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F. D'Antona

Publications and source records attributed to F. D'Antona.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
arXiv2009

A detailed study of the main sequence of the Globular Cluster NGC 6397: can we derive constraints on the existence of multiple population?

If NGC 6397 contains a large fraction of "second generation" stars (>70% according to recent analysis), the helium abundance of its stars might also be affected, show some star-to-star variation, and be larger than the standard Big Bang abundance Y~0.24. Can we derive constraints on this issue from the analysis of the main sequence width and from its luminosity function? We build up new models for the turnoff masses and the main sequence down to the hydrogen burning minimum mass, adopting two versions of an updated equation of state (EOS) including the OPAL EOS. Models consider different initial helium and CNO abundances to cover the range of possible variations between the first and second generation stars. We compare the models with the observational main sequence. We also make simulations of the theoretical luminosity functions, for different choices of the mass function and of the mixture of first and second generation stars, and compare them with the observed luminosity function, by means of the Kolmogorov Smirnov --KS-- test. The study of the width of the main sequence at different interval of magnitude is consistent with the hypothesis that both generations are present in the cluster. If the CNO increase suggested by spectroscopic observation is taken into account the small helium spread of the main sequence in NGC 6397 implies a substantial helium uniformity (DY~0.02) between first and second generation stars. The possible spread in helium doubles if an even larger increase of CNO is considered. The luminosity function is in any case well consistent with the observed data.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2009

Rb-rich Asymptotic Giant Branch stars in the Magellanic Clouds

We present high-resolution (R~60,000) optical spectra of a carefully selected sample of heavily obscured and presumably massive O-rich Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars in the Magellanic Clouds (MCs). We report the discovery of strong Rb I lines at 7800 A in four Rb-rich LMC stars at luminosities equal to or greater than the standard adopted luminosity limit for AGB stars (Mbol~-7.1), confirming that "Hot Bottom Burning" (HBB) may produce a flux excess in the more massive AGB stars. In the SMC sample, just one of the five stars with Mbol<-7.1 was detected in Rb; the other stars may be massive red supergiants. The Rb-rich LMC AGB stars might have stellar masses of at least ~6-7 Msun. Our abundance analysis show that these Rb-rich stars are extremely enriched in Rb by up to 10^3-10^5 times solar but seem to have only mild Zr enhancements. The high Rb/Zr ratios, if real, represent a severe problem for the s-process, even if the 22Ne source is operational as expected for massive AGB stars; it is not possible to synthesize copious amounts of Rb without also overproducing Zr. The solution to the problem may lie with an incomplete present understanding of the atmospheres of luminous AGB stars.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2009

The influence of the C+N+O abundances on the determination of the relative ages of Globular Clusters: the case of NGC 1851 and NGC 6121 (M4)

The color magnitude diagram (CMD) of NGC 1851 presents two subgiant branches (SGB), probably due the presence of two populations differing in total CNO content. We test the idea that a difference in total CNO may simulate an age difference when comparing the CMD of clusters to derive relative ages. We compare NGC 1851 with NGC 6121 (M4), a cluster of very similar [Fe/H]. We find that, with a suitable shift of the CMDs that brings the two red horizontal branches at the same magnitude level, the unevolved main sequence and red giant branch match, but the SGB of NGC 6121 and its red giant branch "bump" are fainter than in NGC 1851. In particular, the SGB of NGC 6121 is even slightly fainter than the the faint SGB in NGC 1851. Both these features can be explained if the total CNO in NGC 6121 is larger than that in NGC 1851, even if the two clusters are coeval. We conclude by warning that different initial C+N+O abundances between two clusters, otherwise similar in metallicity and age, may lead to differences in the turnoff morphology that can be easily attributed to an age difference.

astro-ph.GA↗
arXiv2009

The C+N+O abundances and the splitting of the subgiant branch in the Globular Cluster NGC 1851

Among the newly discovered features of multiple stellar populations in Globular Clusters, the cluster NGC 1851 harbours a double subgiant branch, that can be explained in terms of two stellar generations, only slightly differing in age, the younger one having an increased total C+N+O abundance. Thanks to this difference in the chemistry, a fit can be made to the subgiant branches, roughly consistent with the C+N+O abundance variations already discovered two decades ago, and confirmed by recent spectroscopic data. We compute theoretical isochrones for the main sequence turnoff, by adopting four chemical mixtures for the opacities and nuclear reaction rates. The standard mixture has Z=10$^{-3}$ and [$α$/Fe]=0.4, the others have C+N+O respectively equal to 2, 3 and 5 times the standard mixture, according to the element abundance distribution described in the text. We compare tracks and isochrones, and show how the results depend on the total CNO abundance. We notice that different initial CNO abundances between two clusters, otherwise similar in metallicity and age, may lead to differences in the turnoff morphology that can be easily attributed to an age difference. We simulate the main sequence and subgiant branch data for NGC 1851 and show that an increase of C+N+O by a factor $\sim$3 best reproduces the shift between the subgiant branches. We compare the main sequence width in the color m$_{F336W}$-m$_{F814W}$ with models, and find that the maximum helium abundance compatible with the data is Y$\simeq$0.29. We consider the result in the framework of the formation of the second stellar generation in globular clusters, for the bulk of which we estimate a helium abundance of Y$\simlt 0.26$.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2008

Updated Pre-Main Sequence tracks at low metallicities for 0.1< M/Mo<1.5

Young populations at Z<Zo are being examined to understand the role of metallicity in the first phases of stellar evolution. For the analysis it is necessary to assign mass and age to Pre--Main Sequence (PMS) stars. While it is well known that the mass and age determination of PMS stars is strongly affected by the convection treatment, extending any calibration to metallicities different from solar one is very artificial, in the absence of any calibrators for the convective parameters. For solar abundance, Mixing Lenght Theory models have been calibrated by using the results of 2D radiative-hydrodynamical models (MLTa2D), that result to be very similar to those computed with non-grey ATLAS9 atmosphere boundary condition and full spectrum of turbolence (FST) convection model both in the atmosphere and in the interior (NEMO--FST models). While MLTa2D models are not available for lower metallicities, we extend to lower Z the NEMO--FST models, in the educated guess that in such a way we are simulating also at smaller Z the results of MLTa2D. We present PMS models for low mass stars from 0.1 to 1.5 Mo for metallicities [Fe/H]= -0.5, -1.0 and -2.0. The calculations include the most recent interior physics and the latest generation of non-grey atmosphere models. These evolutionary tracks and isochrones are available in electronic form at a WEB site http://www.mporzio.astro.it/%7Etsa/

astro-ph↗
arXiv2008

The fraction of second generation stars in Globular Clusters from the analysis of the Horizontal Branch

Most Globular Clusters (GC) show chemical inhomogeneities in the composition of their stars, apparently due to a second stellar generation (SG) in which the forming gas is enriched by hot-CNO cycled material processed in stars belonging to a first stellar generation (FG). We propose to use the horizontal branch (HB) to infer which is today the relative number fraction of ''normal" and anomalous stars in clusters. We assume that the anomalies also include enhanced helium abundance. Helium variations have been recognized to be able to explain several puzzling peculiarities (gaps, RR Lyr periods and period distribution, ratio of blue to red stars, blue tails) in HBs. We extend the analysis to as many clusters as possible. We show that, with few exceptions, 50% or more of the stars belong to the SG. In other cases, where one would think of a simple stellar population, we suggest that the stars might all belong to the SG. We fit the optical and UV data of NGC2808, including a reproduction of the main sequence splittings and an exam of the problem of "blue hook" stars. We also show a detailed fit of the totally blue HB of M13, one among the clusters that are possibly fully made up by SG stars. We conclude that the formation of the SG is a crucial event in the life of GCs. A high fraction of SG stars can be achieved only if the initial cluster was much more massive than the present one and most of the FG low mass stars have been lost. As shown by D'Ercole et al., the mass loss due to type II supernovae of the FG may be the process responsible for triggering the expansion of the cluster, the stripping of its outer layers and the loss of most of the FG low-mass stars.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2008

Self-Enrichment in Globular Clusters: Is There a Role for the Super-Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars?

In four globular clusters (GCs) a non negligible fraction of stars can be interpreted only as a very helium rich population. The evidence comes from the presence of a "blue" main sequence in $ω$ Cen and NGC 2808, and from the the very peculiar horizontal branch morphology in NGC 6441 and NGC 6388. Although a general consensus is emerging on the fact that self--enrichment is a common feature among GCs, the helium content required for these stars is Y$\simgt$0.35, and it is difficult to understand how it can be produced without any --or, for $ω$ Cen, without a considerable--associated metal enhancement. We examine the possible role of super--AGB stars, and show that they may provide the required high helium. However, the ejecta of the most massive super--AGBs show a global CNO enrichment by a factor of $\simeq$4, due to the dredge--out process occurring at the second dredge up stage. If these clusters show no evidence for this CNO enrichment, we can rule out that at least the most massive super--AGBs evolve into O--Ne white dwarfs and take part in the formation of the second generation stars. This latter hypothesis may help to explain the high number of neutron stars present in GCs. The most massive super--AGBs would in fact evolve into electron--capture supernovae. Their envelopes would be easily ejected out of the cluster, but the remnant neutron stars remain into the clusters, thanks to their small supernova natal kicks.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2007

Multiple stellar populations in Globular Clusters: collection of information from the Horizontal Branch

The majority of the inhomogeneities in the chemical composition of Globular Cluster (GC) stars appear due to primordial enrichment by hot-CNO cycled material processed in stars belonging to a first stellar generation. Either massive AGB envelopes subject to hot bottom burning, or the envelopes of massive fastly rotating stars could be the progenitors. In both cases, the stars showing chemical anomalies must have also enhanced helium abundance, and we have proposed that this higher helium could be at the basis of the many different morphologies of GC horizontal branches (HB) for similar ages and metallicities. The helium variations have been beautifully confirmed by the splitting of the main sequence in the clusters omega Cen and NGC 2808, but this effect can show up only for somewhat extreme helium abundances. Therefore it is important to go on using the HB morphology to infer the number ratio of the first to the second generation in as many clusters as possible. We exemplify how it is possible to infer the presence of a He-rich stellar component in different clusters thanks to different HB features (gaps, RR Lyr periods and period distribution, ratio of blue to red stars, blue tails). In many clusters at least 50% of the stars belong to the second stellar generation, and in some cases we suspect that the stars might all belong to the second generation. We shortly examine the problem of the initial mass function required to achieve the observed number ratios and conclude that: 1) the initial cluster must have been much more massive than today's cluster, and 2) formation of the second stellar generation mainly in the central regions of the cluster may help in obtaining the desired values.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2007

A model for the Globular Cluster extreme anomalies

In spite of the efforts made in the latest years, still there is no comprehensive explanation for the chemical anomalies of globular cluster stars. Among these, the most striking is oxygen depletion, which reaches values down to [O/Fe]~-0.4 in most clusters, but in M13 it goes down to less than [O/Fe]~ - 1. In this work we suggest that the anomalies are due to the super position of two different events: 1) PRIMORDIAL SELF-ENRICHMENT: this is asked to explain the oxygen depletion down to a minimum value [O/Fe]~ -0.4; 2) EXTRA MIXING IN A FRACTION OF THE STARS ALREADY BORN WITH ANOMALOUS COMPOSITION: these objects, starting with already low [O/Fe], will reduce the oxygen abundance down to the most extreme values. Contrary to other models that invoke extra mixing to explain the chemical anomalies, we suggest that it is active only if there is a fraction of the stars in which the primordial composition is not only oxygen depleted, but also extremely helium rich (Y~ 0.4), as found in a few GCs from their main sequence multiplicity. We propose that the rotational evolution (and an associated extra mixing) of extremely helium rich stars may be affected by the fact that they develop a very small or non existent molecular weight barrier during the evolution. We show that extra mixing in these stars, having initial chemistry that has already been CNO processed, affects mainly the oxygen abundance, and to a much smaller extent if affects the sodium abundance. The model also predicts a large fluorine depletion concomitant with the oxygen depletion, and a further enhancement of the surface helium abundance, which reaches values close to Y=0.5 in the computed models. We stress that, in this tentative explanation, those stars that are primordially O--depleted, but ARE NOT extremely helium rich do not suffer deep extra mixing.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2007

Na-O Anticorrelation and HB. IV. Detection of He-rich and He-poor stellar populations in the globular cluster NGC 6218

We used the multifiber spectrograph FLAMES on the ESO Very Large Telescope UT2 to derive atmospheric parameters, metallicities and abundances of O and Na for 79 red giant stars in the Galactic globular cluster NGC 6218 (M 12). We analyzed stars in the magnitude range from about 1 mag below the bump to the tip of the Red Giant Branch. The average metallicity we derive is [Fe/H]=-1.31+/-0.004+/-0.028 dex (random and systematic errors, respectively), with a very small star-to-star scatter (rms=0.033 dex), from moderately high-resolution Giraffe spectra. This is the first extensive spectroscopic abundance analysis in this cluster. Our results indicate that NGC 6218 is very homogeneous as far as heavy elements are concerned. On the other hand, light elements involved in the well known proton-capture reactions of H-burning at high temperature, such as O and Na, show large variations, anticorrelated with each other, at all luminosities along the red giant branch. The conclusion is that the Na-O anticorrelation must be established in early times at the cluster formation. We interpret the variation of Na found near the RGB-bump as the effect of two distinct populations having different bump luminosities, as predicted for different He content. To our knowledge, NGC 6218 is the first GC where such a signature has been spectroscopically detected, when combined with consistent and homogeneous data obtained for NGC 6752 to gain in statistical significance.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2007

Na-O Anticorrelation and Horizontal Branches. V. The Na-O anticorrelation in NGC 6441 from Giraffe spectra

We present an analysis of FLAMES-Giraffe spectra for several bright giants in NGC 6441, to investigate the presence and extent of the Na-O anticorrelation in this anomalous globular cluster. The field of NGC 6441 is very crowded, with severe contamination by foreground (mainly bulge) field stars. Appropriate membership criteria were devised to identify a group of 25 likely cluster members among the about 130 stars observed. Combined with the UVES data obtained with the same observations, high dispersion abundance analyses are now available for a total of 30 stars in NGC 6441, 29 of them having data for both O and Na. The spectra were analyzed by a standard line analysis procedure; care was taken to minimize the impact of the differential interstellar reddening throughout the cluster, and to extract reliable information from crowded, and moderately high S/N (30-70), moderately high resolution (R ~ 23,000) spectra. NGC 6441 is very metal-rich ([Fe/H]=$-0.34\pm 0.02\pm0.04$ dex). There is no clear sign of star-to-star scatter in the Fe-peak elements. The alpha-elements Mg, Si, Ca, and Ti are overabundant by rather large factors, suggesting that the cluster formed from material enriched by massive core collapse SNe. The O-Na anticorrelation is well defined, with about 1/4 of the stars being Na-rich and O-poor. One of the stars is a Ba-rich and moderately C-rich star. The distribution of [Na/O] ratios among RGB stars in NGC 6441 appears similar to the distribution of colors of stars along the horizontal branch. The fraction of Na-poor, O-rich stars found in NGC 6441 agrees well with that of stars on the red horizontal branch of this cluster (in both cases about 80%), with a sloping distribution toward lower values of [O/Na] (among RGB stars and bluer colors (among HB stars).

astro-ph↗
arXiv2006

Neutron Stars and Black Holes in Star Clusters

This article was co-authored by all invited speakers at the Joint Discussion on `Neutron Stars and Black Holes in Star Clusters,' which took place during the IAU General Assembly in Prague, Czech Republic, on August 17 and 18, 2006. Each section presents a short summary of recent developments in a key area of research, incorporating the main ideas expressed during the corresponding panel discussion at the meeting. Our meeting, which had close to 300 registered participants, was broadly aimed at the large community of astronomers around the world working on the formation and evolution of compact objects and interacting binary systems in dense star clusters, such as globular clusters and galactic nuclei. Great advances have occurred in this field during the past few years, including the introduction of fundamentally new theoretical paradigms for the formation and evolution of compact objects in binaries as well as countless new discoveries by astronomers that have challenged many accepted models. Some of the highlights include: a nearly complete census of all the millisecond pulsars in 47 Tuc; first detections of many new radio pulsars in other clusters, particularly Terzan 5; detailed studies of X-ray binary populations and their luminosity functions in many galaxies and extragalactic globular clusters; increasing evidence for intermediate-mass black holes in clusters and greatly improved theoretical understanding of their possible formation processes.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2006

Rubidium-Rich Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars

A long debated issue concerning the nucleosynthesis of neutron-rich elements in Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars is the identification of the neutron source. We report intermediate-mass (4 to 8 solar masses) AGB stars in our Galaxy that are rubidium-rich owing to overproduction of the long-lived radioactive isotope 87Rb, as predicted theoretically 40 years ago. This represents a direct observational evidence that the 22Ne(alpha,n)25Mg reaction must be the dominant neutron source in these stars. These stars then challenge our understanding of the late stages of the evolution of intermediate-mass stars and would promote a highly variable Rb/Sr environment in the early solar nebula.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2006

12 Bootis: the need for asteroseismic constraints

12 Bootis is a double-lined spectroscopic binary whose orbit has been resolved by interferometry. We present a detailed modelling of the system and show that the available observational constraints can be reproduced by models at different evolutionary stages, depending on the details of extra-mixing processes acting in the central regions. In order to discriminate among these theoretical scenarios, additional and independent observational constraints are needed: we show that these could be provided by solar-like oscillations, that are expected to be excited in both system components.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2006

NGC 6441: another indication for a very high helium content in Globular Cluster stars

The metal-rich bulge globular cluster NGC 6441 shows a well developed blue horizontal branch (Rich et al.), together with a strong slope upward from the red clump to the blue of the RR Lyrae region. Both features, the former corresponding to the well-known second parameter problem, are not explained by conventional evolutionary models. Helium self-enrichment is proposed as a possible solution to both questions, a mechanism already invoked for the interpretation of the peculiarities in NGC 2808 and M13. We make use of horizontal branch simulations, covering a wide range in main sequence helium abundance, to investigate whether the main features of NGC 6441 horizontal branch population, including the RR Lyrae variables period, can be reproduced. To describe the horizontal branch of NGC 6441, the helium content Y in the red clump must reach at least 0.35; values up to Y~0.37 are necessary to populate the RR Lyr region, reproducing also the observed mean long periods; depending on the dispersion in mass loss assumed in the simulations, values up to Y~0.38--0.40 are necessary to populate the blue HB. The total self--enriched population amounts to ~60% of the whole stellar content. Self-enrichment and multiple star formation episodes in the early evolution of globular clusters appear more and more able to account for many of the chemical and population peculiarities observed in these systems. The very large helium abundances (Y>0.35) required for ~14% of the horizontal branch population pose some problem on the enrichment mechanisms.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2006

Lithium and zirconium abundances in massive Galactic O-rich AGB stars

Lithium and zirconium abundances (the latter taken as representative for s-process enrichment) are determined for a large sample of massive Galactic O-rich AGB stars, for which high resolution optical spectroscopy has been obtained (R=40,000-50,000). This is done by computing synthetic spectra based on classical hydrostatic model atmospheres for cool stars using extensive line lists. The results obtained are discussed in the framework of hot bottom burning (HBB) and nucleosynthesis models. The complete sample is studied attending to various observational properties such as the position of the stars in the IRAS two-colour diagram ([12]-[25] vs [25]-[60]), Galactic distribution, expansion velocity (derived from the OH maser emission) and period of variability (when available). We conclude that a considerable fraction of the sources observed are actually massive AGB stars (M > 3-4 solar masses) experiencing HBB, as deduced from the strong Li overabundances found. A comparison of our results with similar studies carried out in the past for the Magellanic Clouds (MCs) reveals that, in contrast to MC AGB stars, our Galactic sample does not show any indication of s-process element enrichment. The differences observed are explained as a consequence of metallicity effects. Finally, we discuss the results obtained in the framework of stellar evolution by comparing our results with the data available in the literature for Galactic post-AGB stars and PNe.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2006

Modelling the closest double degenerate system RXJ0806.3+1527 and its decreasing period

In the hypothesis that the 5.4m binary RXJ0806.3+1527 consists of a low mass helium white dwarf (donor) transferring mass towards its more massive white dwarf companion (primary), we consider as possible donors white dwarfs which are the result of common envelope evolution occurring when the helium core mass of the progenitor giant was still very small (~ 0.2Msun), so that they are surrounded by a quite massive hydrogen envelope (~1/100Msun or larger), and live for a very long time supported by proton--proton burning. Mass transfer from such low mass white dwarfs very probably starts during the hydrogen burning stage, and the donor structure will remain dominated by the burning shell until it loses all the hydrogen envelope and begins transferring helium. We model mass transfer from these low mass white dwarfs, and show that the radius of the donor decreases while they shed the hydrogen envelope. This radius behavior, which is due to the fact that the white dwarf is not fully degenerate, has two important consequences on the evolution of the binary: 1) the orbital period decreases, with a timescale consistent with the period decrease of the binary RXJ0806.3+1527; 2) the mass transfer rate is a factor of about 10 smaller than from a fully degenerate white dwarf, easing the problem connected with the small X-ray luminosity of this object. The possibility that such evolution describes the system RXJ0806.3+1527 is also consistent with the possible presence of hydrogen in the optical spectrum of the star, whose confirmation would become a test of the model.

astro-ph↗