Towards a better understanding of the evolution of Wolf-Rayet stars and Type Ib/Ic supernova progenitors

Understand

Hydrogen-deficient Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars are potential candidates of Type Ib/Ic supernova (SN Ib/Ic) progenitors and their evolution is governed by mass loss.

• Stellar evolution models with the most popular prescription for WR mass-loss rates given by Nugis & Lamers have difficulties in explaining the luminosity distribution of WR stars of WC and WO types and the SN Ic progenitor properties.
• Here we suggest some improvements in the WR mass-loss rate prescription and discuss its implications for the evolution of WR stars and SN Ib/Ic progenitors.
• Recent studies on Galactic WR stars clearly indicate that the mass-loss rates of WC stars are systematically higher than those of WNE stars for a given luminosity.