arXiv subjects

D. Vanbeveren

Publications and source records attributed to D. Vanbeveren.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2010

The evolution of massive binaries in a dense stellar cluster environment

Massive stars are among the most important objects in the Universe and many (most?) of them are formed in binaries. A selection of observational and theoretical facts that illustrate the importance of binaries and the evolution of massive and very massive stars in clusters with special emphasis on massive binaries have been summarized in two recent review papers (Vanbeveren, 2009, 2010). The present paper can be considered as an addendum of both reviews.

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arXiv2010

Signatures of binary evolution processes in massive stars

Before binary components interact, they evolve as single stars do. We therefore first critically discuss massive single star processes which affect their evolution, stellar wind mass loss and rotation in particular. Next we consider binary processes and focus on the effect of rotation on binary evolution and on the mass transfer during Roche lobe overflow. The third part highlights the importance of close pairs on the comprehension of the evolution of stellar populations in starburst regions.

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arXiv2010

Delay time distribution of type Ia supernovae: theory vs. observation

Two formation scenarios are investigated for type Ia supernovae in elliptical galaxies: the single degenerate scenario (a white dwarf reaching the Chandrasekhar limit through accretion of matter transferred from its companion star in a binary) and the double degenerate scenario (the inspiraling and merging of two white dwarfs in a binary as a result of the emission of gravitational wave radiation). A population number synthesis code is used, which includes the latest physical results in binary evolution and allows to differentiate between certain physical scenarios (such as the description of common envelope evolution) and evolutionary parameters (such as the mass transfer efficiency during Roche lobe overflow). The thus obtained theoretical distributions of type Ia supernova delay times are compared to those that are observed, both in morphological shape and absolute number of events. The critical influence of certain parameters on these distributions is used to constrain their values. The single degenerate scenario alone is found to be unable in reproducing the morphological shape of the observational delay time distribution, while use of the double degenerate one (or a combination of both) does result in fair agreement. Most double degenerate type Ia supernovae are formed through a normal, quasi-conservative Roche lobe overflow followed by a common envelope phase, not through two successive common envelope phases as is often assumed. This may cast doubt on the determination of delay times by using analytical formalisms, as is sometimes done in other studies. The theoretical absolute number of events in old elliptical galaxies lies a factor of at least three below the rates that are observed. While this may simply be the result of observational uncertainties, a better treatment of the effects of rotation on stellar structure could mitigate the discrepancy.

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arXiv2010

The delay time distribution of type Ia supernovae: a comparison between theory and observation

We investigate the contribution of different formation scenarios for type Ia supernovae in elliptical galaxies. The single degenerate scenario (a white dwarf accreting from a late main sequence or red giant companion) is tested against the double degenerate scenario (the spiral-in and merging of two white dwarfs through the emission of gravitational wave radiation). We use a population number synthesis code incorporating the latest physical results in binary evolution, and allowing to differentiate between certain physical scenarios (e.g. description of common envelope evolution) and evolutionary parameters (e.g. mass transfer efficiency during Roche lobe overflow). The obtained theoretical distributions of the delay times of type Ia supernovae are compared to those which are observed, both in morphological shape and absolute number of events. The critical dependency of these distributions on certain parameters is used to constrain the values of the latter. We find that the single degenerate scenario alone cannot explain the morphological shape of the observational delay time distribution, while the double degenerate scenario (or a combination of both) can. Most of these double degenerate type Ia supernovae are created through a normal quasi-conservative Roche lobe overflow followed by a common envelope phase, not through two successive common envelope phases. This may cast doubt on the use in other studies of analytical formalisms to determine delay times. In terms of absolute number, theoretical supernova Ia rates in old elliptical galaxies lie a factor of at least three below the observed ones. We propose a solution involving the effect of rotation on the evolution of intermediate mass binaries.

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arXiv2008

Binary populations and stellar dynamics in young clusters

We first summarize work that has been done on the effects of binaries on theoretical population synthesis of stars and stellar phenomena. Next, we highlight the influence of stellar dynamics in young clusters by discussing a few candidate UFOs (unconventionally formed objects) like intermediate mass black holes, Eta Carinae, Zeta Puppis, Gamma Velorum and WR 140.

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arXiv2008

Stellar dynamics in young clusters: the formation of massive runaways and very massive runaway mergers

In the present paper we combine an N-body code that simulates the dynamics of young dense stellar systems with a massive star evolution handler that accounts in a realistic way for the effects of stellar wind mass loss. We discuss two topics: 1. The formation and the evolution of very massive stars (with a mass >120 Mo) is followed in detail. These very massive stars are formed in the cluster core as a consequence of the successive (physical) collison of 10-20 most massive stars of the cluster (the process is known as runaway merging). The further evolution is governed by stellar wind mass loss during core hydrogen burning and during core helium burning (the WR phase of very massive stars). Our simulations reveal that as a consequence of runaway merging in clusters with solar and supersolar values, massive black holes can be formed but with a maximum mass of 70 Mo. In small metallicity clusters however, it cannot be excluded that the runaway merging process is responsible for pair instability supernovae or for the formation of intermediate mass black holes with a mass of several 100 Mo. 2. Massive runaways can be formed via the supernova explosion of one of the components in a binary (the Blaauw scenario) or via dynamical interaction of a single star and a binary or between two binaries in a star cluster. We explore the possibility that the most massive runaways (e.g., zeta Pup, lambda Cep, BD+433654) are the product of the collision and merger of 2 or 3 massive stars.

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arXiv2007

The formation and evolution of very massive stars in dense stellar systems

The early evolution of dense stellar systems is governed by massive single star and binary evolution. Core collapse of dense massive star clusters can lead to the formation of very massive objects through stellar collisions ($M\geq$ 1000 \msun). Stellar wind mass loss determines the evolution and final fate of these objects, and decides upon whether they form black holes (with stellar or intermediate mass) or explode as pair instability supernovae, leaving no remnant. We present a computationaly inexpensive evolutionary scheme for very massive stars that can readily be implemented in an N-body code. Using our new N-body code 'Youngbody' which includes a detailed treatment of massive stars as well as this new scheme for very massive stars, we discuss the formation of intermediate mass and stellar mass black holes in young starburst regions. A more detailed account of these results can be found in Belkus et al. 2007.

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arXiv2007

The WR population predicted by massive single star and by massive binary evolution

We discuss differences between massive single star and massive close binary population number synthesis predictions of WR stars. We show that the WC/WN number ratio as function of metallicity depends significantly on whether or not binaries are included. Furthermore, the observed WC(+OB)/WN(+OB) number ratio in the Solar neighborhood seems to indicate that the WR mass loss rates are lower by another factor two compared to recently proposed clumping corrected formalisms. We then demonstrate that the observed lower luminosity distribution of single WN stars can be explained in a satisfactory way by massive single star evolutionary computations where the red supergiant phase is calculated using a stellar wind mass loss rate formalism that is based on recent observations.

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arXiv2007

The evolution of very massive stars

Core collapse of dense massive star clusters is unavoidable and this leads to the formation of massive objects, with a mass up to 1000 $\msun$ and even larger. When these objects become stars, stellar wind mass loss determines their evolution and final fate, and decides upon whether they form black holes (with normal mass or with intermediate mass) or explode as a pair instability supernova. In the present paper, we discuss the evolution of very massive stars and we present a convenient evolution recipe that can be implemented in a gravitational N-body code to study the dynamics of dense massive clusters.

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arXiv2006

Very Massive Close Binaries and the Puzzling Temporal Evolution of 14N in the Solar Neighbourhood

Low metallicity very massive stars with an initial mass between 140 Mo and 260 Mo can be subdivided into two groups: those between 140 Mo and 200 Mo which produce a relatively small amount of Fe, and those with a mass between 200 Mo and 260 Mo where the Fe-yield ejected during the supernova explosion is enormous. We first demonstrate that the inclusion of the second group into a chemical evolutionary model for the Solar Neighbourhood predicts an early temporal evolution of Fe which is at variance with observations whereas it can not be excluded that the first group could have been present. We then show that a low metallicity binary with very massive components (with a mass corresponding to the first group) can be an efficient site of primary 14N production through the explosion of a binary component that has been polluted by the pair instability supernova ejecta of its companion. When we implement these massive binary 14N yields in a chemical evolution model, we conclude that very massive close binaries may be important sites of 14N enrichment during the early evolution of the Galaxy.

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arXiv2004

Binaries, cluster dynamics and population studies of stars and stellar phenomena

The effects of binaries on population studies of stars and stellar phenomena have been investigated over the past 3 decades by many research groups. Here we will focus mainly on the work that has been done recently in Brussels and we will consider the following topics: the effect of binaries on overall galactic chemical evolutionary models and on the rates of different types of supernova, the population of point-like X-ray sources where we distinguish the standard high mass X-ray binaries and the ULXs, a UFO-scenario for the formation of WR+OB binaries in dense star systems. Finally we critically discuss the possible effect of rotation on population studies.

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arXiv2004

Mass and angular momentum loss during RLOF in Algols

We present a set of evolutionary computations for binaries with a B-type primary at birth. Some liberal computations including loss of mass and angular momentum during binary evolution are added to an extensive grid of conservative calculations. Our computations are compared statistically to the observed distributions of orbital periods and mass ratios of Algols. Conservative Roche Lobe Over Flow (RLOF) reproduces the observed distribution of orbital periods decently but fails to explain the observed mass ratios in the range 0.4-1. In order to obtain a better fit the binaries have to lose a significant amount of matter, without transferring too much angular momentum.

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arXiv2004

The effects of stellar dynamics on the evolution of young dense stellar systems

In the present paper we report on first results of a project in Brussels where we study the effects of stellar dynamics on the evolution of young dense stellar systems using the 3 decades expertise in massive star evolution and our population (number and spectral) synthesis code. We highlight an unconventionally formed object scenario (UFO-scenario) for Wolf Rayet binaries and study the effects of a luminous blue variable-type instability wind mass loss formalism on the formation of intermediate mass black holes.

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arXiv2003

The effect of the process of star formation on the temporal evolution of the WR and O-type star populations in the Solar Neighbourhood

A comparison between the observed O-type star and the WR star populations and the theoretically predicted ones depends on the effects of stellar wind mass loss during various phases and rotation on stellar evolution and, last not least, on the effects of binaries. Obviously, both populations depend on the massive star formation rate. In the present paper we show that the rate in the Solar Neighbourhood is fluctuating on a timescale which is smaller than the evolutionary timescale of a massive star. We demonstrate that this fluctuating behaviour affects both population enormously, in such a way that a comparison between observations and theoretical prediction to test stellar evolutionary models is ambiguous.

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arXiv2003

The galactic evolution of the supernova rates

Supernova rates (hypernova, type II, type Ib/c and type Ia) in a particular galaxy depend on the metallicity (i.e. on the galaxy age), on the physics of star formation and on the binary population. In order to study the time evolution of the galactic supernova rates, we use our chemical evolutionary model that accounts in detail for the evolution of single stars and binaries. In particular, supernovae of type Ia are considered to arise from exploding white dwarfs in interacting binaries and we adopt the two most plausible physical models: the single degenerate model and the double degenerate model. Comparison between theoretical prediction and observations of supernova rates in different types of galaxies allows to put constraints on the population of intermediate mass and massive close binaries. The temporal evolution of the absolute galactic rates of different types of SNe (including the SN Ia rate) is presented in such a way that the results can be directly implemented into a galactic chemical evolutionary model. Particularly for SNIa the inclusion of binary evolution leads to results considerably different from those in earlier population synthesis approaches, in which binary evolution was not included in detail.

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arXiv2003

The galactic evolution of neutron star mergers and their possible effect on the galactic chemical enrichment of r-process elements

A population number synthesis code follows in detail the evolution of a population of single stars and of close binaries. We use our code to simulate the population of neutron star - neutron star and black hole - neutron star binaries. We then combine our population number synthesis code with a galactic chemical evolutionary model in order to follow the time evolution of the formation and merger rate of these double compact star binaries and the resulting chemical enrichment of r-process elements, over the whole Galactic lifetime. It can be concluded that the neutron star/black hole merger process is able to reproduce the observed r-process enrichment of the Galaxy. However, we show that the latter conclusion depends critically on the physics of case BB Roche lobe overflow in binaries with a neutron star component and a hydrogen deficient core helium/helium shell burning star with a mass between 2.6 Mo and 6 Mo.

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arXiv2002

The chemical evolution of the Galaxy: the importance of stars with an initial mass larger than 40Mo

In the present paper we investigate in how far stars with an initial mass larger than 40Mo affect the chemical enrichment of the Galaxy. We illustrate the importance for chemical yields of a most up to date treatment of the various stellar wind mass loss episodes in stellar evolutionary codes and we discuss the effects of a possible supernova-like outburst prior to massive black hole formation.

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arXiv2002

The chemical evolution of the solar neighbourhood

Recent models of galactic chemical evolution account for updated evolutionary models of massive stars (with special emphasis on stellar winds) and for the effects of intermediate mass and massive binaries. The results are summarised. We also present a critical discussion on possible effects of stellar rotation on overall galactic chemical evolutionary simulations.

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