Abstract
We substantially update the capabilities of the open-source software
instrument Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA). MESA can now
simultaneously evolve an interacting pair of differentially rotating stars
undergoing transfer and loss of mass and angular momentum, greatly enhancing
the prior ability to model binary evolution. New MESA capabilities in fully
coupled calculation of nuclear networks with hundreds of isotopes now allow
MESA to accurately simulate advanced burning stages needed to construct
supernova progenitor models. Implicit hydrodynamics with shocks can now be
treated with MESA, enabling modeling of the entire massive star lifecycle, from
pre-main sequence evolution to the onset of core collapse and nucleosynthesis
from the resulting explosion. Coupling of the GYRE non-adiabatic pulsation
instrument with MESA allows for new explorations of the instability strips for
massive stars while also accelerating the astrophysical use of asteroseismology
data. We improve treatment of mass accretion, giving more accurate and robust
near-surface profiles. A new MESA capability to calculate weak reaction rates
ön-the-fly" from input nuclear data allows better simulation of accretion
induced collapse of massive white dwarfs and the fate of some massive stars. We
discuss the ongoing challenge of chemical diffusion in the strongly coupled
plasma regime, and exhibit improvements in MESA that now allow for the
simulation of radiative levitation of heavy elements in hot stars. We close by
noting that the MESA software infrastructure provides bit-for-bit consistency
for all results across all the supported platforms, a profound enabling
capability for accelerating MESA's development.
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