Stellar outflows from low mass stars

Many types of stars eject matter during the late stages of their lives. These outbursts can either lead to almost a complete destruction of the star, as in the case of supernovae, or, in lower-mass stars, occur as recurring events that help shed excess material. Examples of the latter include nova explosions and outbursts in symbiotic binaries.

The ejected material often forms intricate and beautiful nebulosities with complex, non-spherical morphologies which are mostly glowing due to the ultraviolet radiation of their central stars. While stars are mostly spherical during their stable phases, the remnants left behind after these outbursts often exhibit a variety of shapes. Understanding the mechanisms that shape these remnants is an ongoing challenge in astronomy, and no definitive explanation has yet been reached. Our research group is also working on this question, investigating the shape of matter ejected from stars using both astronomical images and spectral analysis.