The evolution of massive stars. I - The influence of mass loss on Population 1 stars
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Abstract
Investigations of 15, 30, and 40 solar mass models are presented, the models having evolved through the hydrogen-burning and helium-burning phases up to the point of carbon ignition. The mass loss formulations are chosen to give mass loss rates as near as possible in agreement with observations, so that a complete, self-consistent set of evolutionary tracks is provided which reflects the effects of mass loss and initial composition. Results indicate that all massive stars ignite helium as blue supergiants. Stars greater than 30 solar masses spend less than one percent of their total lifetimes as red supergiants. Above 30 solar masses, the rate of helium burning increases dramatically, with forty solar mass models spending up to half of their core helium-burning lifetimes as red supergiants. The primary effect of mass loss is to increase the rate of redward evolution during helium burning for all masses.