Rotation and massive close binary evolution

Abstract

We review the role of rotation in massive close binary systems. Rotation has been advocated as an essential ingredient in massive single star models. However, rotation clearly is most important in massive binaries where one star accretes matter from a close companion, as the resulting spin-up drives the accretor towards critical rotation. Here, we explore our understanding of this process, and its observable consequences. When accounting for these consequences, the question remains whether rotational effects in massive single stars are still needed to explain the observations.

invited review for Proceedings of IAU-Symp. 250 on Massive Stars as Cosmic Engines, F. Bresolin, P. Crowther & J. Puls, eds

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Cited by in corpus (2)

• Rotational mixing in massive binaries: detached short-period systems
• New insights into the nature of the peculiar star theta Carinae