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

Nicole Crowder

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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