What materials are continuously replenished into the interstellar medium by massive stars via stellar winds before they explode?
Answer
Processed lighter elements like carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen
Massive stars are chemically active long before their final spectacular demise. Throughout their lives, they shed substantial amounts of material from their outer layers through powerful stellar winds. This outflow primarily consists of elements that have already undergone nuclear processing in the interior, specifically mentioning the lighter products from the helium and carbon burning stages. Therefore, these winds continuously enrich the interstellar medium with processed materials such as significant quantities of carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen, which will be incorporated into future stars and systems.
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