The Effect of Nuclear Reaction Rates & Convective Mixing on the Evolution of a 6M$_{\odot}$ Star

Abstract

We present the evolution of a 6M$_{\odot}$ star, of solar-like initial metallicity, and investigate the effects of key nuclear reaction rates, as well as the treatment of the convective mixing on its evolution along the Cepheid instability strip. In particular, we study the effect of recent estimates of the $^{14}$N(p,{\gamma})$^{15}$O reaction on the formation and extension of the blue loop during core helium burning. We also investigate the effects induced on this blue loop by the adoption of non-standard convective mixing prescriptions, as well as the implications of modifying the Mixing Length Theory.