It is well known that the outcome of case B evolution of the primaries of massive close binary systems (M1 ≥ 9 M⊙) depends on the initial primary mass. The most massive primaries finally ignite carbon, form iron cores and presumably end in a supernova explosion, whereas the lighter ones presumably end as white dwarfs, without carbon ignition. This paper derives an estimate of the mass boundary separating these two kinds of evolution.As an example of the first case, the evolution of a 20 M⊙ + 14 M⊙ system was computed; after the mass exchange, the primary star (with M = 5.43 M⊙) evolves through the helium-burning (Wolf-Rayet) stage towards a supernova explosion; finally the system evolves into an X-ray binary (BWRX-evolution).As a representative for the second case the evolution of a 10 M⊙ + 8 M⊙ system was examined. After the first stage of mass exchange, the primary (with a mass of 1.66 M⊙) approaches the helium main sequence; during later phases of helium burning the radius increases again, and a second stage of mass transfer starts; after this the star (with a mass of 1.14 M⊙) again evolves towards the left in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram and ends as a white dwarf (BSWD-evolution). A system of 15 M⊙ + 8 M⊙ is found to evolve very similar to the 20 M⊙ + 14 M⊙ system. The mass Mu, separating the two types of evolution, must therefore be situated between 10 and 15 solar masses. An initial chemical composition X = 0.70, Z = 0.03 was used for all systems.
Apsidal motion in massive close binary systems – I. HD 165052, an extreme case?
