arXiv subjects

N. Langer

Publications and source records attributed to N. Langer.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

The Tarantula Massive Binary Monitoring: III. Atmosphere analysis of double-lined spectroscopic systems

Accurate stellar parameters of individual objects in binary systems are essential to constrain the effects of binarity on stellar evolution. These parameters serve as a prerequisite to probing existing and future theoretical evolutionary models. We aim to derive the atmospheric parameters of the 31 SB2s in the TMBM sample. This sample, composed of detached, semi-detached and contact systems with at least one of the components classified as an O star, is an excellent test-bed to study how binarity can impact our knowledge of the evolution of massive stars. 32 epochs of FLAMES/GIRAFFE spectra are analysed using spectral disentangling to construct the individual spectra of 62 components. We apply the CMFGEN atmosphere code to determine their stellar parameters and their He, C and N surface abundances. From these properties, we show that the effects of tides on chemical mixing are limited. Components on longer-period orbits show higher nitrogen enrichment at their surface than those on shorter-period orbits, in contrast to expectations of rotational or tidal mixing, implying that other mechanisms play a role in this process. Components filling their Roche lobe are mass donors. They exhibit higher nitrogen content at their surface and rotate more slowly than their companions. By accreting new material, their companions spin faster and are rejuvenated. Their locations in the N-vsini diagram tend to show that binary products are good candidates to populate the two groups of stars (slowly rotating, nitrogen-enriched and rapidly rotating non-enriched) that cannot be reproduced through single-star population synthesis. This sample is the largest sample of binaries to be studied in such a homogeneous way. The study of these objects gives us strong observational constraints to test theoretical binary evolutionary tracks.

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arXiv2019

The Tarantula Massive Binary Monitoring. IV. Double-lined photometric binaries

A high fraction of massive stars are found to be binaries but only a few of them are reported as photometrically variable. By studying the populations of SB2 in the 30 Doradus region, we found a subset of them that have photometry from the OGLE project and that display variations in their light curves related to orbital motions. The goal of this study is to determine the dynamical masses and radii of the 26 binary components to investigate the mass-discrepancy problem and to provide an empirical mass-luminosity relation for the LMC. We use the PHOEBE programme to perform a systematic analysis of the OGLE V and I light curves obtained for 13 binary systems in 30 Dor. We adopt Teff, and orbital parameters derived previously to obtain the inclinations of the systems and the parameters of the individual components. Three systems display eclipses in their light curves, while the others only display ellipsoidal variations. We classify two systems as over-contact, five as semi-detached, and four as detached. The two remaining systems have uncertain configurations due to large uncertainties on their inclinations. The fact that systems display ellipsoidal variations has a significant impact on the inclination errors. From the dynamical masses, luminosities, and radii, we provide LMC-based empirical mass-luminosity and mass-radius relations, and we compare them to other relations given for the Galaxy, the LMC, and the SMC. These relations differ for different mass ranges, but do not seem to depend on the metallicity regimes. We also compare the dynamical, spectroscopic, and evolutionary masses of the stars in our sample. While the dynamical and spectroscopic masses agree with each other, the evolutionary masses are systematically higher, at least for stars in semi-detached systems. This suggests that the mass discrepancy can be partly explained by past or ongoing interactions between the stars.

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arXiv2019

gamma Cas stars: Normal Be stars with disks impacted by the wind of a helium-star companion?

$γ$ Cas stars are a $\sim$1% minority among classical Be stars with hard but only moderately strong continuous thermal X-ray flux and mostly very early-B spectral type. The X-ray flux has been suggested to originate from matter accelerated via magnetic disk-star interaction, by a rapidly rotating neutron star (NS) companion via the propeller effect, or by accretion onto a white dwarf (WD) companion. In view of the growing number of identified $γ$ Cas stars and the only imperfect matches between these suggestions and the observations, alternative models should be pursued. Two of the three best-observed $γ$ Cas stars, $γ$ Cas itself and $π$ Aqr, have a low-mass companion with low optical flux; interferometry of BZ Cru is inconclusive. Binary-evolution models are examined for their ability to produce such systems. The OB+He-star stage of post-mass transfer binaries, which is otherwise observationally unaccounted, can potentially reproduce many observed properties of $γ$ Cas stars. The interaction of the fast wind of helium stars with the disk and/or with the wind of Be stars may give rise to the production of hard X-rays. While not modelling this process, it is shown that the energy budget is favourable, and that the wind velocities may lead to hard X-rays as observed in $γ$ Cas stars. Furthermore, their observed number appears to be consistent with the evolutionary models. Within the Be+He-star binary model, the Be stars in $γ$ Cas stars are conventional classical Be stars. They are encompassed by O-star+Wolf-Rayet systems towards higher mass, where no stable Be decretion disks exist, and by Be+sdO systems at lower mass where the sdO winds may be too weak to cause the $γ$ Cas phenomenon. In decreasing order of the helium-star mass, the descendants could be Be+black-hole, Be+NS or Be+WD binaries.

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arXiv2019

The young massive SMC cluster NGC 330 seen by MUSE. I. Observations and stellar content

A majority of massive stars are part of binary systems, a large fraction of which will inevitably interact during their lives. Binary-interaction products (BiPs), i.e. stars affected by such interaction, are expected to be commonly present in stellar populations. BiPs are thus a crucial ingredient in the understanding of stellar evolution. We aim to identify and characterize a statistically significant sample of BiPs by studying clusters of 10-40 Myr, an age at which binary population models predict the abundance of BiPs to be highest. One example of such a cluster is NGC 330 in the Small Magellanic Cloud. Using MUSE WFM-AO observations of NGC 330, we resolve the dense cluster core for the first time and are able to extract spectra of its entire massive star population. We develop an automated spectral classification scheme based on the equivalent widths of spectral lines in the red part of the spectrum. We characterize the massive star content of the core of NGC 330 which contains more than 200 B stars, 2 O stars, 6 A-type supergiants and 11 red supergiants. We find a lower limit on the Be star fraction of $32 \pm 3\%$ in the whole sample. It increases to at least $46 \pm 10\%$ when only considering stars brighter than V=17 mag. We estimate an age of the cluster core between 35 and 40 Myr and a total cluster mass of $88^{+17}_{-18} \times 10^3 M_{\odot}$. We find that the population in the cluster core is different than the population in the outskirts: while the stellar content in the core appears to be older than the stars in the outskirts, the Be star fraction and the observed binary fraction are significantly higher. Furthermore, we detect several BiP candidates that will be subject of future studies.

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arXiv2019

TYC 8606-2025-1: a mild barium star surrounded by the ejecta of a very late thermal pulse

We report the discovery of a spiral-like nebula with the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and the results of optical spectroscopy of its associated star TYC 8606-2025-1 with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT). We find that TYC 8606-2025-1 is a G8 III star of $\approx3$ M$_\odot$, showing a carbon depletion by a factor of two and a nitrogen enhancement by a factor of three. We also derived an excess of s-process elements, most strongly for barium, which is a factor of three overabundant, indicating that TYC 8606-2025-1 is a mild barium star. We thereby add a new member to the small group of barium stars with circumstellar nebulae. Our radial velocity measurements indicate that TYC 8606-2025-1 has an unseen binary companion. The advanced evolutionary stage of TYC 8606-2025-1, together with the presence of a circumstellar nebula, implies an initial mass of the companion of also about 3 M$_\odot$. We conclude that the infrared nebula, due to its spiral shape, and because it has no optical counterpart, was ejected by the companion as a consequence of a very late thermal pulse, during about one orbital rotation.

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arXiv2019

A massive white-dwarf merger product before final collapse

Gravitational wave emission can lead to the coalescence of close pairs of compact objects orbiting each other. For the case of neutron stars such mergers may yield masses above the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff limit, leading to the formation of black holes. For the case of white dwarfs the merger product may exceed the Chandrasekhar limit, leading either to a thermonuclear explosion as Type Ia supernova, or to a collapse forming a neutron star. If a Type Ia supernova explosion is avoided, the merger of two massive white dwarfs is expected to form a hydrogen- and helium-free circumstellar nebula with a hot and luminous, rapidly rotating and highly magnetized central star for several 10,000 yr before its final collapse. Here we report the discovery of a hot star with an emission line dominated spectrum in the centre of a circular mid-infrared nebula. Both the star and the nebula appear to be free of hydrogen and helium. Our tailored stellar atmosphere and wind models indicate a stellar surface temperature of about 200,000 K, and a record outflow velocity of 16,000 km/s. This extreme velocity, together with the derived mass outflow rate, imply rapid stellar rotation and a strong magnetic field aiding the wind acceleration. The Gaia distance of the star leads to a luminosity of 10^{4.5} Lsun, which matches models of the post-merger evolution of super-Chandrasekhar mass white dwarfs. The high stellar temperature and the nebular size argue for a short remaining lifetime of the star, which will produce a bright optical and high-energy transient upon collapse. Our observations indicate that super-Chandrasekhar mass white dwarf mergers can indeed avoid a thermonuclear explosion as Type Ia supernova, and provide empirical evidence for magnetic field generation in stellar mergers.

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arXiv2019

The Evolution of Helium Star Plus Carbon-Oxygen White Dwarf Binary Systems and Implications for Diverse Stellar Transients and Hypervelocity Stars

Helium accretion induced explosions in CO white dwarfs (WDs) are considered promising candidates for a number of observed types of stellar transients, including supernovae (SNe) of Type Ia and Type Iax. However, a clear favorite outcome has not yet emerged. We explore the conditions of helium ignition in the white dwarf and the final fates of helium star-WD binaries as function of their initial orbital periods and component masses. We compute 274 model binary systems with the Binary Evolution Code (BEC), where both components are fully resolved. Stellar and orbital evolution is computed simultaneously, including mass and angular momentum transfer, tides, and gravitational wave emission, as well as differential rotation and internal hydrodynamic and magnetic angular momentum transport. We find that helium detonations are expected only in systems with the shortest initial orbital periods, and for initially massive white dwarfs (MWD > 1.0 MSun ) and lower mass donors (Mdonor < 0.8 MSun), with accumulated helium layers mostly exceeding 0.1 MSun. Upon detonation, these systems would release the donor as a hypervelocity pre-WD runaway star, for which we predict the expected range of kinematic and stellar properties. Systems with more massive donors or initial periods exceeding 1.5 h will likely undergo helium deflagrations after accumulating 0.1 - 0.001 MSun of helium. Helium ignition in the white dwarf is avoided in systems with helium donor stars below - 0.6 MSun, and lead to three distinctly different groups of double white dwarf systems. The size of the parameter space open to helium detonation corresponds to only about 3 % of the galactic SN Ia rate, and to 10 % of the SN Iax rate, while the predicted large amounts of helium (>0.1 MSun) in progenitors cannot easily be reconciled with observations of archetypical SN Ia. ...

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arXiv2019

The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey: XXXI. Radial velocities and multiplicity constraints of red supergiant stars in 30 Doradus

The incidence of multiplicity in cool, luminous massive stars is relatively unknown compared to their hotter counterparts. Here we present radial velocity (RV) measurements and investigate the multiplicity properties of red supergiants (RSGs) in the 30~Doradus region of the Large Magellanic Cloud. We provide absolute RV measurements for our sample and estimate line-of-sight velocities for the Hodge 301 and SL 639 clusters, which agree well with those of hot stars in the same clusters. By combining results for the RSGs with those for nearby B-type stars, we estimate systemic velocities and velocity dispersions for the two clusters, obtaining estimates for their dynamical masses of $\log (M_{\rm dyn}/M_{\odot})=$3.8$\pm$0.3 for Hodge 301, and an upper limit of $\log (M_{\rm dyn}/M_{\odot})$<3.1$\pm$0.8 for SL 639, assuming Virial equilibrium. Analysis of the multi-epoch data reveals one RV-variable, potential binary candidate (VFTS744), which is likely a semi-regular variable asymptotic giant branch star. We estimate an upper limit on the observed binary fraction for our sample of 0.3, where we are sensitive to maximum periods for individual objects in the range of 1 to 10 000 days and mass-ratios above 0.3 depending on the data quality. From simulations of the RV measurements from binary systems given the current data we conclude that systems within the parameter range q>0.3, $\log$P[days]<3.5, would be detected by our variability criteria, at the 90% confidence level. The intrinsic binary fraction, accounting for observational biases, is estimated using simulations of binary systems with an empirically defined distribution of parameters where orbital periods are uniformly distributed in the 3.3<$\log$P[days]<4.3 range. A range of intrinsic binary fractions are considered; a binary fraction of 0.3 is found to best reproduce the observed data. [Abridged]

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arXiv2019

The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey. XXX. Red stragglers in the clusters Hodge 301 and SL 639

We estimate physical parameters for the late-type massive stars observed as part of the VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey (VFTS) in the 30 Doradus region of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The observational sample comprises 20 candidate red supergiants (RSGs) which are the reddest (($B-V$) $>$ 1 mag) and brightest ($V$ $<$ 16 mag) objects in the VFTS. We use optical and near-IR photometry to estimate their temperatures and luminosities, and introduce the luminosity-age diagram to estimate their ages. We derive physical parameters for our targets, including temperatures from a new calibration of $(J-K_{\rm s})_{0}$ colour for luminous cool stars in the LMC, luminosities from their $J$-band magnitudes (thence radii), and ages from comparisons with state-of-the-art evolutionary models. We show that interstellar extinction is a significant factor for our targets, highlighting the need to take it into account in analysis of the physical parameters of RSGs. We find that some of the candidate RSGs could be massive AGB stars. The apparent ages of the RSGs in the Hodge 301 and SL 639 clusters show a significant spread (12-24 Myr). We also apply our approach to the RSG population of the relatively nearby NGC 2100 cluster, finding a similarly large spread. We argue that the effects of mass-transfer in binaries may lead to more massive and luminous RSGs (which we call `red stragglers') than expected from single-star evolution, and that the true cluster ages correspond to the upper limit of the estimated RSG ages. In this way, the RSGs can serve as a new and potentially reliable age tracer in young star clusters. The corresponding analysis yields ages of 24$^{+5}_{-3}$ Myr for Hodge 301, 22$^{+6}_{-5}$ Myr for SL 639, and 23$^{+4}_{-2}$ Myr for NGC 2100.

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arXiv2018

Three-Dimensional Simulations of Neutrino-Driven Core-Collapse Supernovae from Low-Mass Single and Binary Star Progenitors

We present a suite of seven 3D supernova simulations of non-rotating low-mass progenitors using multi-group neutrino transport. Our simulations cover single star progenitors with zero-age main sequence masses between $9.6 M_\odot$ and $12.5 M_\odot$ and (ultra)stripped-envelope progenitors with initial helium core masses between $2.8 M_\odot$ and $3.5 M_\odot$. We find explosion energies between $0.1\,\mathrm{Bethe}$ and $0.4\,\mathrm{Bethe}$, which are still rising by the end of the simulations. Although less energetic than typical events, our models are compatible with observations of less energetic explosions of low-mass progenitors. In six of our models, the mass outflow rate already exceeds the accretion rate onto the proto-neutron star, and the mass and angular momentum of the compact remnant have closely approached their final value, barring the possibility of later fallback. While the proto-neutron star is still accelerated by the gravitational tug of the asymmetric ejecta, the acceleration can be extrapolated to obtain estimates for the final kick velocity. We obtain gravitational neutron star masses between $1.22 M_\odot$ and $1.44 M_\odot$, kick velocities between $11\, \mathrm{km}\, \mathrm{s}^{-1}$ and $695\, \mathrm{km}\, \mathrm{s}^{-1}$, and spin periods from $20\, \mathrm{ms}$ to $2.7\,\mathrm{s}$, which suggests that typical neutron star birth properties can be naturally obtained in the neutrino-driven paradigm. We find a loose correlation between the explosion energy and the kick velocity. There is no indication of spin-kick alignment, but a correlation between the kick velocity and the neutron star angular momentum, which needs to be investigated further as a potential point of tension between models and observations.

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arXiv2018

CPD-64 2731: a massive spun-up and rejuvenated high-velocity runaway star

We report the results of our study of the high-velocity (\approx160 km/s) runaway O star CPD-64 2731 and its associated horseshoe-shaped nebula discovered with the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. Spectroscopic observations with the Southern African Large Telescope and spectral analysis indicate that CPD-64 2731 is a fast-rotating main-sequence O5.5 star with enhanced surface nitrogen abundance. We derive a projected rotational velocity of \approx300 km/s which is extremely high for this spectral type. Its kinematic age of \approx6 Myr, assuming it was born near the Galactic plane, exceeds its age derived from single star models by a factor of two. These properties suggest that CPD-64 2731 is a rejuvenated and spun-up binary product. The geometry of the nebula and the almost central location of the star within it argue against a pure bow shock interpretation for the nebula. Instead, we suggest that the binary interaction happened recently, thereby creating the nebula, with a cavity blown by the current fast stellar wind. This inference is supported by our results of 2D numerical hydrodynamic modelling.

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arXiv2018

Gaia and HST astrometry of the very massive $\sim$150 $M_\odot$ candidate runaway star VFTS682

How very massive stars form is still an open question in astrophysics. VFTS682 is among the most massive stars known, with an inferred initial mass of $\sim$150 $M_\odot$ . It is located in 30 Doradus at a projected distance of 29 pc from the central cluster R136. Its apparent isolation led to two hypotheses: either it formed in relative isolation or it was ejected dynamically from the cluster. We investigate the kinematics of VFTS682 as obtained by Gaia and Hubble Space Telescope astrometry. We derive a projected velocity relative to the cluster of $38 \pm 17 \mathrm{km \ s^{-1}}$ (1$σ$ confidence interval). Although the error bars are substantial, two independent measures suggest that VFTS682 is a runaway ejected from the central cluster. This hypothesis is further supported by a variety of circumstantial clues. The central cluster is known to harbor other stars more massive than 150 $M_\odot$ of similar spectral type and recent astrometric studies on VFTS16 and VFTS72 provide direct evidence that the cluster can eject some of its most massive members, in agreement with theoretical predictions. If future data confirm the runaway nature, this would make VFTS682 the most massive runaway star known to date.

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arXiv2018

The spectroscopic Hertzsprung-Russell diagram of hot massive stars in the SMC

We present a comprehensive stellar atmosphere analysis of 329 O- and B-type stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) from the RIOTS4 survey. Using spectroscopically derived effective temperature (Teff) and surface gravities, we find that classical Be stars appear misplaced to low Teff and high luminosity in the spectroscopic Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (sHRD). Together with the most luminous stars in our sample, the stellar masses derived from the sHRD for these objects are systematically larger than those obtained from the conventional HRD. This suggests that the well-known, spectroscopic mass-discrepancy problem may be linked to the fact that both groups of stars have outer envelopes that are nearly gravitationally unbound. The non-emission-line stars in our sample mainly appear on the main-sequence, allowing a first estimate of the terminal-age main-sequence (TAMS) in the SMC, which matches the predicted TAMS between 12 and 40$\,$M$_{\odot}$ at SMC metallicity. We further find a large underabundance of stars above $\sim 25\,$M$_{\odot}$ near the ZAMS, reminiscent of such earlier findings in the Milky Way and LMC.

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arXiv2018

Response to comment on "An excess of massive stars in the local 30 Doradus starburst"

Farr and Mandel reanalyse our data, finding initial-mass-function slopes for high mass stars in 30 Doradus that agree with our results. However, their reanalysis appears to underpredict the observed number of massive stars. Their technique results in more precise slopes than in our work, strengthening our conclusion that there is an excess of massive stars above $30\,\mathrm{M}_\odot$ in 30 Doradus.

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arXiv2018

Gaia DR2 reveals a very massive runaway star ejected from R136

A previous spectroscopic study identified the very massive O2 III star VFTS 16 in the Tarantula Nebula as a runaway star based on its peculiar line-of-sight velocity. We use the Gaia DR2 catalog to measure the relative proper motion of VFTS 16 and nearby bright stars to test if this star might have been ejected from the central cluster, R136, via dynamical ejection. We find that the position angle and magnitude of the relative proper motion (0.338 +/- 0.046 mas/yr, or approximately 80 +\- 11 km/s) of VFTS 16 are consistent with ejection from R136 approximately 1.5 +/- 0.2 Myr ago, very soon after the cluster was formed. There is some tension with the presumed age of VFTS 16 that, from published stellar parameters, cannot be greater than 0.9 +0.3/-0.2 Myr. Older ages for this star would appear to be prohibited due to the absence of He I lines in its optical spectrum, since this sets a firm lower limit on its effective temperature. The dynamical constraints may imply an unusual evolutionary history for this object, perhaps indicating it is a merger product. Gaia DR2 also confirms that another very massive star in the Tarantula Nebula, VFTS 72 (alias BI253; O2 III-V(n)((f*)), is also a runaway on the basis of its proper motion as measured by Gaia. While its tangential proper motion (0.392 +/-0.062 mas/yr or 93 +/-15 km/s) would be consistent with dynamical ejection from R136 approximately 1 Myr ago, its position angle is discrepant with this direction at the 2$σ$ level. From their Gaia DR2 proper motions we conclude that the two ~100 solar mass O2 stars, VFTS 16 and VFTS72, are fast runaway stars, with space velocities of around 100 km/s relative to R136 and the local massive star population. The dynamics of VFTS16 are consistent with it having been ejected from R136, and this star therefore sets a robust lower limit on the age of the central cluster of ~1.3 Myr.

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arXiv2018

The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey. XXIX. Massive star formation in the local 30 Doradus starburst

The 30 Doradus (30 Dor) nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is the brightest HII region in the Local Group and a prototype starburst similar to those found in high redshift galaxies. It is thus a stepping stone to understand the complex formation processes of stars in starburst regions across the Universe. Here, we have studied the formation history of massive stars in 30 Dor using masses and ages derived for 452 mainly OB stars from the spectroscopic VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey (VFTS). We find that stars of all ages and masses are scattered throughout 30 Dor. This is remarkable because it implies that massive stars either moved large distances or formed independently over the whole field of view in relative isolation. We find that both channels contribute to the 30 Dor massive star population. Massive star formation rapidly accelerated about 8 Myr ago, first forming stars in the field before giving birth to the stellar populations in NGC 2060 and NGC 2070. The R136 star cluster in NGC 2070 formed last and, since then, about 1 Myr ago, star formation seems to be diminished with some continuing in the surroundings of R136. Massive stars within a projected distance of 8 pc of R136 are not coeval but show an age range of up to 6 Myr. Our mass distributions are well populated up to $200\,\mathrm{M}_\odot$. The inferred IMF is shallower than a Salpeter-like IMF and appears to be the same across 30 Dor. By comparing our sample of stars to stellar models in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, we find evidence for missing physics in the models above $\log L/\mathrm{L}_\odot=6$ that is likely connected to enhanced wind mass loss for stars approaching the Eddington limit. [abridged]

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arXiv2018

HST astrometry in the 30 Doradus region: II. Runaway stars from new proper motions in the Large Magellanic Cloud

We present a catalog of relative proper motions for 368,787 stars in the 30 Doradus region of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), based on a dedicated two-epoch survey with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and supplemented with proper motions from our pilot archival study. We demonstrate that a relatively short epoch difference of 3 years is sufficient to reach a $\sim$0.1 mas yr$^{-1}$ level of precision or better. A number of stars have relative proper motions exceeding a 3-sigma error threshold, representing a mixture of Milky Way denizens and 17 potential LMC runaway stars. Based upon 183 VFTS OB-stars with the best proper motions, we conclude that none of them move faster than $\sim$0.3 mas yr$^{-1}$ in each coordinate -- equivalent to $\sim$70 km s$^{-1}$. Among the remaining 351 VFTS stars with less accurate proper motions, only one candidate OB runaway can be identified. We rule out any OB star in our sample moving at a tangential velocity exceeding $\sim$120 km s$^{-1}$. The most significant result of this study is finding 10 stars over wide range of masses, which appear to be ejected from the massive star cluster R136 in the tangential plane to angular distances from $35^{\prime\prime}$ out to $407^{\prime\prime}$, equivalent to 8-98 pc. The tangential velocities of these runaways appear to be correlated with apparent magnitude, indicating a possible dependence on the stellar mass.

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arXiv2018

The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey: XXVIII. Nitrogen abundances for apparently single dwarf and giant B-type stars with small projected rotational velocities

Previous analyses of the spectra of OB-type stars in the Magellanic Clouds have identified targets with low projected rotational velocities and relatively high nitrogen abundances. The VFTS obtained spectroscopy for B-type 434 stars. We have estimated atmospheric parameters and nitrogen abundances using TLUSTY model atmospheres for 54 B-type targets that appear to be single, have projected rotational velocities <80 \kms and were not classified as supergiants. In addition, nitrogen abundances for 34 similar stars from a previous survey have been re-evaluated. Approximately 75-80% of the targets have nitrogen enhancements of less than 0.3 dex, consistent with them having experienced only small amounts of mixing. However, stars with low projected rotational velocities <40 \kms and significant nitrogen enrichments are found in both our samples and simulations imply that these cannot all be rapidly rotating objects observed near pole-on. Adopting an enhancement threshold of 0.6 dex, we observed five stars, yet stellar evolution models with rotation predict only 1.25$\pm$1.11 for random stellar viewing inclinations. The excess of such objects is estimated to be 20-30% of all stars with current rotational velocities of less than 40 \kms and 2-4% of the total single B-type sample. These estimates constitute lower limits for stars that appear inconsistent with current grids of stellar evolutionary models. Including targets with smaller nitrogen enhancements of greater than 0.2 dex implies larger percentages of targets that are inconsistent with current evolutionary models, viz. 70% of the stars with rotational velocities less than 40 \kms and 6-8% of the total single stellar population. We consider possible explanations of which the most promising would appear to be breaking due to magnetic fields or stellar mergers with subsequent magnetic braking.

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