On the existence of differences in luminosity between horizontal branch stars in globular clusters and in the field

The discrepancy between a long distance-scale derived from Hipparcos -based distances to globular clusters via main-sequence fitting to local subdwarfs, and a short distance-scale derived from the absolute magnitude of field RR Lyraes via statistical parallaxes and the Baade–Wesselink method could be accounted for whether an intrinsic difference of about ∼0.1–0.2 mag was found to exist between horizontal branch (HB) stars populating the sparse general field and the dense globular clusters. In this paper we discuss the possible existence of such a systematic difference comparing the period-shifts observed for field and cluster RR Lyraes. Various approaches based on different parameters and data sets for both cluster and field variables were used in order to establish the size of such a hypothetical difference, if any. We find that on the whole very small not significant differences exist between the period–metallicity distributions of field and cluster RR Lyraes, thus confirming with a more quantitative approach, the qualitative conclusions by Catelan . This observational evidence translates into a very small difference between the horizontal branch luminosity of field and cluster stars, unless RR Lyraes in globular clusters are about 0.06 M_⊙ more massive than field RR Lyraes at same metallicity, which is to be proven.     

UBV stellar photometry of bright stars in GC M5 – II. Physical parameters of horizontal branch stars

The physical parameters of the stars in the central region of the globular cluster M5 (NGC 5904) were determined from UBV photometry using Kurucz's synthetic flux distributions and some empirical relations. It is found that the bluest horizontal branch (HB) stars have higher luminosities than predicted by canonical zero-age horizontal branch models. Parameters of the mass distribution on the HB stars are determined. It is shown that the gap in the blue HB previously reported by Markov et al. in Paper I is probably a statistical fluctuation.     

Integrated colours of Milky Way globular clusters and horizontal branch morphology

Broadband colours are often used as metallicity proxies in the study of extragalactic globular clusters. A common concern is the effect of variations in horizontal branch (HB) morphology – the second‐parameter effect – on such colours. We have used UBVI, Washington, and DDO photometry for a compilation of over 80 Milky Way globular clusters to address this question. Our method is to fit linear relations between colour and [Fe/H], and study the correlations between the residuals about these fits and two quantitative measures of HB morphology. While there is a significant HB effect seen in U – B, for the commonly used colours B – V, V – I, and C – T₁, the deviations from the baseline colour‐[Fe/H] relations are less strongly related to HB morphology. There may be weak signatures in B –V and C –T₁, but these are at the limit of observational uncertainties. The results may favour the use of B –I in studies of extragalactic globular clusters, especially when its high [Fe/H]‐sensitivity is considered. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Vilnius photometry of the red horizontal branch stars in the Galactic thick disk

The photometric observations and three-dimensional classification in the Vilnius system have been carried out for 13 of the red horizontal branch (RHB) stars in the Galactic thick disk identified by Rose (1985). The photometric spectral types, metallicities [Fe/H], effective temperatures, surface gravities and absolute magnitudes are determined. The age of about 10–12 Gyr is evaluated for this group of stars from comparison with model isochrones, indicating that the age of the thick disk is intermediate between the disk globular and the oldest open clusters.     

The outer-halo globular cluster NGC 6229 – IV. Variable stars

We present time-series B , V photometry of NGC 6229, obtained with the purpose of providing the first extensive CCD variability study of this cluster. As a result, we were able to obtain periods for all NGC 6229 variables, with the exception of five stars from the candidate list of Borissova et al. located very close to the cluster centre. Two stars suspected to be variables by Carney, Fullton and Trammell are first-overtone RR Lyrae (RRc) stars, whereas seven of the 12 candidates of Borissova et al. are confirmed variables – three of them being fundamental RR Lyrae (RRab) pulsators, two first-overtone pulsators, one an eclipsing binary (most likely an Algol system) and one a bright star whose variability status could not be satisfactorily determined. A new image subtraction method (ISM) suggested by Alard has been employed which, together with the Welch–Stetson technique, has allowed us to discover twelve new RR Lyrae variables in the cluster, for which ephemerides are provided. Ten of these are RRabs, whereas the other two are RRcs. As originally suggested by Mayer, NGC 6229 is clearly an Oosterhoff type I globular cluster. We also confirm that V8 is a Population II Cepheid of the W Virginis type, and suspect that this is the case for V22 as well. The physical properties of the NGC 6229 RR Lyrae population are contrasted with those of M3 (NGC 5272) using several different methods, including a standard period-shift analysis. Possible differences between these two clusters are discussed.     

The density distribution of the Galactic stellar halo as traced by blue horizontal branch stars

Data of blue horizontal branch (BHB) stars and RR Lyrae variable stars from the literature are combined with unpublished observations of BHB stars in five fields. A flattened power law is used to model the spatial distribution of the horizontal branch stars. Completeness of the data sample and contamination by blue stragglers and metal-rich main-sequence A stars are considered, and taken into account. Using a maximum-likelihood method, the following best-fitting parameters are obtained: a power-law index α=−3.2±0.3 and an axial ratio of q =0.52±0.11 for the isodensity surfaces. From the fit a value for the local density of BHB stars of ρ₀=26⁺²⁰₋₁₁ kpc⁻³ is found. The values of the three parameters are in complete agreement with recent determinations by other authors.     

Self-enrichment by asymptotic giant branch stars in globular clusters: comparison between intermediate and high metallicities

We present theoretical evolutionary sequences of intermediate-mass stars  ( M = 3 − 6.5 M_⊙)  with metallicity   Z = 0.004  . Our goal is to test whether the self-enrichment scenario by massive asymptotic giant branch stars may work for the high-metallicity globular clusters, after previous works by the same group showed that the theoretical yields by this class of objects can reproduce the observed trends among the abundances of some elements, namely the O–Al and O–Na anticorrelations, at intermediate metallicities, i.e.  [Fe/H]=−1.3  . We find that the increase in the metallicity favours only a modest decrease of the luminosity and the temperature at the bottom of the envelope for the same core mass, and also the efficiency of the third dredge-up is scarcely altered. On the contrary, differences are found in the yields, due to the different impact that processes with the same efficiency have on the overall abundance of envelopes with different metallicities. We expect the same qualitative patterns as in the intermediate-metallicity case, but the slopes of some of the relationships among the abundances of some elements are different. We compare the sodium–oxygen anticorrelation for clusters of intermediate metallicity ( Z ≈ 10⁻³) and clusters of metallicity large as in these new models. Although the observational data are still too scarce, the models are consistent with the observed trends, provided that only stars of   M ≳ 5 M_⊙  contribute to self-enrichment.     

Rotation, planets, and the 'second parameter' of the horizontal branch

We analyse the angular momentum evolution from the red giant branch (RGB) to the horizontal branch (HB) and along the HB. Using rotation velocities for stars in the globular cluster M13, we find that the required angular momentum for the fast rotators is up to 1–3 orders of magnitude (depending on some assumptions) larger than that of the Sun. Planets of masses up to 5 times Jupiter's mass and up to an initial orbital separation of ~2 au are sufficient to spin-up the RGB progenitors of most of these fast rotators. Other stars have been spun-up by brown dwarfs or low-mass main-sequence stars. Our results show that the fast rotating HB stars have been probably spun-up by planets, brown dwarfs or low-mass main-sequence stars while they evolved on the RGB. We argue that the angular momentum considerations presented in this paper further support the 'planet second parameter' model. In this model, the 'second parameter' process, which determines the distribution of stars on the HB, is interaction with low-mass companions, in most cases with gas-giant planets, and in a minority of cases with brown dwarfs or low-mass main-sequence stars. The masses and initial orbital separations of the planets (or brown dwarfs or low-mass main-sequence stars) form a rich spectrum of different physical parameters, which manifests itself in the rich varieties of HB morphologies observed in the different globular clusters.     

The evolution of low-metallicity asymptotic giant branch stars and the formation of carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars

We investigate the behaviour of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars between metallicities   Z = 10⁻⁴  and 10⁻⁸. We determine which stars undergo an episode of flash-driven mixing, where protons are ingested into the intershell convection zone, as they enter the thermally pulsing AGB phase and which undergo third dredge-up. We find that flash-driven mixing does not occur above a metallicity of   Z = 10⁻⁵  for any mass of star and that stars above  2 M_⊙  do not experience this phenomenon at any metallicity. We find carbon ingestion (CI), the mixing of carbon into the tail of hydrogen-burning region, occurs in the mass range  2 M_⊙  to around  4 M_⊙  . We suggest that CI may be a weak version of the flash-driven mechanism. We also investigate the effects of convective overshooting on the behaviour of these objects. Our models struggle to explain the frequency of Carbon-Enhanced Metal-Poor (CEMP) stars that have both significant carbon and nitrogen enhancement. Carbon can be enhanced through flash-driven mixing, CI or just third dredge-up. Nitrogen can be enhanced through hot bottom burning and the occurrence of hot dredge-up also converts carbon into nitrogen. The C/N ratio may be a good indicator of the mass of the primary AGB stars.