What percentage of its mass is the Sun estimated to eject during the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) expansion?
Answer
Up to 45% of its mass
The Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) phase is characterized by a second, more dramatic and chaotic expansion, marked by violent thermal pulses occurring roughly every 100,000 years. During this unstable period, the star experiences extensive mass loss as its outer material is violently ejected into space. Stellar modeling suggests that the Sun will shed a substantial fraction of its total matter during this phase, estimated to be up to 45% of its initial mass. This ejected material is subsequently illuminated by the hot core, forming the visually striking structure known as a planetary nebula.
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