Deriving a novel mass-loss rate relation for AGB stars with minimal bias against binarity

Some 95% of all stars have an initial mass lower than 8 solar masses. During their post-main sequence evolution these stars go through giant phases characterised by a strong stellar wind. Recent observations prove that at least 50% of all sun-like stars have companions, and that fraction approaches 100% for the most massive stars. Binary physics is thus a critical ingredient for understanding how stars evolve. However, present-day predictions of the life cycle and ultimate deaths of these stars remain unsatisfactory simply because of the omission, or simplified treatment, of the impact of binary-star interaction on stellar evolution. I will investigate the most important parameter affecting the evolution of both single and binary giant stars: the giant star’s mass loss. At present, all mass-loss rate relations for giant stars are built on the assumption of a single star with a smooth, spherically symmetric wind, overlooking the influence of a binary companion. This oversight likely introduces systematic errors in mass-loss rate estimations. I aim to derive a new mass-loss relation for giant stars, characterised by minimal, if any, bias against binarity.