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STELCOR
A stellar evolution code that follows a star through its earliest years; the time before it settles down on to the main sequence and begins nuclear fusion.
The question
Which accretion model fits?
My research is to produce a numerical model of the early evolution of stars, and to use it to identify the accretion models that best match observational data.
A star grows by accretion; material falls onto it over time. How that proceeds is not settled: it may be steady, or it may arrive in bursts, and each possibility gives the star a different history.
My interest is in the stars that end up massive, at eight solar masses or more. STELCOR follows one of these from its earliest years under whichever accretion model I give it, and works out what that star would look like as it grows.
Those results give pointers to compare against observations; better still, they give pointers for what to look out for while an observation is being made.
The code
Fortran at the heart of it.
The core is Fortran and the wrapper is Python.
The core
STELCOR was originally written in Fortran 77 by Dr Harold Yorke. I did explore rewriting the entire code in Python but there were no real gains in doing so. My role has been to modernise the Fortran, modularise the code, build in efficiencies and alter calculations where newer research indicates more accurate values.
Around it
Python sets up the models, manages all the parameter passes, reduces the output and offers ways of viewing the developing stars. This utilises the strengths of Python whilst leaving the actual physics to the core.
Configuration
- Mass range8 – 60 M☉
- MetallicityZ = 0.014 → 0.0002
- Core languageFortran 2008
- DriverPython 3
- StatusIn development
The work
Where this is being done.
STELCOR is the subject of my PhD at the University of Kent, supervised by Professor Michael Smith with Dr James Urquhart as my second supervisor. Before Kent I took an MSc in astrophysics at Liverpool John Moores University.
Results, notes and eventually the code itself will appear here.
If you work on massive-star evolution, please do get in touch; it’s always nice to discuss ideas and interests.