Date of Award

Spring 4-28-2026

Document Type

Honors Project

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Department

Chemistry and Physics

Department Chair or Program Director

Matthew C. Fleenor

First Advisor

Matthew C. Fleenor

Major or Concentration

Physics

Abstract

η Carinae (η Car) is a binary system, with the larger star being an extremely massive, luminous blue variable (LBV) beyond the Eddington Limit. Surrounding the η Car system, numerous multi-wavelength imaging campaigns reveal axisymmetric structures with the expanding bipolar Homunculus Nebula (¡1 pc). In combination with the episodic eruptive history of the η Car system, our initial intermediate-scale imaging revealed further axisym- metric structures (1-5 pc). To gain a more expansive view of how the small scale structure connects to panoramic imaging of the η Car region, we constructed a deep, optical, narrowband mosaic of 189 images utilizing the PROMPT-6 telescope in Chile. Now with a contiguous view of the region, we utilized a bulk fluid dynamical approach with Rankine–Hugoniot jump conditions to probe the potential interconnectivity of these structures. Using a constant, strong shock condition and an angular dependence on the expansion velocity, we found that the evolved lemniscate (∞) envelope plausibly filled the observed intermediate-scale structure on a timescale of 4700 years. Given this promising first-order rendering, we have proceeded to account for energy injection due to luminosity to further propel the shock.

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