an Adaptive Mesh Refinement Radiation Hydrodynamics code. We find that stellar winds have a negligible impact on the system owing to their relatively low luminosity compared to the other processes. The main impact of photoionisation is to reduce the density of the medium into which the supernova explodes, reducing the rate of radiative cooling of the subsequent supernova. Finally, we present a grid of models quantifying the energy and momentum of the system that can be used to motivate simulations of feedback in the ISM unable to fully resolve the processes discussed in this work.