Title: Mass-loss from massive evolved stars: the puzzling outflows of the red supergiant NML Cyg
Speaker: Holly Andrews
Affiliation: Chalmers University of Technology
Time: Thursday 10 November 2022, 1400 to 1500
Location: 101190Å
Abstract:
A crucial late-stage evolutionary phase in the lifetimes of evolved massive stars is that of red supergiants and yellow hypergiants, where stellar winds and episodic outbursts that allow material to escape the star lead to the production of dense circumstellar envelopes. Up to half of their initial mass may become deposited into the surrounding circumstellar medium, influencing the characteristics of the star's evolution, the surrounding interstellar medium, and the wider galactic medium. In my talk, I will present data from my current research, showcasing the curious case of NML Cyg, a red supergiant which is surrounded by complex and asymmetric morphology that can be traced with both warm dust and molecular emission. My talk will focus on recent data gathered with the NOEMA interferometer, but also indicate how we can build up a multi-wavelength understanding in considering both the internal and external factors that influence the circumstellar environment of this star.