Wave-driven shock dynamics for super-Eddington stellar outbursts

Chris Matzner (University of Toronto)

November 24, 2020

–

Abstract: Some massive stars undergo strong outbursts before their cores collapse, or reveal previous eruptions when they do explode. I will discuss a leading candidate mechanism, in which the core emits loud sounds that develop into shock waves. Can the problem be solved without simulations? How should one model the pattern of shock heating, or evaluate the potential for flinging matter from the stellar surface? How is this different from normal stellar oscillations? How is it connected to the origins of shock wave theory, or to the masses of stellar black holes?