In classical models of stellar evolution, so far little importance has been attached to the early evolution of stars. Thomas Steindl from the Department of Astro- and Particle Physics at the University of Innsbruck now shows ...
From babies to teenagers, stars in their "young years" are a major challenge for science. The process of star formation is particularly complex and difficult to map in theoretical models. One of the few ways to learn more about the formation, structure or age of stars is to observe their oscillations. "Comparable to the exploration of the Earth's interior with the help of seismology, we can also make statements about their internal structure and thus also about the age of stars based on their oscillations," says Konstanze Zwintz.
The astronomer is regarded as a pioneer in the young field of asteroseismology and heads the research group Stellar Evolution and Asteroseismology at the Institute for Astro- and Particle Physics at the University of Innsbruck. The study of stellar oscillations has evolved significantly in recent years because the possibilities for precise observation through telescopes in space such as TESS, Kepler, and James Webb have improved on many levels. These advances are now also shedding new light on decades-old theories of stellar evolution.
Tarantula Nebula: In this famous star-forming region in our neighbouring galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud, many young stars are still in their molecular clouds. Credit: James Webb Space Telescope
The young star in the centre is in a molecular cloud and is enveloped by a disk. In the first stages of its life, the star attracts numerous materials, for example, through magnetic fields, which are constantly remixed in the turbulence. The interior of the young star is permeated by pulsations. Credit: Mirjana Keser
The blue line shows the evolution of a star before the transition to the main sequence (blue dot) according to the classical models applied since the 1950s. The white line represents the realistic representation resulting from Thomas Steindl's new model—the star's "wild" years from infancy to teenage years, with the evolution running from right to left in the image. Credit: University of Innsbruck