Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 August 2015
The late stages of evolution of stars that develop degenerate carbon-oxygen cores are discussed. Model computations indicate that the initial masses of such stars, M, are below M 1 = 8 M ⊙ ± ± 2 M ⊙. The low mass stars (M < M 0) lose their envelopes and become white dwarfs. The intermediate stars (M 0 < M < M 1) ignite carbon in their highly degenerate cores of 1.4 M ⊙. Present observational and/or theoretical estimates of M 0 are very uncertain. Problems associated with mass loss and with carbon ignition and burning are discussed.