Convective penetrations and observable consequences of helium shell flashes in 3 and 6 solar-mass red supergiants
The results of 61 detailed numerical flash calculations are examined, with particular reference to 3 and 6 solar-mass stars with core masses ranging from 0.56 to 0.60 the solar mass and 0.94 to 0.95 the solar mass, respectively. First penetration of the convective envelope into pockets of carbon in the intershell region was found for the 15th flash for the 6 solar-mass case, with continuing deeper penetration for the flashes thereafter. However, no such type of envelope penetration could be found for the 3 solar-mass case.