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At least 865 records · Page 48
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

LUMINOUS AND VARIABLE STARS IN M31 AND M33. III. THE YELLOW AND RED SUPERGIANTS AND POST-RED SUPERGIANT EVOLUTION

Recent supernova (SN) and transient surveys have revealed an increasing number of non-terminal stellar eruptions. Though the progenitor class of these eruptions includes the most luminous stars, little is known of the pre-SN mechanics of massive stars in their most evolved state, thus motivating a census of possible progenitors. From surveys of evolved and unstable luminous star populations in nearby galaxies, we select a sample of yellow and red supergiant (RSG) candidates in M31 and M33 for review of their spectral characteristics and spectral energy distributions (SEDs). Since the position of intermediate- and late-type supergiants on the color–magnitude diagram can be heavily contaminated by foreground dwarfs, we employ spectral classification and multi-band photometry from optical and near-infrared surveys to confirm membership. Based on spectroscopic evidence for mass loss and the presence of circumstellar (CS) dust in their SEDs, we find that 30%–40% of the yellow supergiants are likely in a post-RSG state. Comparison with evolutionary tracks shows that these mass-losing, post-RSGs have initial masses between 20 and 40 M {sub ⊙}. More than half of the observed RSGs in M31 and M33 are producing dusty CS ejecta. We also identify two new warm hypergiants in M31, J004621.05+421308.06 and J004051.59+403303.00, both of which are likely in a post-RSG state.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Exploring the Evolution of Stellar Rotation Using Galactic Kinematics

The rotational evolution of cool dwarfs is poorly constrained after ∼1–2 Gyr due to a lack of precise ages and rotation periods for old main-sequence stars. In this work, we use velocity dispersion as an age proxy to reveal the temperature-dependent rotational evolution of low-mass Kepler dwarfs and demonstrate that kinematic ages could be a useful tool for calibrating gyrochronology in the future. We find that a linear gyrochronology model, calibrated to fit the period–T{sub eff} relationship of the Praesepe cluster, does not apply to stars older than around 1 Gyr. Although late K dwarfs spin more slowly than early-K dwarfs when they are young, at old ages, we find that late K dwarfs rotate at the same rate or faster than early-K dwarfs of the same age. This result agrees qualitatively with semiempirical models that vary the rate of surface-to-core angular momentum transport as a function of time and mass. It also aligns with recent observations of stars in the NGC 6811 cluster, which indicate that the surface rotation rates of K dwarfs go through an epoch of inhibited evolution. We find that the oldest Kepler stars with measured rotation periods are late K and early M dwarfs, indicating that these stars maintain spotted surfaces and stay magnetically active longer than more massive stars. Finally, based on their kinematics, we confirm that many rapidly rotating GKM dwarfs are likely to be synchronized binaries.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

APPARENT NON-COEVALITY AMONG THE STARS IN UPPER SCORPIO: RESOLVING THE PROBLEM USING A MODEL OF MAGNETIC INHIBITION OF CONVECTION

Two eclipsing binaries in the USco association have recently yielded precise values of masses and radii for four low-mass members of the association. Standard evolution models would require these dM4.5–dM5 stars to have ages which are younger than those of more massive stars in the association by factors which appear (in extreme cases) to be as large as ∼3. Are the stars in the association therefore non-coeval? We suggest that the answer is no: by incorporating the effects of magnetic inhibition of convective onset, we show that the stars in USco can be restored to coevality provided the four low-mass member stars have vertical surface fields in the range 200–700 G. Fields of such magnitude have already been measured on the surface of certain solar-type stars in other young clusters.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1998

Pulsations, Shocks, and Mass Loss

This grant provided long-term support for my investigation of the outflows powered by young stars. Several major research results emerged during the course of this research, including: (1) The discovery of giant Herbig-Haro outflows from young stars that can extend for many parsecs from their sources. The first parsec-scale outflow to be recognized led to the realization that Herbig-Haro outflows, even those produced by low mass young stellar objects, can extend orders of magnitude farther from their sources than previously thought. Our preconceptions were to a large extent driven by the narrow fields-of-view then provided by CCD detectors. With the recent advent of large format CCDs and CCD mosaics, we have come to realize that most outflows attain parsec-scale dimensions. Even at the distance of the Orion star forming clouds, such flows can subtend a degree on the sky. Our work has led to the recognition of over two dozen giant. (2) The discovery that outflows are highly clustered. Even regions of relatively isolated star formation such as those in Taurus frequently produce multiple outflows. (3) The discovery of a new family of externally irradiated jets. During the last year of support from this grant, we made the startling discovery that there is a class of jets from young stars that are illuminated by the ionizing radiation field of nearby massive stars. The first four examples were discovered in the vicinity of the a Orionis sub-group of the Orion OB Association which is believed to be at least 2 million years old. Since the jets are photo-ionized, their densities can be reliably estimated. Most HH jets are shock excited, and are therefore notoriously difficult to characterize since their visibility and observed properties depend on the complex and highly non-linear processes associated with shocks. Furthermore, many irradiated jets are one sided rather than bipolar. Thus, irradiated jets may for the first time be used to accurately diagnose jet densities and mass loss rates, and to probe the physics of jet collimation, and may indicate that the jet production phase of certain young stars may last more than a million years. These three discoveries provide us with fundamental new insights into the star formation process, into the physical conditions inside and near star forming clouds, and into new ways to probe the physics and chemistry of such clouds.

Bally, John↗
DOE OSTI2015

Early structure formation from primordial density fluctuations with a blue, tilted power spectrum

While observations of large-scale structure and the cosmic microwave background (CMB) provide strong constraints on the amplitude of the primordial power spectrum (PPS) on scales larger than 10 Mpc, the amplitude of the power spectrum on sub-galactic length scales is much more poorly constrained. We study early structure formation in a cosmological model with a blue-tilted PPS. We assume that the standard scale-invariant PPS is modified at small length scales as P(k)∼k{sup m{sub s}} with m{sub s} > 1. We run a series of cosmological hydrodynamic simulations to examine the dependence of the formation epoch and the characteristic mass of primordial stars on the tilt of the PPS. In models with m{sub s} > 1, star-forming gas clouds are formed at z > 100 when the formation of hydrogen molecules is inefficient because the intense CMB radiation destroys chemical intermediates. Without efficient coolant, the gas clouds gravitationally contract while retaining a high temperature. The protostars formed in such “hot” clouds grow very rapidly through accretion to become extremely massive stars that may leave massive black holes with a few hundred solar masses at z > 100. The shape of the PPS critically affects the properties and the formation epoch of the first generation of stars. Future experiments on CMB polarization and spectrum distortion may provide important information on the nature of the first stars and their formation epoch, and hence on the shape of the small-scale power spectrum.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

RUNAWAY STARS AND THE ESCAPE OF IONIZING RADIATION FROM HIGH-REDSHIFT GALAXIES

Approximately 30% of all massive stars in the Galaxy are runaways with velocities exceeding 30 km s{sup -1}. Their high speeds allow them to travel {approx}0.1-1 kpc away from their birthplace before they explode at the end of their several Myr lifetimes. At high redshift, when galaxies were much smaller than in the local universe, runaways could venture far from the dense inner regions of their host galaxies. From these large radii, and therefore low column densities, much of their ionizing radiation is able to escape into the intergalactic medium. Runaways may therefore significantly enhance the overall escape fraction of ionizing radiation, f{sub esc}, from small galaxies at high redshift. We present simple models of the high-redshift runaway population and its impact on f{sub esc} as a function of halo mass, size, and redshift. We find that the inclusion of runaways enhances f{sub esc} by factors of Almost-Equal-To 1.1-8, depending on halo mass, galaxy geometry, and the mechanism of runaway production, implying that runaways may contribute 50%-90% of the total ionizing radiation escaping from high-redshift galaxies. Runaways may therefore play an important role in reionizing the universe.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

w22_stars: Turbulent Convection in a 19M ⊙ Star [Slide]

We find large scale turbulent convection within the O-shell region in our massive star model. Within this region we also observe a redistribution of angular momentum that differs from 1D stellar evolution models.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2000

Star Formation in the Galaxy and the Fluctuating UV Radiation Field

We examine the formation of massive stars in the Galaxy, the resultant fluctuating UV radiation field, and the effect of this Field on the star-forming interstellar medium. Following previous researchers such as Habing (1968), we calculate the average interstellar radiation field at the Solar Circle of the Galaxy. However, our new calculations follow more closely the time dependence of the field at any point. We show that there is a significant difference between the mean field and the median field, and that there are substantial fluctuations of the field (on timescales of order 100 million years) at a given point. Far Ultraviolet Radiation (FUV, photon energies of 6 eV - 13.6 eV) has been recognized as the main source of heating of the neutral interstellar gas. Given the pressure of the interstellar medium (ISM) the FUV field determines whether the thermal balance of the neutral gas results in cold (T approximately 50 - 100 K) clouds (CNM), warm (T about 10,000 K) (WNM), for a combination of the two (the two phase ISM) We present results for the time history of the FUV field for points in the local ISM of the Milky Way Galaxy. The presence of this fluctuating heating rate converts CNM to WNM and vice versa. We show how to calculate the average fractions of the gas in the CNM and WNM when the interstellar gas is subject to this fluctuating FUV field. The knowledge of how these fractions depend on the gas properties (i.e. mean density and composition) and on the FUV-sources (i.e. the star formation rate, or the IMF, or the size distribution of associations) is a basic step in building any detailed model of the large scale behavior of the ISM and the mutual relation between the ISM and the SFR.

Hollenbach, David↗
NASA NTRS2001

Star Formation in the Galaxy and the Fluctuating UV Radiation Field

We examine the formation of massive stars in the Galaxy, the resultant fluctuating UV radiation field, and the effect of this field on the star-forming interstellar medium (ISM). There are substantial fluctuations of the UV radiation field in space (scales of 100's of parsecs) and time (time-scales of order 100 million years) at the solar circle. The Far Ultraviolet (FUV) (6 eV< hv < 13.6 eV) field and the pressure determines whether the thermal balance of the neutral gas results in cold clouds or warm (T - 10(exp 4) neutral medium. We show how to calculate the average fractions of the gas in the cold and warm phases when the interstellar gas is subject to this fluctuating FUV field. The knowledge of how these fractions depend on the gas properties and on the FUV sources is a basic step in building a model of the large scale behavior of the ISM and the mutual relation between the ISM and the star formation rate. Application is made to observations of spiral galaxies which correlate the star formation rate per unit area with the surface density of the gas. We acknowledge support from the NASA Astrophysical Theory program.

Hollenbach, David↗
NASA NTRS2002

Star Formation In the Galaxy and the Fluctuating UV Radiation Field

We examine the formation of massive stars in the Galaxy, the resultant fluctuating UV (ultraviolet) radiation field, and the effect of this field on the star-forming interstellar medium. There are substantial fluctuations of the UV radiation field in space (scales of 100's of parsecs) and time (time-scales of order 100 million years). The FUV (far ultraviolet) (6 eV less than hv less than 13.6 eV) field and the pressure determines whether the thermal balance of the neutral gas results in cold clouds or warm (T approx. 10(exp 4) K) neutral medium. We show how to calculate the average fractions of the gas in the cold and warm phases when the interstellar gas is subject to this fluctuating FUV field. The knowledge of how these fractions depend on the gas properties and on the FUV sources is a basic step in building a model of the large scale behavior of the ISM (interstellar medium) and the mutual relation between the ISM and the star formation rate.

Hollenbach, David↗
DOE OSTI2010

A STELLAR ROTATION CENSUS OF B STARS: FROM ZAMS TO TAMS

Two recent observing campaigns provide us with moderate dispersion spectra of more than 230 cluster and 370 field B stars. Combining them and the spectra of the B stars from our previous investigations ({approx}430 cluster and {approx}100 field B stars) yields a large, homogeneous sample for studying the rotational properties of B stars. We derive the projected rotational velocity Vsin i, effective temperature, gravity, mass, and critical rotation speed V{sub crit} for each star. We find that the average Vsin i is significantly lower among field stars because they are systematically more evolved and spun down than their cluster counterparts. The rotational distribution functions of V{sub eq}/V{sub crit} for the least evolved B stars show that lower mass B stars are born with a larger proportion of rapid rotators than higher mass B stars. However, the upper limit of V{sub eq}/V{sub crit} that may separate normal B stars from emission-line Be stars (where rotation promotes mass loss into a circumstellar disk) is smaller among the higher mass B stars. We compare the evolutionary trends of rotation (measured according to the polar gravity of the star) with recent models that treat internal mixing. The spin-down rates observed in the high-mass subset ({approx}9 M{sub sun}) agree with predictions, but the rates are larger for the low-mass group ({approx}3 M{sub sun}). The faster spin-down in the low-mass B stars matches well with the predictions based on conservation of angular momentum in individual spherical shells. Our results suggest that the fastest rotators (that probably correspond to the emission-line Be stars) are probably formed by evolutionary spin-up (for the more massive stars) and by mass transfer in binaries (for the full range of B star masses).

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

The universal relation of galactic chemical evolution: the origin of the mass-metallicity relation

We examine the mass-metallicity relation for z ≲ 1.6. The mass-metallicity relation follows a steep slope with a turnover, or 'knee', at stellar masses around 10{sup 10} M {sub ☉}. At stellar masses higher than the characteristic turnover mass, the mass-metallicity relation flattens as metallicities begin to saturate. We show that the redshift evolution of the mass-metallicity relation depends only on the evolution of the characteristic turnover mass. The relationship between metallicity and the stellar mass normalized to the characteristic turnover mass is independent of redshift. We find that the redshift-independent slope of the mass-metallicity relation is set by the slope of the relationship between gas mass and stellar mass. The turnover in the mass-metallicity relation occurs when the gas-phase oxygen abundance is high enough that the amount of oxygen locked up in low-mass stars is an appreciable fraction of the amount of oxygen produced by massive stars. The characteristic turnover mass is the stellar mass, where the stellar-to-gas mass ratio is unity. Numerical modeling suggests that the relationship between metallicity and the stellar-to-gas mass ratio is a redshift-independent, universal relationship followed by all galaxies as they evolve. The mass-metallicity relation originates from this more fundamental universal relationship between metallicity and the stellar-to-gas mass ratio. We test the validity of this universal metallicity relation in local galaxies where stellar mass, metallicity, and gas mass measurements are available. The data are consistent with a universal metallicity relation. We derive an equation for estimating the hydrogen gas mass from measurements of stellar mass and metallicity valid for z ≲ 1.6 and predict the cosmological evolution of galactic gas masses.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Astrophysical Insights into Radial Velocity Jitter from an Analysis of 600 Planet-search Stars

Radial velocity (RV) detection of planets is hampered by astrophysical processes on the surfaces of stars that induce a stochastic signal, or “jitter,” which can drown out or even mimic planetary signals. Here, we empirically and carefully measure the RV jitter of more than 600 stars from the California Planet Search sample on a star by star basis. As part of this process, we explore the activity–RV correlation of stellar cycles and include appendices listing every ostensibly companion-induced signal we removed and every activity cycle we noted. We then use precise stellar properties from Brewer et al. to separate the sample into bins of stellar mass and examine trends with activity and with evolutionary state. We find that RV jitter tracks stellar evolution and that in general, stars evolve through different stages of RV jitter: the jitter in younger stars is driven by magnetic activity, while the jitter in older stars is convectively driven and dominated by granulation and oscillations. We identify the “jitter minimum”—where activity-driven and convectively driven jitter have similar amplitudes—for stars between 0.7 and 1.7 M {sub ⊙} and find that more-massive stars reach this jitter minimum later in their lifetime, in the subgiant or even giant phases. Finally, we comment on how these results can inform future RV efforts, from prioritization of follow-up targets from transit surveys like TESS to target selection of future RV surveys.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2018

PUSHing Core-collapse Supernovae to Explosions in Spherical Symmetry. II. Explodability and Remnant Properties

In a previously presented proof-of-principle study, we established a parameterized spherically symmetric explosion method (PUSH) that can reproduce many features of core-collapse supernovae. The present paper goes beyond a specific application that is able to reproduce observational properties of SN 1987A and performs a systematic study of an extensive set of nonrotating, solar metallicity stellar progenitor models in the mass range from 10.8 to 120 M ⊙ . This includes the transition from neutron stars to black holes as the final result of the collapse of massive stars, and the relation of the latter to supernovae, possibly faint supernovae, and failed supernovae. We discuss the explosion properties of all models and predict remnant mass distributions within this approach. The present paper provides the basis for extended nucleosynthesis predictions in a forthcoming paper to be employed in galactic evolution models.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

A New Constraint on the Nuclear Equation of State from Statistical Distributions of Compact Remnants of Supernovae

Abstract Understanding how matter behaves at the highest densities and temperatures is a major open problem in both nuclear physics and relativistic astrophysics. Our understanding of such behavior is often encapsulated in the so-called high-temperature nuclear equation of state (EOS), which influences compact binary mergers, core-collapse supernovae, and other phenomena. Our focus is on the type (either black hole or neutron star) and mass of the remnant of the core collapse of a massive star. For each six candidates of equations of state, we use a very large suite of spherically symmetric supernova models to generate a sample of synthetic populations of such remnants. We then compare these synthetic populations to the observed remnant population. Our study provides a novel constraint on the high-temperature nuclear EOS and describes which EOS candidates are more or less favored by an information-theoretic metric.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1981

The origin of the Crab Nebula and the electron capture supernova in 8-10 M solar mass stars

The chemical composition of the Crab Nebula is compared with several presupernova models. The small carbon and oxygen abundances in the helium-rich nebula are consistent with only the presupernova model of the star whose main sequence mass was MMS approximately 8-9.5 M. More massive stars contain too much carbon in the helium layer and smaller mass stars do not leave neutron stars. The progenitor star of the Crab Nebula lost appreciable part of the hydrogen-rich envelope before the hydrogen-rich and helium layers were mixed by convection. Finally it exploded as the electron capture supernova; the O+Ne+Mg core collapsed to form a neutron star and only the extended helium-rich envelope was ejected by the weak shock wave.

Nomoto, K.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The nature of NML Cygnus

Since the discovery of NML Cyg by Neugebauer et al. (1965), its nature has been uncertain because its distance and luminosity are not known. NML Cyg is partially surrounded by an H II region which is heavily obscured by intervening interstellar matter. This H II region has been mapped in the continuum at 21 cm, and it seems clearly associated with the star. In the present investigation it is proposed that the H II region has been created by ionizing radiation from the Cyg OB2 association. The close agreement between the observed structure of the H II region and that predicted by the considered model provides strong evidence that NML Cyg is indeed at the distance of the association, 2 kpc. At this distance it is among the most luminous red stars shown. Because of its high luminosity, NML Cygnus is probably a massive star of perhaps 50 solar masses.

Morris, M.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The r-process and neutrino-heated supernova ejecta

As a neutron star is formed by the collapse of the iron core of a massive star, its Kelvin-Helmholtz evolution is characterized by the release of gravitational binding energy as neutrinos. The interaction of these neutrinos with heated material above the neutron star generates a hot bubble in an atmosphere that is nearly in hydrostatic equilibrium and heated, after approximately 10 s, to an entropy of S/N(sub AS)k greater than or approximately = 400. The neutron-to-proton ratio for material moving outward through this bubble is set by the balance between neutrino and antineutrino capture on nucleons. Because the electron antineutrino spectrum at this time is hotter than the electron neutrino spectrum, the bubble is neutron-rich (0.38 less than or approximately = Y(sub e) less than or approximately = 0.47). Previous work using a schematic model has shown that these conditions are well suited to the production of heavy elements by the r-process. In this paper we have advanced the numerical modeling of a 20 solar mass 'delayed' supernova explosion to the point that we can follow the detailed evolution of material moving through the bubble at the late times appropiate to r-process nucleosynthesis. The supernova model predicts a final kinetic energy for the ejecta of 1.5 x 10(exp 51) ergs and leaves behind a remnant with a baryon mass of 1.50 solar mass (and a gravitational mass of 1.445 solar mass). We follow the thermodynamic and compositional evolution of 40 trajectories in rho(t), T(t), Y(sub e)(t) for a logarithmic grid of mass elements for the last approximately = 0.03 solar mass to be ejected by the proto-neutron star down to the last less than 10(exp -6) solar mass of material expelled at up to approximately = 18 s after core collapse. We find that an excellent fit to the solar r-process abundance distribution is obtained with no adjustable parameters in the nucleosynthesis calculations. Moreover, the abundances are produced in the quantities required to account for the present Galactic abundances. However, at earlier times, this one-dimensional model ejects too much material with entropies S/N(sub A)k approximately 50 and Y(sub e) approximately 0.46. This leads to an acceptable over production of N = 50 nuclei, particularly Sr-88, Y-89, and Zr-90, relative to their solar abundances. We speculate on various means to avoid the early overproduction and/or ejection of N = 50 isotonic nuclei while still producing and ejecting the correct amount of r-process material.

Woosley, S. E.↗