Publication Abstracts

Stothers 2000

Stothers, R.B., 2000: Does turbulence in the iron convective zone cause the outbursts of η Carinae? Astrophys. J., 530, L103-L106, doi:10.1086/312500.

Taken at face value, the observed properties of the central object in η Carinae suggest a very massive, hot main-sequence star, only slightly evolved. Is this is so, the star's extraordinary high steady rate of mass loss must dynamically perturb its outer envelopedown to the iron convective zone, in which the kinetic energy associated with turbulent convection can be directly fed into mass ejection. Runaway mass loss, triggered by either internal (pulsational, rotational) or external (tidal) forcing, would produce a secular oscillation of the outer envelope. In either case, the oscillation is potentially able to account for the observed ∼5 yr cycles of visual outbursts in η Car, including the giant eruption of 1843.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{st03200f,
  author={Stothers, R. B.},
  title={Does turbulence in the iron convective zone cause the outbursts of η Carinae?},
  year={2000},
  journal={Astrophysical Journal},
  volume={530},
  pages={L103--L106},
  doi={10.1086/312500},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - st03200f
AU  - Stothers, R. B.
PY  - 2000
TI  - Does turbulence in the iron convective zone cause the outbursts of η Carinae?
JA  - Astrophys. J.
JO  - Astrophysical Journal
VL  - 530
SP  - L103
EP  - L106
DO  - 10.1086/312500
ER  -

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