Interaction of massive stars with their surroundings
arXiv:0810.3311 · doi:10.1017/S1743921308023090
Abstract
Due to their short lifetimes but their enormous energy release in all stages of their lives massive stars are the major engines for the comic matter circuit. They affect not only their close environment but are also responsible to drive mass flows on galactic scales. Recent 2D models of radiation-driven and wind-blown HII regions are summarized which explore the impact of massive stars to the interstellar medium but find surprisingly small energy transfer efficiencies while an observable Carbon self-enrichment in the Wolf-Rayet phase is detected in the warm ionized gas. Finally, the focus is set on state-of-the-art modelling of HII regions and its present weaknesses with respect to uncertainties and simplifications but on a perspective of the requested art of their modelling in the 21st century.
7 pages, 3 fig.s, to be published in IAU Symp. No. 252, "The art of modelling stars in the 21st century", L. Deng & K.L. Chang (eds.), 2008, invited talk