What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to calibrate mass loss in red supergiants and understand its dependence on metallicity through a theoretical framework.

June 8, 2026Open Access

Paper CCIV: Seifert-Surface-Mediated Forced Electron Capture at the Bounce Shock Boundary: A Zero-Free-Parameter Derivation of the

Key Points

This research aims to calibrate mass loss in red supergiants and understand its dependence on metallicity through a theoretical framework.
Calibrated mass loss using Local Group stellar populations like SMC, LMC, and M31.
Derived predictions from the One-Octonion Brane-Bulk Framework regarding forced electron capture on 60Ni at the bounce shock front.
Detailed the relationship between electron fraction and mass loss scaling with metallicity.
Established a positive linear scaling of the mass-loss parameter with metallicity, with ξ values at ξSMC ≈0.025, ξLMC = 0.10, ξM31 = 0.35.
Demonstrated that forced electron capture rate scales directly with metallicity.
Identified conditions under which partial collapses suppress mass loss below linear scaling at low metallicities.

Abstract

Cheng, Conroy & Goldberg (2026) calibrate super-Eddington eruptive mass loss in red supergiants (RSGs) using Local Group stellar populations, finding a positive linear scaling ξ ∝Z of the dimensionless mass-loss parameter with metallicity (ξSMC ≈0.025, ξLMC = 0.10, ξM31 = 0.35). We show that this linear metallicity dependence is a zero-free-parameter prediction of the One-Octonion Brane-Bulk Framework, arising from Seifert-surface-mediated forced electron capture (EC) on 60Ni at the bounce shock front of partial stellar collapses. In the framework, electric charge is a topological winding number bounded by a Seifert surface Σ with ∂Σ = K. Photons crossing the bounce shock front undergo reverse traversal of Σ (linking number lk = −1) with probability fbulk = 3.6917%, selecting the fraction of 60Ni nuclei that undergo forced EC in the post-shock zone. Because 60Ni is synthesised by the s-process and M(60Ni) ∝Z, while 56Ni is produced by explosive silicon burning and is Z-independent, the forced EC rate scales exactly as Z. The resulting change in the electron fraction ∆Ye ∝fbulk×M(60Ni) ∝fbulk×Z modifies the shock-envelope coupling efficiency, yielding ξ ∝Z with one overall normalisation (set by observation at Z = Z⊙). An additional prediction is that partial collapses below the supernova threshold suppress ξ below the linear scaling at Z ≲0.3 Z⊙, consistent with ξSMC ≈0. The bounce shock boundary is identified as the physical realisation of the H+/H− 1 sector boundary at which the Fano confinement identity e4, e5, e6 = −2e7 transitions from active to inactive, and the forced EC mechanism is the same isobaric transmutation process recorded in presolar grain M08-249-8 3. Part of the One-Octonion Brane-Bulk Framework series. Anchor DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19120873. Community: one-octonion-brane-bulk. Author: Bharathi Dasan Jagadeesan, M.D., University of Minnesota. ORCID: 0000-0002-1143-941X.

Paper CCIV: Seifert-Surface-Mediated Forced Electron Capture at the Bounce Shock Boundary: A Zero-Free-Parameter Derivation of the

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