SMuK 2023 – scientific programme

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EP: Fachverband Extraterrestrische Physik

EP 9: Poster

EP 9.7: Poster

Wednesday, March 22, 2023, 17:30–19:00, HSZ OG1

Unveiling the dense molecular environments of evolved massive stars — •Michaela Kraus¹, María Laura Arias², Michalis Kourniotis¹, Andrea Torres², and Lydia S. Cidale² — ¹Astronomical Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ondřejov, Czech Republic — ²Instituto de Astrofísica de La Plata, CONICET, UNLP, La Plata, Argentina

The evolution of massive stars passes through states with intense mass-loss and eruptions, leading to the formation of dense and warm circumstellar environments, in which molecules and dust can form. Our research focuses on two specific such evolutionary stages: the B[e] supergiants and the yellow hypergiants, with the aim to reveal the structure and dynamics of their circumstellar matter. For this, we collected high-resolution near-infrared spectra for a sample of stars, using facilities at GEMINI Observatory. We discovered emission from hot CO gas in a few objects, based on which we derive the gas temperature, column density and kinematics within the line-forming regions. Interestingly, the yellow hypergiants and the B[e] supergiants with CO band emission share the same evolutionary tracks, and we discuss possible implications of this finding regarding potential evolutionary connections between these two phases.