The Deaths of Very Massive Stars

Understand

The theory underlying the evolution and death of stars heavier than 10 Msun on the main sequence is reviewed with an emphasis upon stars much heavier than 30 Msun.

• These are stars that, in the absence of substantial mass loss, are expected to either produce black holes when they die, or, for helium cores heavier than about 35 Msun, encounter the pair instability.
• A wide variety of outcomes is possible depending upon the initial composition of the star, its rotation rate, and the physics used to model its evolution.
• These heavier stars can produce some of the brightest supernovae in the universe, but also some of the faintest.