The Tidal Disruption of Sun-like Stars by Massive Black Holes

Understand

We present the first simulations of the tidal disruption of stars with realistic structures and compositions by massive black holes (BHs).

• We build stars in the stellar evolution code MESA and simulate their disruption in the 3D adaptive-mesh hydrodynamics code FLASH, using an extended Helmholtz equation of state and tracking 49 elements.
• We study the disruption of a 1$M_\odot$ star and 3$M_\odot$ star at zero-age main sequence (ZAMS), middle-age, and terminal-age main sequence (TAMS).
• The maximum BH mass for tidal disruption increases by a factor of $\sim$2 from stellar radius changes due to MS evolution; this is equivalent to varying BH spin from 0 to 0.75.