Role of companion-launched jets in powering LBV eruptions

Determine whether the companion star launches jets that power giant eruptions of luminous blue variable stars, including the Great and Lesser Eruptions of Eta Carinae.

Background

The paper argues that accretion onto a companion may power giant eruptions of luminous blue variables and other intermediate-luminosity optical transients. A central unresolved issue is whether the accreting companion launches jets and, if so, whether those jets provide a primary contribution to the eruption energy and help shape the ejecta.

The authors contrast models that assign little importance to jets with models in which jets play the dominant role. They identify the observational and theoretical determination of the jets' role as a major outstanding question in the study of LBV eruptions and related transients.