How large spectroscopic surveys are shaping our understanding of massive stars
S. Simón-Díaz
TL;DR
The paper surveys the development and impact of large spectroscopic surveys of massive stars, detailing top MW and MC programs and their contributions to rotation, winds, abundances, and binarity. It argues that these surveys reveal a more complex evolution picture than classic single-star models, highlighting the central role of binary interaction and the need for multi-faceted diagnostics. It reviews survey design principles and key results, and identifies future, higher-volume surveys that will dramatically expand the massive-star census. The work provides a roadmap for population-level tests of massive-star evolution across diverse metallicities and environments.
Abstract
We present an overview of the main characteristics of several spectroscopic surveys designed to advance our understanding of the physical properties and evolution of massive stars. We also summarize key results obtained from the analysis of these datasets, highlighting how the interpretation of some observables in the framework of massive-star evolution is considerably more complex than previously anticipated.