Helium Flash in Less Massive Stars

Physics

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Scientific paper

The structure of a stellar core of condensed type is generally discussed to show that physical variables at the center can be determined almost completely as functions of central entropy, if the polytropic index is known in the relatively central region. Based on this relation, the thermal runaway through the helium flash in less massive stars is investigated, treating the core mass as a parameter. Taking into account the finite thermal conductivity, a convection core is shown to develop in the degenerate region. If we assume a sufficiently large efficiency of convective heat-transport, the maximum central temperature in the course of the helium flash is too low to lead the core of 0.53 M&sun; to explosion, in contrast to the model sequence calculated by Schwarzschild and Härm. The effect of the finite efficiency of convective heat-transport is investigated, using the mixing length theory of convection and treating the ratio of the mixing length to the scale-height of pressure as a parameter. Structures of cores including this effect are solved numerically. It is found that, if this ratio is smaller than a critical value which depends on the core mass, an instability occurs; the heat energy liberated by helium burning is blocked and the central temperature reaches a value, above which the effect of inertia leads the core into explosion.

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