Common Powering Mechanism of Intermediate Luminosity Optical Transients and Luminous Blue Variables

Understand

We study recent Intermediate Luminosity Optical Transients (ILOTs) and major eruptions of Luminous Blue Variables (LBVs), and strengthen claims for a similar mechanism powering both.

• This process is a short duration release of gravitational energy in a binary system.
• In some ILOTs a merger occurs and one of the stars does not survive the transient event, e.g., V838 Mon and V1309 Sco.
• In some transient events a rapid and short mass transfer process takes place and the two stars survive the transient event, e.g., the Great Eruption of Eta Carinae.