From luminous hot stars to starburst galaxies / Peter S. Conti, Paul A. Crowther, Claus Leitherer.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 294-305) and indexes.

Print version record.

1.1 Motivation 1 -- 1.2 Observed properties 1 -- 1.3 Stellar atmospheres 5 -- 1.4 Stellar winds 5 -- 1.5 Evolution of single stars 7 -- 1.6 Binaries 9 -- 1.7 Birth of massive stars and star clusters 10 -- 1.8 The interstellar environment 11 -- 1.9 From GHII regions to starburst galaxies 12 -- 1.10 Starburst phenomena 14 -- 1.11 Cosmological implications 15 -- 2 Observed properties 17 -- 2.1 Apparent and absolute magnitudes 17 -- 2.2 Distances 19 -- 2.3 Massive stars in Local Group galaxies 21 -- 2.4 Spectral classification 35 -- 2.5 Observations of rotation and magnetic fields 45 -- 3 Stellar atmospheres 49 -- 3.1 LTE atmospheres 49 -- 3.2 Non-LTE atmospheres 50 -- 3.3 Surface gravities and masses 61 -- 3.4 Surface composition 62 -- 4 Stellar winds 67 -- 4.1 Radiation pressure 67 -- 4.2 Wind velocities 74 -- 4.3 Mass-loss rates 79 -- 4.4 Structure and clumping 90 -- 4.5 Influence of stellar rotation 95 -- 5 Evolution of single stars 99 -- 5.1 Nucleosynthesis 99 -- 5.2 Evolution to a red supergiant 102 -- 5.3 Evolution to the Wolf-Rayet stage 107 -- 5.4 Rotation and mass-loss 111 -- 5.5 Magnetic massive stars 115 -- 5.6 Core-collapse supernovae 116 -- 6 Binaries 129 -- 6.1 Massive binary frequency 129 -- 6.2 Binary masses 130 -- 6.3 Close binary evolution 133 -- 6.4 Interacting stellar winds 146 -- 6.5 Dust formation in WC stars 149 -- 7 Birth of massive stars and star clusters 154 -- 7.1 Natal precursors of OB stars 155 -- 7.2 The initial mass function 163 -- 7.3 Formation of high-mass stars 167 -- 7.4 Massive stellar clusters 170 -- 8 The interstellar environment 180 -- 8.1 Interstellar dust 180 -- 8.2 Ionized hydrogen regions 184 -- 8.3 Wind blown bubbles 187 -- 8.4 Ejecta nebulae around LBVs and W-R stars 192 -- 9 From giant HII regions to HII galaxies 197 -- 9.1 Giant HII regions: definition and structural parameters 197 -- 9.2 30 Doradus -- the Rosetta Stone 200 -- 9.3 Stellar population diagnostics 208 -- 9.4 HII galaxies: stellar content and relation to starbursts 219 -- 10 Starburst phenomena 229 -- 10.1 Definition of a starburst 229 -- 10.2 The starburst IMF 231 -- 10.3 The evolution of starbursts 241 -- 10.4 Starburst-driven superwinds 250 -- 10.5 The starburst-AGN connection 255 -- 11 Cosmological implications 266 -- 11.1 Population III stars 266 -- 11.2 Lyman-break galaxies 272 -- 11.3 Massive stars and cosmic abundances 280 -- 11.4 Gamma ray bursts 287.

Luminous hot stars represent the extreme upper mass end of normal stellar evolution. Before exploding as supernovae, they live out their lives of a few million years with prodigious outputs of radiation and stellar winds, dramatically affecting both their evolution and environments. A detailed introduction to the topic, this book connects the astrophysics of massive stars with the extremes of galaxy evolution represented by starburst phenomena. A thorough discussion of the physical and wind parameters of massive stars is presented. HII galaxies, their connection to starburst galaxies, and the contribution of starburst phenomena to galaxy evolution through superwinds, are explored. The book concludes with the wider cosmological implications, including Population III stars, Lyman break galaxies and gamma-ray bursts, for each of which massive stars are believed to play a crucial role. This book is ideal for graduate students and researchers in astrophysics interested in luminous hot stars and galaxy evolution.

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