Videos

3D radiation hydrodynamics simulations of common-envelope evolution with a 12 solar mass red supergiant donor

These videos are associated with the work Common envelopes in massive stars III: The obstructive role of radiation transport in envelope ejection (Lau et al. 2025).


For each simulation, we show the density cross-section in the equatorial/orbital plane, in the meridional plane, and in a meridional plane instantaneously co-rotating with the stellar cores.



Physics assumption  Cross-section 
Adiabatic See the gas + radiation equation of state simulation in Paper I
Radiative Equatorial   Meridional   Meridional (corotating)
Radiative + heating Equatorial   Meridional   Meridional (corotating)
Side-by-side comparison Equatorial   Meridional
Side-by-side comparison
(Adiabatic and Radiative only)
Equatorial   Meridional



Adiabatic

This case is identical to the gas + radiation equation of state simulation in Paper I (Lau et al. 2022)—its movies are shown on here.



Radiative

Radiative simulation, equatorial plane.

Radiative simulation, meridional plane.

Radiative simulation, meridional plane, corotating frame.


Radiative + heating

Radiative + heating simulation, equatorial plane.

Radiative + heating simulation, meridional plane.

Radiative + heating simulation, meridional plane, corotating frame.


Side-by-side comparison

Equatorial plane. Left: Adiabatic, centre: radiative, right: radiative + heating.

Meridional plane. Left: Adiabatic, centre: radiative, right: radiative + heating.


Side-by-side comparison (Adiabatic and Radiative only)

Equatorial plane. Left: Adiabatic, right: radiative.

Meridional plane. Left: Adiabatic, right: radiative.