Evolution and final fates of low- and intermediate-mass stars

TL;DR

This paper reviews the formation, evolution, and ultimate fates of low- and intermediate-mass stars, highlighting their importance in the universe and detailing their structural and evolutionary processes.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the stellar evolution processes specific to stars with 0.1 to 10 solar masses, emphasizing their formation, evolution, and final outcomes.

Findings

Most stars in the universe are low- and intermediate-mass.

The paper details the processes driving their evolution.

It discusses the unique final fates of these stars.

Abstract

Stars are unique bodies of the Universe where self-gravity compress matter to such high temperature and density that several nuclear fusion reactions ignite, providing enough feedback against further compression for a time that can be even larger than the age of the universe. The main property of a star is its mass because it determines its structure, evolutionary history, age, and ultimate fate. Depending on this quantity, stars are broadly classified as low-mass stars, like our Sun, intermediate mass stars as the variable star Delta Cephei, and massive stars as Betelgeuse, a red supergiant star in Orion constellation. Here we will introduce the basic notions useful to understand stellar evolution of low- and intermediate- mass stars. This mass range (0.1 M$_{\odot}$ - 10.0 M$_{\odot}$) deserves special attention, as it contains most of the stars in the universe. This chapter will focus on how these stars form, the processes that drive their evolution, and key details regarding their structure. Finally, we will discuss the death of such stars, emphasizing the unique fates associated with low- and intermediate-mass stars.