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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2018

ALMA Spectral Line and Imaging Survey of a Low and a High Mass-Loss Rate AGB Star Between 335 and 362 GHz

Context. Low and intermediate mass stars are known to power strong stellar winds when evolving through the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase. Initial mass, luminosity, temperature, and composition determine the pulsation characteristics of the star and the dust species formed in the pulsating photospheric layers. Radiation pressure on these grains triggers the onset of a stellar wind. However, as of today, we still cannot predict the wind mass-loss rates and wind velocities from first principles neither do we know which species are the first to condense in the upper atmospheric regions. Aims. We aim to characterise the dominant physical, dynamical, and chemical processes in the inner wind region of two archetypical oxygen-rich (C/O < 1) AGB stars, that is, the low mass-loss rate AGB star R Dor (M’ ∼ 1 × 10(exp −7) M/yr) and the high mass-loss rate AGB star IK Tau (M’ ∼ 5 × 10(exp −6) M/yr). The purpose of this study is to observe the key molecular species contributing to the formation of dust grains and to cross-link the observed line brightnesses of several species to the global and local properties of the star and its wind. Methods. A spectral line and imaging survey of IK Tau and R Dor was made with ALMA between 335 and 362 GHz (band 7) at a spatial resolution of ∼150 mas, which corresponds to the locus of the main dust formation region of both targets. Results. Some two hundred spectral features from 15 molecules (and their isotopologues) were observed, including rotational lines in both the ground and vibrationally excited states (up to v = 5 for SiO). Detected species include the gaseous precursors of dust grains such as SiO, AlO, AlOH, TiO, and TiO2. We present a spectral atlas for both stars and the parameters of all detected spectral features. A clear dichotomy for the sulphur chemistry is seen: while CS, SiS, SO, and SO2 are abundantly present in IK Tau, only SO and SO2 are detected in R Dor. Also other species such as NaCl, NS, AlO, and AlOH display a completely different behaviour. From some selected species, the minor isotopologues can be used to assess the isotopic ratios. The channel maps of many species prove that both large and small-scale inhomogeneities persist in the inner wind of both stars in the form of blobs, arcs, and/or a disk. The high sensitivity of ALMA allows us to spot the impact of these correlated density structures in the spectral line profiles. The spectral lines often display a half width at zero intensity much larger than expected from the terminal velocity, v∞, previously derived for both objects (36 km/s versus v(∞) ∼ 17.7 km/s for IK Tau and 23 km/s versus v(∞) ∼ 5.5 km/s for R Dor). Both a more complex 3D morphology and a more forceful wind acceleration of the (underlying) isotropic wind can explain this trend. The formation of fractal grains in the region beyond ∼400 mas can potentially account for the latter scenario. From the continuum map, we deduce a dust mass of ∼3.7 × 10(exp −7) Mand ∼2 × 10(exp −8) M for IK Tau and R Dor, respectively. Conclusions. The observations presented here provide important constraints on the properties of these two oxygen-dominated AGB stellar winds. In particular, the ALMA data prove that both the dynamical and chemical properties are vastly different for this high mass-loss rate (IK Tau) and low mass-loss rate (R Dor) star.

L. Decin↗
NASA NTRS2019

Cool, Evolved Stars: Results, Challenges, and Promises for the Next Decade

Cool, evolved stars are the main source of chemical enrichment of the interstellar medium (ISM), and understanding their mass loss and structure offers a unique opportunity to study the cycle of matter in the Universe. Pulsation, convection, and other dynamic processes in cool evolved stars create an atmosphere where molecules and dust can form, including those necessary to the formation of life (e.g. Carbon-bearing molecules). Understanding the structure and composition of these stars is thus vital to several aspects of stellar astrophysics, ranging from ISM studies to modeling young galaxies and to exoplanet research. Recent modeling efforts and increasingly precise observations now reveal that our understanding of cool stars photospheric, chromospheric, and atmospheric structures is limited by inadequate knowledge of the dynamic and chemical processes at work. Here we outline promising scientific opportunities for the next decade that can provide essential constraints on stellar photospheres, chromospheres, and circumstellar envelopes (CSE), and tie together analyses of the spectra and interferometric and imaging observations of evolved stars. We identify and discuss the following main opportunities: (1) identify and model the physical processes that must be included in current 1D and 3D atmosphere models of cool, evolved stars; (2) refine our understanding of photospheric, chromospheric, and outer atmospheric regions of cool evolved stars, their properties and parameters, through high-resolution spectroscopic observations, and interferometric observations at high angular resolution; (3) include the neglected role of chromospheric activity in the mass loss process of red giant branch (RGB) and red super giant (RSG) stars and understand the role played by their magnetic fields; (4) identify the important shaping mechanisms for planetary nebulae (PNe) and their relation with the parent Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars.

Gioia Rau↗
NASA NTRS2020

Tidal Disruptions of Main-sequence Stars. II. Simulation Methodology and Stellar Mass Dependence of the Character of Full Tidal Disruptions

This is the second in a series of papers presenting the results of fully general relativistic simulations of stellar tidal disruptions in which the stars' initial states are realistic main-sequence models. In the first paper, we gave an overview of this program and discussed the principal observational implications of our work. Here we describe our calculational method, which includes a new method for calculating fully relativistic stellar self-gravity, and provide details about the outcomes of full disruptions, focusing on the stellar mass dependence of the outcomes for a black hole of mass 106 M(⊙). We consider eight different stellar masses, from 0.15 M(⊙) to 10 M(⊙). We find that, relative to the traditional order-of-magnitude estimate r t, the physical tidal radius of low-mass stars (M(*) ≲ 0.7 M(⊙)) is larger by tens of percent, while for high-mass stars (M(*) ≲ 1 M(⊙)) it is smaller by a factor of 2–2.5. The traditional estimate of the range of energies found in the debris is ≈1.4× too large for low-mass stars, but is a factor of ~2 too small for high-mass stars; in addition, the energy distribution for high-mass stars has significant wings. For all stars undergoing tidal encounters, we find that mass loss continues for many stellar vibration times because the black hole's tidal gravity competes with the instantaneous stellar gravity at the star's surface until the star has reached a distance from the black hole ~O(10)r(t).

Taeho Ryu↗
DOE OSTI2011

THE WIDEST-SEPARATION SUBSTELLAR COMPANION CANDIDATE TO A BINARY T TAURI STAR

The results of near-infrared imaging and spectroscopy of a substellar companion (SR12 C), with a possible planetary mass, of a binary T Tauri star (SR12 AB) in the {rho} Ophiuchi star-forming region are presented. The object is separated by {approx}8.''7, corresponding to {approx}1100 AU at 125 pc, and has an H-band brightness of 15.2 mag and infrared spectra suggesting a spectral type of M9.0 {+-} 0.5. It is confirmed that SR12 C is physically related to the {rho} Ophiuchi star-forming region from its common proper motion with SR12 AB and its youth is confirmed by a gravity-sensitive spectral feature. Furthermore, based on the number of known members of the {rho} Ophiuchi star-forming region in the area in which SR12 AB exists, the probability of a chance alignment is {approx}1% and it is therefore likely that SR12 C is physically associated with SR12 AB. The mass of SR12 C is estimated by comparing its estimated luminosity and assumed age with the theoretical age-luminosity relation. SR12 C is identified as an extremely low-mass (0.013 {+-} 0.007 M{sub sun}) object, but its separation from its parent star is the widest among planetary-mass companion (PMC) candidates imaged to date. In addition, SR12 C is the first PMC candidate directly imaged around a binary star. This discovery suggests that PMCs form via multiple star formation processes including disk gravitational instability and cloud core fragmentation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

TRANSITS AND LENSING BY COMPACT OBJECTS IN THE KEPLER FIELD: DISRUPTED STARS ORBITING BLUE STRAGGLERS

Kepler's first major discoveries are two hot (T > 10,000 K) small-radius objects orbiting stars in its field. A viable hypothesis is that these are the cores of stars that have each been eroded or disrupted by a companion star. The companion, which is the star monitored today, is likely to have gained mass from its now-defunct partner and can be considered to be a blue straggler. KOI-81 is almost certainly the product of stable mass transfer; KOI-74 may be as well, or it may be the first clear example of a blue straggler created through three-body interactions. We show that mass-transfer binaries are common enough that Kepler should discover {approx}1000 white dwarfs orbiting main-sequence stars. Most of these, like KOI-74 and KOI-81, will be discovered through transits, but many will be discovered through a combination of gravitational lensing and transits, while lensing will dominate for a subset. In fact, some events caused by white dwarfs will have the appearance of 'anti-transits' - i.e., short-lived enhancements in the amount of light received from the monitored star. Lensing and other mass-measurement methods provide a way to distinguish white dwarf binaries from planetary systems. This is important for the success of Kepler's primary mission, in light of the fact that white dwarf radii are similar to the radii of terrestrial planets, and that some white dwarfs will have orbital periods that place them in the habitable zones of their stellar companions. By identifying transiting and/or lensing white dwarfs, Kepler will conduct pioneering studies of white dwarfs and of the end states of mass transfer. It may also identify orbiting neutron stars or black holes. The calculations inspired by the discovery of KOI-74 and KOI-81 have implications for ground-based wide-field surveys as well as for future space-based surveys.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

THE EVOLUTION OF CATACLYSMIC VARIABLES AS REVEALED BY THEIR DONOR STARS

We present an attempt to reconstruct the complete evolutionary path followed by cataclysmic variables (CVs), based on the observed mass-radius relationship of their donor stars. Along the way, we update the semi-empirical CV donor sequence presented previously by one of us, present a comprehensive review of the connection between CV evolution and the secondary stars in these systems, and reexamine most of the commonly used magnetic braking (MB) recipes, finding that even conceptually similar ones can differ greatly in both magnitude and functional form. The great advantage of using donor radii to infer mass-transfer and angular-momentum-loss (AML) rates is that they sample the longest accessible timescales and are most likely to represent the true secular (evolutionary average) rates. We show explicitly that if CVs exhibit long-term mass-transfer-rate fluctuations, as is often assumed, the expected variability timescales are so long that other tracers of the mass-transfer rate-including white dwarf (WD) temperatures-become unreliable. We carefully explore how much of the radius difference between CV donors and models of isolated main-sequence stars may be due to mechanisms other than mass loss. The tidal and rotational deformation of Roche-lobe-filling stars produces {approx_equal} 4.5% radius inflation below the period gap and {approx_equal} 7.9% above. A comparison of stellar models to mass-radius data for non-interacting stars suggests a real offset of {approx_equal} 1.5% for fully convective stars (i.e., donors below the gap) and {approx_equal} 4.9% for partially radiative ones (donors above the gap). We also show that donor bloating due to irradiation is probably smaller than, and at most comparable to, these effects. After calibrating our models to account for these issues, we fit self-consistent evolution sequences to our compilation of donor masses and radii. In the standard model of CV evolution, AMLs below the period gap are assumed to be driven solely by gravitational radiation (GR), while AMLs above the gap are usually described by an MB law first suggested by Rappaport et al. We adopt simple scaled versions of these AML recipes and find that these are able to match the data quite well. The optimal scaling factors turn out to be f{sub GR} = 2.47 {+-} 0.22 below the gap and f{sub MB} = 0.66 {+-} 0.05 above (the errors here are purely statistical, and the standard model corresponds to f{sub GR} = f{sub MB} = 1). This revised model describes the mass-radius data significantly better than the standard model. Some of the most important implications and applications of our results are as follows. (1) The revised evolution sequence yields correct locations for the minimum period and the upper edge of the period gap; the standard sequence does not. (2) The observed spectral types of CV donors are compatible with both standard and revised models. (3) A direct comparison of predicted and observed WD temperatures suggests an even higher value for f{sub GR}, but this comparison is sensitive to the assumed mean WD mass and the possible existence of mass-transfer-rate fluctuations. (4) The predicted absolute magnitudes of donor stars in the near-infrared form a lower envelope around the observed absolute magnitudes for systems with parallax distances. This is true for all of our sequences, so any of them can be used to set firm lower limits on (or obtain rough estimates of) the distances toward CVs based only on P{sub orb} and single epoch near-IR measurements. (5) Both standard and revised sequences predict that short-period CVs should be susceptible to dwarf nova (DN) eruptions, consistent with observations. However, both sequences also predict that the fraction of DNe among long-period CVs should decline with P{sub orb} above the period gap. Observations suggest the opposite behavior, and we discuss the possible explanations for this discrepancy. (6) Approximate orbital period distributions constructed from our evolution sequences suggest that the ratio of long-period CVs to short-period, pre-bounce CVs is about 3 x higher for the revised sequence than the standard one. This may resolve a long-standing problem in CV evolution. Tables describing our donor and evolution sequences are provided in electronically readable form.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Nuclear and gravitational energies in stars

The force that governs the evolution of stars is gravity. Indeed this force drives star formation, imposes thermal and density gradients into stars at hydrostatic equilibrium and finally plays the key role in the last phases of their evolution. Nuclear power in stars governs their lifetimes and of course the stellar nucleosynthesis. The nuclear reactions are at the heart of the changes of composition of the baryonic matter in the Universe. This change of composition, in its turn, has profound consequences on the evolution of stars and galaxies. The energy extracted from the gravitational, respectively nuclear reservoirs during the lifetimes of stars of different masses are estimated. It is shown that low and intermediate mass stars (M < 8 M{sub ⊙}) extract roughly 90 times more energy from their nuclear reservoir than from their gravitational one, while massive stars (M > 8 M{sub ⊙}), which explode in a supernova explosion, extract more than 5 times more energy from the gravitational reservoir than from the nuclear one. We conclude by discussing a few important nuclear reactions and their link to topical astrophysical questions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

A TREASURY STUDY OF STAR-FORMING REGIONS IN THE LOCAL GROUP. I. HST PHOTOMETRY OF YOUNG POPULATIONS IN SIX DWARF GALAXIES

We present a comprehensive study of young stellar populations in six dwarf galaxies in or near the Local Group: Phoenix, Pegasus, Sextans A, Sextans B, WLM, and NGC 6822. Their star-forming regions, selected from GALEX wide-field far-UV imaging, were imaged (at sub-pc resolution) with the WFPC2 camera on board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in six bandpasses from far-UV to I to detect and characterize their hot massive star content. This study is part of HST treasury survey program HST-GO-11079; the general data characteristics and reduction procedures are detailed in this paper and results are presented for the first six galaxies. From a total of 180 HST images, we provide catalogs of the multi-band stellar photometry and derive the physical parameters of massive stars by analyzing it with model-atmosphere colors. We use the results to infer ages, number of massive stars, extinction, and spatial characteristics of the young stellar populations. The hot massive star content varies largely across our galaxy sample, from an inconspicuous presence in Phoenix and Pegasus to the highest relative abundance of young massive stars in Sextans A and WLM. Albeit to a largely varying extent, most galaxies show a very young population (a few Myrs, except for Phoenix), and older ones (a few 10{sup 7} years in Sextans A, Sextans B, NGC 6822, and WLM, {approx}10{sup 8}yr in Phoenix and Pegasus), suggesting discrete bursts of recent star formation in the mapped regions. The hot massive star content (indicative of the young populations) broadly correlates with the total galaxy stellar mass represented by the integrated optical magnitude, although it varies by a factor of {approx}3 between Sextans A, WLM, and Sextans B, which have similar M{sub V}. Extinction properties are also derived.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

CHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS OF THIN-DISK, HIGH-METALLICITY RED HORIZONTAL-BRANCH FIELD STARS

We present a detailed abundance analysis and atmospheric parameters of 76 stars from a survey to identify field Galactic red horizontal-branch (RHB) stars. High-resolution echelle spectra (R {approx_equal} 60,000, S/N {>=} 100) were obtained with the 2.7 m Harlan J. Smith Telescope at McDonald Observatory. The target stars were selected only by color and parallax information. Overall metallicities and relative abundances of proton-capture elements (C, N, O, Li), {alpha}-elements (Ca and Si), and neutron-capture elements (Eu and La) were determined by either equivalent width or synthetic spectrum analyses. We used CN features at the {lambda}{lambda}7995-8040 region in order to determine the {sup 12}C/{sup 13}C ratios of our targets. Investigation of the evolutionary stages, using spectroscopic T{sub eff} and log g values along with derived {sup 12}C/{sup 13}C ratios, revealed the presence of 18 probable RHB stars in our sample. We also derived kinematics of the stars with available distance information. Taking into account both the kinematics and probable evolutionary stages, we conclude that our sample contains 5 thick-disk and 13 thin-disk RHB stars. Up until now, RHB stars have been considered as members of the thick disk, and were expected to have large space velocities and sub-solar metallicities. However, our sample is dominated by low-velocity solar-metallicity RHB stars; their existence cannot be easily explained with standard stellar evolution.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

STAR FORMATION IN TWO LUMINOUS SPIRAL GALAXIES

We examined star formation in two very luminous (M{sub V} = –22 to –23) Sc-type spiral galaxies, NGC 801 and UGC 2885, using ultra-deep Hα images. We combine these Hα images with UBV and Two-Micron All-Sky Survey JHK images and H I maps to explore the star formation characteristics of disk galaxies at high luminosity. Hα traces star formation in these galaxies to 4-6 disk scale lengths, but the lack of detection of Hα further out is likely due to the loss of Lyman continuum photons. Considering gravitational instabilities alone, we find that the gas and stars in the outer regions are marginally stable in an average sense, but considering dissipative gas and radial and azimuthal forcing, the outer regions are marginally unstable to forming spiral arms. Star formation is taking place in spiral arms, which are regions of locally higher gas densities. Furthermore, we have traced smooth exponential stellar disks over four magnitudes in V-band surface brightness and 4-6 disk scale lengths, in spite of a highly variable gravitational instability parameter. Thus, gravitational instability thresholds do not seem relevant to the stellar disk. One possibility for creating an exponential disk is that the molecular cloud densities and star formation rates have exponential profiles and this fact forces the stellar disk to build up such a profile. Another possibility is that the stellar disk is continuously adjusted to an exponential shape regardless of the star formation profile, for example, through global dynamical processes that scatter stars. However, such scattering processes are only known to operate in spiral systems, in which case they cannot explain the same dilemma of smooth exponential disks observed in dwarf irregular galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Characterizing Wolf-Rayet stars in the near- and mid-infrared

We present refined color-color selection criteria for identifying Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars using available mid-infrared (MIR) photometry from WISE in combination with near-infrared (NIR) photometry from the Two Micron All Sky Survey. Using a sample of spectrally classified objects, we find that WR stars are well distinguished from the field stellar population in the (W1 – W2) versus (J – K{sub s} ) color-color diagram, and further distinguished from other emission line objects such as planetary nebulae, Be, and cataclysmic variable stars using a combination of NIR and MIR color constraints. As proof of concept we applied the color constraints to a photometric sample in the Galactic plane, located WR star candidates, and present five new spectrally confirmed and classified WC (1) and WN (4) stars. Analysis of the 0.8-5.0 μm spectral data for a subset of known, bright WC and WN stars shows that emission lines (primarily He I) extend into the 3.0-5.0 μm spectral region, although their strength is greatly diminished compared to the 0.8-2.5 μm region. The WR population stands out relative to background field stars at NIR and MIR colors due to an excess continuum contribution, likely caused by free-free scattering in dense winds. Mean photometric properties of known WRs are presented and imply that reddened late-type WN and WC sources are easier to detect than earlier-type sources at larger Galactic radii. WISE W3 and W4 images of 10 WR stars show evidence of circumstellar shells linked to mass ejections from strong stellar winds.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

GRAVITATIONAL FRAGMENTATION IN TURBULENT PRIMORDIAL GAS AND THE INITIAL MASS FUNCTION OF POPULATION III STARS

We report results from numerical simulations of star formation in the early universe that focus on the dynamical behavior of metal-free gas under different initial and environmental conditions. In particular we investigate the role of turbulence, which is thought to ubiquitously accompany the collapse of high-redshift halos. We distinguish between two main cases: the birth of Population III.1 stars-those which form in the pristine halos unaffected by prior star formation-and the formation of Population III.2 stars-those forming in halos where the gas has an increased ionization fraction. We find that turbulent primordial gas is highly susceptible to fragmentation in both cases, even for turbulence in the subsonic regime, i.e., for rms velocity dispersions as low as 20% of the sound speed. Fragmentation is more vigorous and more widespread in pristine halos compared to pre-ionized ones. If such levels of turbulent motions were indeed present in star-forming minihalos, Population III.1 stars would be on average of somewhat lower mass, and form in larger groups, than Population III.2 stars. We find that fragment masses cover over two orders of magnitude, suggesting that the Population III initial mass function may have been much broader than previously thought. This prompts the need for a large, high-resolution study of the formation of dark matter minihalos that is capable of resolving the turbulent flows in the gas at the moment when the baryons become self-gravitating. This would help to determine the applicability of our results to primordial star formation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

EXOZODIACAL DUST LEVELS FOR NEARBY MAIN-SEQUENCE STARS: A SURVEY WITH THE KECK INTERFEROMETER NULLER

The Keck Interferometer Nuller (KIN) was used to survey 25 nearby main-sequence stars in the mid-infrared, in order to assess the prevalence of warm circumstellar (exozodiacal) dust around nearby solar-type stars. The KIN measures circumstellar emission by spatially blocking the star but transmitting the circumstellar flux in a region typically 0.1-4 AU from the star. We find one significant detection ({eta} Crv), two marginal detections ({gamma} Oph and {alpha} Aql), and 22 clear non-detections. Using a model of our own solar system's zodiacal cloud, scaled to the luminosity of each target star, we estimate the equivalent number of target zodis needed to match our observations. Our three zodi detections are {eta} Crv (1250 {+-} 260), {gamma} Oph (200 {+-} 80), and {alpha} Aql (600 {+-} 200), where the uncertainties are 1{sigma}. The 22 non-detected targets have an ensemble weighted average consistent with zero, with an average individual uncertainty of 160 zodis (1{sigma}). These measurements represent the best limits to date on exozodi levels for a sample of nearby main-sequence stars. A statistical analysis of the population of 23 stars not previously known to contain circumstellar dust (excluding {eta} Crv and {gamma} Oph) suggests that, if the measurement errors are uncorrelated (for which we provide evidence) and if these 23 stars are representative of a single class with respect to the level of exozodi brightness, the mean exozodi level for the class is <150 zodis (3{sigma} upper limit, corresponding to 99% confidence under the additional assumption that the measurement errors are Gaussian). We also demonstrate that this conclusion is largely independent of the shape and mean level of the (unknown) true underlying exozodi distribution.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

EXTENDED STAR CLUSTERS IN THE REMOTE HALO OF THE INTRIGUING DWARF GALAXY NGC 6822

We present a study on four new star clusters discovered in the halo of the intriguing dwarf irregular galaxy NGC 6822 from a wide-field survey covering 3{sup 0} x 3{sup 0} area carried out with MegaCam at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. The star clusters have extended structures with half-light radii R{sub h} {approx} 7.5-14.0 pc, larger than typical Galactic globular clusters and other known globular clusters in NGC 6822. The integrated colors and color-magnitude diagrams of resolved stars suggest that the new star clusters are 2-10 Gyr old and relatively metal poor with Z = 0.0001-0.004 based on the comparison with theoretical models. The projected distance of each star cluster from the galaxy center ranges from 10.'7 ({approx}1.5 kpc) to 77' ({approx}11 kpc), far beyond the optical body of the galaxy. Interestingly, the new star clusters are aligned along the elongated old stellar halo of NGC 6822, which is almost perpendicular to the H I gas distribution where young stellar populations exist. We also find that the colors and half-light radii of the new clusters are correlated with the galactocentric distance: clusters farther from the galaxy center are larger and bluer than those closer to the galaxy center. We discuss the stellar structure and evolution of NGC 6822 implied by these new extended star clusters in the halo. We also discuss the current status of observational and theoretical understandings regarding the origin of extended star clusters in NGC 6822 and other galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Radiation-Hydrodynamic Simulations of the Formation of Orion-like Star Clusters. I. Implications for the Origin of the Initial Mass Function

One model for the origin of typical Galactic star clusters such as the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC) is that they form via the rapid, efficient collapse of a bound gas clump within a larger, gravitationally unbound giant molecular cloud. However, simulations in support of this scenario have thus far not included the radiation feedback produced by the stars; radiative simulations have been limited to significantly smaller or lower-density regions. Here we use the ORION AMR code to conduct the first ever radiation-hydrodynamic simulations of the global collapse scenario for the formation of an ONC-like cluster. We show that radiative feedback has a dramatic effect on the evolution: once the first ~10%–20% of the gas mass is incorporated into stars, their radiative feedback raises the gas temperature high enough to suppress any further fragmentation. However, gas continues to accrete onto existing stars, and, as a result, the stellar mass distribution becomes increasingly top-heavy, eventually rendering it incompatible with the observed initial mass function (IMF). Systematic variation in the location of the IMF peak as star formation proceeds is incompatible with the observed invariance of the IMF between star clusters, unless some unknown mechanism synchronizes the IMFs in different clusters by ensuring that star formation is always truncated when the IMF peak reaches a particular value. We therefore conclude that the global collapse scenario, at least in its simplest form, is not compatible with the observed stellar IMF. Finally, we speculate that processes that slow down star formation, and thus reduce the accretion luminosity, may be able to resolve the problem.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

RADIATION-HYDRODYNAMIC SIMULATIONS OF THE FORMATION OF ORION-LIKE STAR CLUSTERS. I. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ORIGIN OF THE INITIAL MASS FUNCTION

One model for the origin of typical Galactic star clusters such as the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC) is that they form via the rapid, efficient collapse of a bound gas clump within a larger, gravitationally unbound giant molecular cloud. However, simulations in support of this scenario have thus far not included the radiation feedback produced by the stars; radiative simulations have been limited to significantly smaller or lower-density regions. Here we use the ORION AMR code to conduct the first ever radiation-hydrodynamic simulations of the global collapse scenario for the formation of an ONC-like cluster. We show that radiative feedback has a dramatic effect on the evolution: once the first {approx}10%-20% of the gas mass is incorporated into stars, their radiative feedback raises the gas temperature high enough to suppress any further fragmentation. However, gas continues to accrete onto existing stars, and, as a result, the stellar mass distribution becomes increasingly top-heavy, eventually rendering it incompatible with the observed initial mass function (IMF). Systematic variation in the location of the IMF peak as star formation proceeds is incompatible with the observed invariance of the IMF between star clusters, unless some unknown mechanism synchronizes the IMFs in different clusters by ensuring that star formation is always truncated when the IMF peak reaches a particular value. We therefore conclude that the global collapse scenario, at least in its simplest form, is not compatible with the observed stellar IMF. We speculate that processes that slow down star formation, and thus reduce the accretion luminosity, may be able to resolve the problem.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

BERYLLIUM AND ALPHA-ELEMENT ABUNDANCES IN A LARGE SAMPLE OF METAL-POOR STARS

The light elements, Li, Be, and B, provide tracers for many aspects of astronomy including stellar structure, Galactic evolution, and cosmology. We have made observations of Be in 117 metal-poor stars ranging in metallicity from [Fe/H] = -0.5 to -3.5 with Keck I/HIRES. Our spectra are high resolution ({approx}42,000) and high signal to noise (the median is 106 per pixel). We have determined the stellar parameters spectroscopically from lines of Fe I, Fe II, Ti I, and Ti II. The abundances of Be and O were derived by spectrum synthesis techniques, while abundances of Fe, Ti, and Mg were found from many spectral line measurements. There is a linear relationship between [Fe/H] and A(Be) with a slope of +0.88 {+-} 0.03 over three orders of magnitude in [Fe/H]. We find that Be is enhanced relative to Fe; [Be/Fe] is +0.40 near [Fe/H] {approx}-3.3 and drops to 0.0 near [Fe/H] {approx}-1.7. For the relationship between A(Be) and [O/H], we find a gradual change in slope from 0.69 {+-} 0.13 for the Be-poor/O-poor stars to 1.13 {+-} 0.10 for the Be-rich/O-rich stars. Inasmuch as the relationship between [Fe/H] and [O/H] seems robustly linear (slope = +0.75 {+-} 0.03), we conclude that the slope change in Be versus O is due to the Be abundance. Much of the Be would have been formed in the vicinity of Type II supernova (SN II) in the early history of the Galaxy and by Galactic cosmic-ray (GCR) spallation in the later eras. Although Be is a by-product of CNO, we have used Ti and Mg abundances as alpha-element surrogates for O in part because O abundances are rather sensitive to both stellar temperature and surface gravity. We find that A(Be) tracks [Ti/H] very well with a slope of 1.00 {+-} 0.04. It also tracks [Mg/H] very well with a slope of 0.88 {+-} 0.03. We have kinematic information on 114 stars in our sample and they divide equally into dissipative and accretive stars. Almost the full range of [Fe/H] and [O/H] is covered in each group. There are distinct differences in the relationships of A(Be) and [Fe/H] and of A(Be) and [O/H] for the dissipative and the accretive stars. It is likely that the formation of Be in the accretive stars was primarily in the vicinity of SN II, while the Be in the dissipative stars was primarily formed by GCR spallation. We find that Be is not as good a cosmochronometer as Fe. We have found a spread in A(Be) that is valid at the 4{sigma} level between [O/H] = -0.5 and -1.0, which corresponds to -0.9 and -1.6 in [Fe/H].

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

RADIUS-DEPENDENT ANGULAR MOMENTUM EVOLUTION IN LOW-MASS STARS. I

Angular momentum evolution in low-mass stars is determined by initial conditions during star formation, stellar structure evolution, and the behavior of stellar magnetic fields. Here we show that the empirical picture of angular momentum evolution arises naturally if rotation is related to magnetic field strength instead of to magnetic flux and formulate a corrected braking law based on this. Angular momentum evolution then becomes a strong function of stellar radius, explaining the main trends observed in open clusters and field stars at a few Gyr: the steep transition in rotation at the boundary to full convection arises primarily from the large change in radius across this boundary and does not require changes in dynamo mode or field topology. Additionally, the data suggest transient core-envelope decoupling among solar-type stars and field saturation at longer periods in very low mass stars. For solar-type stars, our model is also in good agreement with the empirical Skumanich law. Finally, in further support of the theory, we show that the predicted age at which low-mass stars spin down from the saturated to unsaturated field regimes in our model corresponds remarkably well to the observed lifetime of magnetic activity in these stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗