Helium-burning evolutionary phases in population II stars. I Breathing pulses in horizontal branch stars

The result of an investigation into the evolutionary characteristics of a typical horizontal-branch (HB) model are presented. A new treatment of semiconvection has been used which overlaps Robertson and Faulkner's prescription in the major phase of central He burning and which allows a meaningful treatment of the last phases of He exhaustion at the center. The occurrence of convective instabilities near the He exhaustion in the central core is confirmed, finding that three major convection pulses occur before the exhaustion of He. Consequences regarding HB lifetimes and post-HB evolution are briefly discussed.