  We describe and discuss hydrodynamic simulations of the core helium flash
using an initial model of a 1.25 M_sol star with a metallicity of 0.02 near at
its peak. Past research concerned with the dynamics of the core helium flash is
inconclusive. Its results range from a confirmation of the standard picture,
where the star remains in hydrostatic equilibrium during the flash (Deupree
1996), to a disruption or a significant mass loss of the star (Edwards 1969;
Cole & Deupree 1980). However, the most recent multidimensional hydrodynamic
study (Dearborn 2006) suggests a quiescent behavior of the core helium flash
and seems to rule out an explosive scenario. Here we present partial results of
a new comprehensive study of the core helium flash, which seem to confirm this
qualitative behavior and give a better insight into operation of the convection
zone powered by helium burning during the flash. The hydrodynamic evolution is
followed on a computational grid in spherical coordinates using our new version
of the multi-dimensional hydrodynamic code HERAKLES, which is based on a direct
Eulerian implementation of the piecewise parabolic method.
