Common envelope evolution: where we stand and how we can move forward

Abstract This work aims to present our current best physical understanding of common-envelope evolution (CEE). We highlight areas of consensus and disagreement, and stress ideas which should point the way forward for progress in this important but long-standing and largely unconquered problem. Unusually for CEE-related work, we mostly try to avoid relying on results from population synthesis or observations, in order to avoid potentially being misled by previous misunderstandings. As far as possible we debate all the relevant issues starting from physics alone, all the way from the evolution of the binary system immediately before CEE begins to the processes which might occur just after the ejection of the…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China
• SA
  Science and Technology Facilities Council

  Awards: ST/H002456/1, ST/F00723X/1, ST/I001719/1