Chemical evolution of the galaxy during its contraction

Models for the chemical evolution of the galaxy are constructed in which the time evolution is imposed by the contraction rate of the galaxy and present observations of stellar metal abundances as a function of height above the galactic plane. Stars with massm?3.5m _⊙ do not contribute to the metal enrichment of the interstellar gas, and we argue that the interstellar metal abundance at this epoch should be fairly insensitive to the size of the mass fraction of the galaxy that condenses into such stars. The birth rate for stars more massive than 3.5m _⊙ is assumed proportional toV _gal ^?n , whereV _gal is the contracting volume of the main body of the galaxy. If a dynamic time-scale is adopted for the contraction of the galaxy, then the assumed power-law birth rate yields suitable chemical evolution models only if observed Population II metals are synthesized in stars more massive than about 8.5m _⊙. This mass range is consistent with the predictions of current stellar-evolution theory. Provided the birth function does include stars more massive than 8.5m _⊙, the relation between the value of the parametern in the birth rate and the observed chemical evolution rate is not particularly sensitive to the specific form adopted for the initial mass spectrum, or to the proportionality constant in the birth rate. We find (i)n?1.4, in general, and (ii)n is close to 1.4 if the contraction of the galaxy to a heighth=400 pc above the plane occurs at close to the free-fall rate. These results are independent of the form of the initial mass spectrum, providedS ³ is small. HereS is the total mass fraction of the galaxy that cycles through stars during its contraction. Numerical models, with an explicit initial mass spectrum, indicate that the same restrictions on the values ofn apply approximately whenS ³ is not small. To introduce low mass stars, we allow the birth rate for stars more massive than 3.5m _⊙ to level off at a time intervalt _L just before the contraction of the galaxy stops, while the total birth rate remains a simple power law. We find that reasonable models are obtained witht _L ?1.5×10⁷ yr if the galaxy contracts at a dynamic rate. However, aside from these restrictions on the values ofn andt _L , there is no uniquely favored model. For any suitable model, the supernova rate must be small enough so that shock waves from neighboring supernovae do not collide during the adiabatic expansion stage. Otherwise, the interstellar gas would not have time to cool, and its high temperature would tend to impede both star formation and the rapid contraction of the galaxy. The supernova rates in the numerical models given here are small enough to avoid this problem, but large enough to achieve a uniform metal abundance on a time scale short compared to the chemical-evolution time scale. At the epoch considered here, the interstellar metal abundance is approximately less than 0.4Z _⊙, and the models are assumed to apply before galactic-scale inhomogeneities, such as the galactic nucleus, become important. Therefore, the chemical mixing time scales imply that most Population II stars of the same age should have approximately the same initial metal abundance, unless the clustering of supernova explosions associated with massive Population II stars is significant. It is shown that collisions between shock waves from neighboring supernovae can produce local regions of significantly enhanced density. The peak bolometric luminosity of the galaxy during its contraction is similar to that predicted by Partridge and Peebles (1967a), but it occurs during the final stages of contraction to the disc. Numerical models give values between 13 and 34 yr^?1 for the average number of supernova explosions per year during this bright phase. The X-ray luminosity of the galaxy from these supernovae may be comparable to that of Seyfert galaxies.     

Neutron stars in globular clusters: Formation and observational manifestations

Population synthesis is used to model the number of neutron stars in globular clusters that are observed as low-mass X-ray sources and millisecond radio pulsars. The dynamical interactions between binary and single stars in a cluster are assumed to take place only with a continuously replenished “background” of single stars whose properties keep track of the variations in parameters of the cluster as a whole and the evolution of single stars. We use the hypothesis that the neutron stars forming in binary systems from components with initial masses of ～8–12 M _⊙ during the collapse of degenerate O-Ne-Mg cores through electron captures do not acquire a high space velocity. The remaining neutron stars (from single stars with masses >8 M _⊙ or from binary components with masses >12 M _⊙) are assumed to be born with high space velocities. According to this hypothesis, a sizeable fraction of the forming neutron stars remain in globular clusters (about 1000 stars in a cluster with a mass of 5 × 10⁵ M _⊙). The number of millisecond radio pulsars forming in such a cluster in the case of accretion-driven spinup in binary systems is found to be ～10, in agreement with observations. Our modeling also reproduces the observed shape of the X-ray luminosity function for accreting neutron stars in binary systems with normal and degenerate components and the distribution of spin periods for millisecond pulsars.     

Modeling infrared absorption bands with nonspherical particles

We investigated the two deepest absorption bands observed in the spectra of stars and protostars, the water-ice band with the center near 3.1 μm and the silicate band with the center near 9.7 μm, by using a core-mantle confocal spheroid model with various axial ratios and relative volumes of the core material. We considered the effect of grain size, shape, structure, chemical composition, and orientation on the central wavelengths of the two bands, their full widths at half maximum (FWHMs), the ratio of the optical depths at their centers, and the polarization. We found that the observed relationships between the FWHMs of the bands and the ratio of their optical depths at the band centers could be explained if we chose slightly oblate or prolate particles (a/b ? 2) of small sizes (r_v ? 0.35 μm) with a silicate core and a thin ice mantle (V_core/V_total ? 0.7).     

Millisecond radio pulsars with known masses: Parameter values and equation of state models

The recent fast growth of a population of millisecond pulsars with precisely measured mass provides an excellent opportunity to characterize these compact stars at an unprecedented level. This is because the stellar parameter values can be accurately computed for known mass and spin rate and an assumed equation of state (EoS) model. For each of the 16 such pulsars and for a set of EoS models from nucleonic, hyperonic, strange quark matter and hybrid classes, we numerically compute fast spinning stable stellar parameter values considering the full effect of general relativity. This first detailed catalogue of the computed parameter values of observed millisecond pulsars provides a testbed to probe the physics of compact stars, including their formation, evolution and EoS. We estimate uncertainties on these computed values from the uncertainty of the measured mass, which could be useful to quantitatively constrain EoS models. We note that the largest value of the central density ρ_c in our catalogue is ∼5.8 times the nuclear saturation density ρ_sat, which is much less than the expected maximum value 13ρ_sat. We argue that the ρ_c-values of at most a small fraction of compact stars could be much larger than 5.8ρ_sat. Besides, we find that the constraints on EoS models from accurate radius measurements could be significantly biased for some of our pulsars, if stellar spinning configurations are not used to compute the theoretical radius values.     

On the nature of the photometric activity of the T Tauri star V1184 Tau

We present our 2-year-long photometric (V, R _c, I _c) observations of the T Tauri star V1184 Tau. They show that the relatively quiet “photometric life” of this object, which ended in 2004 with a sharp brightness decline by four magnitudes, was succeeded by a qualitatively new (in nature) period of activity characterized by high-amplitude irregular photometric variability. Judging by its color variations, the object belongs to the class of UX Ori stars and, hence, variable circumstellar extinction is responsible for its brightness variations. Moreover, the (V?I _c)/V color-magnitude diagram for the object is identical to that for UX Ori itself, suggesting that the optical properties of dust grains in the circumstellar space of these stars are similar. At the same time, V1184 Tau is quite dissimilar to UX Ori stars in its light curve, variability amplitude (reaching 4.5 magnitudes in the V band), and some other parameters.     

Simulation of energy distributions in optical and IR spectra of late-type M4–M6 dwarfs

Spectral types (M4–M6), effective temperatures T _ef (2700–2900 K), and free fall accelerations logg (4.0–4.5) are determined for five M dwarfs using their energy distributions in the spectral range λλ = 680…840 nm. Stellar spectra with resolutions R = 4000 were obtained using the IMACS spectrograph mounted on the ESO Walter Baade 6.5-m telescope. The spectral types are derived from spectral indices and the effective temperatures of the stars are estimated based on their spectral types. Values of T _ef and logg are also derived from the comparison between the observed and theoretical energy distributions, calculated both for dust-free, standard NextGen model atmospheres of red dwarfs, and for semiempirical models considering the presence of dust in stellar atmospheres according to the technique developed by Pavlenko et al. We determine dust parameters for stellar atmospheres of these stars, and establish that it is necessary to account for the decrease in concentration of TiO molecules due to their condensation on dust grains, when T _ef < 3000 K. We conclude that the radiation scattering by dust grains does not have an appreciable effect on energy distributions in the spectra of the considered stars.     

X-ray Observations of Eight Young Open Star Clusters: I. Membership and X-ray Luminosity

We present a detailed investigation of X-ray source contents of eight young open clusters with ages between 4 to 46 Myr using archival X-ray data from XMM-Newton. The probable cluster memberships of the X-ray sources have been established on the basis of multi-wavelength archival data, and samples of 152 pre-main sequence (PMS) low mass (<2M _⊙), 36 intermediate mass (2–10M _⊙) and 16 massive (>10M _⊙) stars have been generated. X-ray spectral analyses of high mass stars reveal the presence of high temperature plasma with temperature <2 keV, and mean L _X/L _bol of 10^???6.9. In the case of PMS low mass stars, the plasma temperatures have been found to be in the range of 0.2 keV to 3 keV with a median value of ~1.3 keV, with no significant difference in plasma temperatures during their evolution from 4 to 46 Myr. The X-ray luminosity distributions of the PMS low mass stars have been found to be similar in the young star clusters under study. This may suggest a nearly uniform X-ray activity in the PMS low mass stars of ages ~4–14 Myr. These observed values of L _X/L _bol are found to have a mean value of 10^??3.6±0.4, which is below the X-ray saturation level. The L _X/L _bol values for the PMS low mass stars are well correlated with their bolometric luminosities, that implies its dependence on the internal structure of the low mass stars. The difference between the X-ray luminosity distributions of the intermediate mass stars and the PMS low mass stars has not been found to be statistically significant. Their L _X/L _bol values, however have been found to be significantly different from each other with a confidence level greater than 99.999% and the strength of X-ray activity in the intermediate mass stars is found to be lower compared to the low mass stars. However, the possibility of X-ray emission from the intermediate mass stars due to a low mass star in close proximity of the intermediate mass star can not be ruled out.     

Strömgren 4-Color Photometry of Very Metal-Poor Stars

Strömgren uvby photometry has been observed for an additional 140 very metal-poor stars from the survey of Beers et al. (1992). These Galactic stars of very-low metallicity provide crucial information for the investigation of the formation and evolution of the Galaxy, as well as on the nature of the early Universe. The Strömgren uvby-β system allows the measurement of stellar atmospheric parameters as a prelude to detailed abundance studies which will make use of high-resolution spectroscopy and the new generation of large telescopes. The photometric techniques developed by Schuster et al. (1996) are used not only to classify these very metal-poor stars but also to derive effective temperatures, surface gravities, and improved estimates for their interstellar reddenings. In particular, photometric diagrams such as [c ₁], [m ₁] and c ₀, (b-y)₀ are used to classify these stars, especially those near the main-sequence turnoff, where contamination from slightly-evolved subgiants, lower surface-gravity horizontal-branch stars, and even a few supergiant or AGB candidates is found.     

Io's 4-μm band and the role of adsorbed SO2

The role of adsorbed SO₂ on Io's surface particles in producing the observed spectral absorption band near 4 μm in Io's reflectance spectrum is explored. Calculations show that a modest 50% monolayer coating of adsorbed SO₂ molecules on submicron grains of sulfur of alkali sulfide, assumed to make up Io's uppermost optical surface (“radialith”), will result in a ν₁ + ν₃ absorption band near 4 μm with depth ～30% below the adjacent continuum, consistent with the observed strength of the Io band. The precise wavelength position of the ν₁ + ν₃ band of SO₂ in different phase states such as frost, ice, adsorbate, and gas are summarized from the experimental literature and compared with the available telescopic measurements of the Io band position. The results suggest that the 4-μm band in Io's full disk spectrum can best be explained by the presence on Io's surface of widespread SO₂ in the form of adsorbate rather than ice or frost.     

The lithium-rotation correlation for WTTS in Taurus–Auriga

Surface lithium abundance and rotation velocity can serve as powerful and mutually complementary diagnostics of interior structure of stars. So far, the processes responsible for the lithium depletion during pre-main sequence evolution are still poorly understood. We investigate whether a correlation exists between equivalent widths of Li (EW(Li)) and rotation period (P_rot) for weak-line T Tauri stars (WTTSs). We find that rapidly rotating stars have lower EW(Li) and the fast burning of Li begins at the phase when star’s P_rot evolves towards 3 days among 0.9M_⊙ to 1.4M_⊙ WTTSs in Taurus–Auriga. Our results support the conclusion by Piau and Turch-Chiéze about a model for lithium depletion with age of the star and by Bouvier et al. in relation to rotation evolution. The turn over of the curve for the correlation between EW(Li) and P_rot is at the phase of zero-age main sequence (ZAMS). The EW(Li) decreases with decreasing P_rot before the star reaches the ZAMS, while it decreases with increasing P_rot (decreasing rotation velocity) for young low-mass main sequence stars. This result could be explained as an age effect of Li depletion and the rapid rotation does not inhibit Li destruction among low-mass PMS stars.     

Stochastic excitation of gravity modes in massive main-sequence stars

We investigate the possibility that gravity modes can be stochastically excited by turbulent convection in massive main-sequence (MS) stars. We build stellar models of MS stars with masses M=10?M _⊙,15?M _⊙, and 20?M _⊙. For each model, we then compute the power supplied to the modes by turbulent eddies in the convective core (CC) and the outer convective zones (OCZ). We found that, for asymptotic gravity modes, the major part of the driving occurs within the outer iron convective zone, while the excitation of low n order modes mainly occurs within the CC. We compute the mode lifetimes and deduce the expected mode amplitudes. We finally discuss the possibility of detecting such stochastically-excited gravity modes with the CoRoT space-based mission.     

Search for Circumstellar Disks Around Herbig Be Stars

We have carried out a high-sensitivity search for circumstellar disks around Herbig Be stars in the continuum at 1.3 mm and 2.7 mm using the IRAM interferometer at the Plateau de Bure (PdBI). We report data on three Herbig Be stars MWC1080, MWC137 and R Mon. We have observed two of them, MWC137 and R Mon, in the continuum at 0.7 cm and 1.3 cm using the NRAO Very Large Array (VLA). This allows us to build the complete SED at mm and cm wavelengths and fit a simple disk model. We report the detection of circumstellar disks around MWC1080 with M _d = 0.003M _⊙ and R Mon with M _d = 0.01M _⊙. A significant upper limit to the mass of the circumstellar disk around MWC137 has been obtained. Our results show that the ratio M _d/M * is at least an order of magnitude lower in Herbig Be stars than in Herbig Ae and T Tauri stars.     

A Theoretical Probe for Excitation Mechanisms of Solar-like and Mira-like Oscillations of Stars

The linear stability analysis of the radial and non-radial oscillations for the evolutionary model of a star with the mass of 0.6∼3 M8 has been per- formed by using the nonlocal and time-dependent convection theory. The results show that the unstable low-temperature stars on the right side of the instabil- ity strip in the HR diagram can be divided into two groups. One is of the stars of solar-like oscillations, composed of the main-sequence dwarfs, subgiants, and the red giants with low- and intermediate-luminosity, which are unstable in the intermediate- and high-order (nr ≥ 12) p-modes, but stable in the low- order (nr ≤ 5) p-modes. Another is of the Mira-like stars, composed of the luminous red giants and AGB stars, which are just contrary to the solar-like stars, unstable in the low-order (nr ≤ 5) p-modes, but stable in the intermediate- and high-order (nr ≥ 12) p-modes. On the red edge of Cepheid (δ Scuti) insta- bility strip, the oscillations of solar-like and Mira-like stars can be explained uniformly by the coupling between convection and oscillations (CCO). For the low-temperature stars on the right side of the instability strip, the CCO is the dominant excitation and damping mechanism for the low- and intermediate-order p-modes, and the stochastic excitation of turbulence becomes important only for the high-order p-modes of solar-like oscillations.     

Mass-loss predictions for Subdwarf B stars

We present the results of Monte Carlo mass-loss computations for hot low-mass stars, specifically for subdwarf B (sdB) stars. It is shown that the mass-loss rates on the Horizontal Branch (HB) computed from radiative line-driven wind models are not high enough to create sdB stars. We argue, however, that mass loss plays a role in the chemical abundance patterns observed both in field sdB stars, as well as in cluster HB stars. The derived mass loss recipe for these (extremely) hot HB stars may also be applied to other groups of hot low-mass stars, such as post-HB (AGB-manqué, UV-bright) stars, over a range in effective temperatures between ?10 000 and 50 000 K. Finally, we present preliminary spectral synthesis on the more luminous sdB stars for which emission cores in Hα have been detected (Heber, U., et al.: 2003, in:Stellar Atmosphere Modeling, ASP Conference Proceedings, p. 251). We find that these line profiles can indeed be interpreted as the presence of a stellar wind with mass loss on the order of 10^?11?M _⊙ yr ^?1.     

Current problems on horizontal branch stars

Expected characteristics of RR Lyrae stars as a function of the evolutive parameters are reported. Results from both evolutionary and pulsational investigations are collected in a suitable form, to show the general constraints to any interpretative analysis of the observations. It is shown that the spread in luminosity among the RR Lyrae stars results a function of the original chemical composition. On this basis a set of independent indications is found, suggesting that the globular cluster ω Cen is more He-rich than M 3; agreement with the whole observational frame is attained ifY _ωCen～0.35,Z _ωCen～5×10^?4 andY _M3～0.25,Z _M3～10^?3. No mass loss is needed to account for the RR Lyrae stars observed in ω Cen. The results are discussed, and it is shown that M 13-type clusters can be just characterized by a larger value ofZ in comparison with ω Cen. It is suggested that variations in the original helium content of the order of ΔY～0.1 and a correlationZ=Z(t) can account for some well-observed galactic globular clusters, without allowing for mass loss in the redder HB stars belonging to each cluster.     

Infrared spectral variations of three Mira variable carbon stars with the 11.3 μm SiC feature

The spectral variations of three Mira variable carbon stars, V CrB, T Dra and V Cyg in the infrared are investigated based on ISO SWS data. It is found that either continua or molecular/dust features were variable with time in the infrared for these carbon stars during one and a half year observations. When stars were brighter the infrared continuum spectra became blue while stars were fainter the infrared continuum spectra became red. In addition, during spectral variations there were the correlation between the 3.05 μm HCN+C₂H₂ and the 5.2 μm C₃ molecular band strengths and the anti-correlation between the 3.05 μm HCN+C₂H₂ molecular band strengths and 13.7 μm C₂H₂ band strengths while during variations the 11.3 μm SiC dust emission strengths were not clearly changed.     

The stars in the Main Sequence and their dynamical parameters

The stars in the Main Sequence are seen as a hierarchy of objects with different massesM and effective dynamical radiiR _eff=R/α given by the stellar radii and the coefficients for the inner structure of the stars. As seen in a previous work (Paper I), during the lifetime in the Main SequenceR _eff(t) remains a near invariant when compared to the variation in the time ofR(t) and α(t). With such an effectiveR _eff one obtains the amounts of actionA _c(M), the effective densities ρ_eff(M)=ρ(M)α³(M), the densities of action and of energy (or mean presures in the stellar interior)a _c(M),e _c(M), and the potential energiesE _p(M). The amounts of action areA _c∝M ^k withk≈1.87 for the M stars,k≈5/3 for the KGF stars, andk≈1.83 for the A and earlier stars, representing very simples conditions for the other dynamical parameters. For instancek≈5/3 means a near invariant effective density α_eff for the KGF stars, while for such stars the mean densities and coefficients α present the strongest variations with masses ρ(M)∝M ^?1.81, α(M)∝M^0.6. The cases for the M stars (e _c(M)∝M ^?1) and for the A and earlier stars (betweena _c(M)=constant and α_eff(M)∝M ^?1) and also discussed. These conditions for the earlier stars also represent reasonable mean values for the whole stellar hierarchy in the range of masses 0.2M _⊙≤M≤25M _⊙. With all this, one can build ‘dynamical’ HR diagrams withA _c(M), E_p(M), α_eff M ^?p , etc., whose characteristics are analogous to these in the photometrical HR diagram. A comparison is made betweenA _c(M) from the models here and the HR diagram with the best known stars of luminosity classes IV, V, and white dwarfs. The comparison of the potential energiesE _p(M)∝M ^?p according to the stellar models used here and the observed frequency function ψ(M∝M _?q (number of stars in a given interval of masses) from different authors suggests the possibility that the productE _p(M)ψ(M) is a constant, but this must be confirmed with further studies of the function ψ(M) and its fine structure. There are analogies between the formulation used here for the stellar hierarchy and other physical processes, for instance, in modified forms of the Kolmogorov law of turbulence and in the formulation used for the hierarchy of molecular clouds in gravitational equilibrium. Besides, the function of actionA _c(M) for the stars has analogous properties to the relations of angular momenta and massesJ(M) for different types of objects. The cosmological implications of all this are discussed.     

Understanding the chemical complexity in Circumstellar Envelopes of C-Rich AGB stars: the case of IRC +10216

The circumstellar envelopes of carbon-rich AGB stars show a chemical complexity that is exemplified by the prototypical object IRC +10216, in which about 60 different molecules have been detected to date. Most of these species are carbon chains of the type C _n H, C _n H₂, C _n N, HC _n N. We present the detection of new species (CH₂CHCN, CH₂CN, H₂CS, CH₃CCH and C₃O) achieved thanks to the systematic observation of the full 3 mm window with the IRAM 30m telescope plus some ARO 12m observations. All these species, known to exist in the interstellar medium, are detected for the first time in a circumstellar envelope around an AGB star. These five molecules are most likely formed in the outer expanding envelope rather than in the stellar photosphere. A pure gas phase chemical model of the circumstellar envelope is reasonably successful in explaining the derived abundances, and additionally allows to elucidate the chemical formation routes and to predict the spatial distribution of the detected species.     

Systematic variations of interstellar linear polarization and growth of dust grains

The observed relation between the interstellar linear polarization curve parameters K and λ _max characterizing the width and the wavelength of the polarization maximum, respectively, is interpreted quantitatively. We have considered 57 stars located in four dark clouds with evidence of star formation: in Taurus, Chamaeleon, around the stars ρ Oph and R CrA. In our modeling we have used the spheroidal dust grain model applied previously to simultaneously interpret the interstellar extinction and polarization curves in a wide wavelength range. The observed trend K ≈ 1.7λ _max is shown to be most likely related to the growth of dust grains due to coagulation rather than accretion. The relationship of the interstellar polarization curve parameters K and λ _max to the mean dust grain size is discussed.