Evolution and explosion of Wolf-Rayet stars

Abstract

We investigate the pre-supernova evolution of Wolf-Rayet stars. We discuss whether the separation of hydrogen-free, core collapse supernovae into Type Ic and Type Ib supernovae is related to the occurrence of ‘Case BB mass transfer’ in massive close binaries, especially since the new, smaller WR mass loss rates do not favor helium-poor progenitor models from massive single stars. We also discuss the influence of rotation on the formation, evolution and explosion of WR stars using new models for rotating massive stars that have been computed from zero age to core collapse. We compute the spin-down of (non-magnetic) WR stars due to their strong mass loss, and compare pulsar spin rates with our predictions. Finally, we discuss implications of our results for the rotation rate of Type Ib/c supernova progenitors in general, and for SN 1998bw and the ‘collapsar’ model for γ-ray bursts in particular.