Stellar models with rotation. 0.8<M<120, Z=0.014

The rotating models start on the ZAMS with a rotation rate v_ini_/v_crit_=0.4. The evolution is computed until the end of the central carbon-burning phase, the early AGB phase, or the core helium-flash for, respectively, the massive, intermediate, and both low and very low mass stars. The initial abundances are those deduced by Asplund et collaborators, which best fit the observed abundances of massive stars in the solar neighbourhood.

We update both the opacities and nuclear reaction rates, and introduce new prescriptions for the mass-loss rates as stars approach the Eddington and/or the critical velocity. We account for both atomic diffusion and magnetic braking in our low-mass star models. The present rotating models provide a good description of the average evolution of non-interacting stars.

In particular, they reproduce the observed MS width, the positions of the red giant and supergiant stars in the HR diagram, the observed surface compositions and rotational velocities. Very interestingly, the enhancement of the mass loss during the RSG stage, when the luminosity becomes supra-Eddington in some outer layers, help models above 15-20 Msun to lose a significant part of their hydrogen envelope and evolve back into the blue part of the HR diagram.

This result has interesting consequences for the blue to red supergiant ratio, the minimum mass for stars to become WR stars, and the maximum initial mass of stars that explode as type II-P supernovae.