SFERICSS: Stellar Feedback - Explosive, Radiative, Interacting, and Coalescing Stars in their Surroundings

Populations of massive stars enrich, shape and influence the evolution of their surrounding regions through the matter they emit, their ionizing radiation during their life and during their explosive deaths. The majority of massive stars are in binary systems, going through phases of mass exchange, or even merging with their binary companion, which drastically affects the evolution of both stars. 

In the SFERICSS project we study the mechanical and energetic feedback of massive single stellar and binary populations in their environment throughout their life, death and possible afterlife. We use the next-generation population synthesis code, POSYDON, which is based on detailed models of binary systems, MESA. With it we calculate, in a systematic way, the matter and energy deposited by stellar populations in their environment during their different evolutionary phases, taking into account possible interactions with their companions and/or mergers. In addition, we study the outcome of supernova explosion based on the precise internal stellar structure at the time of collapse, and their continuous output in case they form X-ray binary systems. This approach enables us to study stellar feedback taking into account in a holistic and consistent way the different phases of stellar and binary evolution, allowing us to make a leap forward in our understanding of how it affects the interstellar environment, which is important for galactic evolution. 

The SFERICSS project is funded by an HFRI grant and is led by Dr. Manos Zapartas, with Dr. Dimitris Souropanis also involved.