Lesson plan
Superwind
A superwind is an extremely dense wind emanating from asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars towards the end of their lives. While the exact origin of the superwind is unknown, it is believed that it causes the AGB star to appear as an OH/IR star. At the latest stages of the star's life, an AGB star can lose around 10^{-4} solar masses per year to the superwind. This mass loss is so high that it causes nuclear fusion in AGB stars to be extinguished earlier than was predicted in early theories. After nuclear fusion has ceased, the star becomes a white dwarf, and the dense wind envelope becomes its planetary nebula.
Article summary
A superwind is an extremely dense wind emanating from asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars towards the end of their lives. While the exact origin of the superwind is unknown, it is believed that it causes the AGB star to appear as an OH/IR star. At the latest stages of the star's life, an AGB star can lose around 10^{-4} solar masses per year to the superwind. This mass loss is so high that it causes nuclear fusion in AGB stars to be extinguished earlier than was predicted in early theories. After nuclear fusion has ceased, the star becomes a white dwarf, and the dense wind envelope becomes its planetary nebula.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.