Stars, Interstellar Medium and the Galaxy Commons^™

Equatorial Wind Compression Effects Across The H-R Diagram., R. Ignace, J. P. Cassinelli

Richard Ignace

We investigate the degree to which moderate stellar rotation rates can influence the two-dimensional density structure in the winds of four classes of stars: WoIf-Rayet, B[e], asymptotic giant branch (AGB), and novae. These classes are distributed across the H-R diagram and have a wide range of escape speeds and wind acceleration. Furthermore, all have members which possess asymmetric circumstellar nebulae. It has been suggested that these asymmetries could result from stellar winds which have moderate equatorial density enhancements. Large enhancements may arise as the result of stellar rotation as demonstrated by the wind-compressed disk (WCD) model of Bjorkman & Cassinelli. …