Subscribe to the gold package and get unlimited access to Shamra Academy
Register a new userThe VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey: XXVIII. Nitrogen abundances for apparently single dwarf and giant B-type stars with small projected rotational velocities
231
0
0.0
(
0
)
Ask ChatGPT about the research
No Arabic abstract
Previous analyses of the spectra of OB-type stars in the Magellanic Clouds have identified targets with low projected rotational velocities and relatively high nitrogen abundances. The VFTS obtained spectroscopy for B-type 434 stars. We have estimated atmospheric parameters and nitrogen abundances using TLUSTY model atmospheres for 54 B-type targets that appear to be single, have projected rotational velocities <80 kms and were not classified as supergiants. In addition, nitrogen abundances for 34 similar stars from a previous survey have been re-evaluated. Approximately 75-80% of the targets have nitrogen enhancements of less than 0.3 dex, consistent with them having experienced only small amounts of mixing. However, stars with low projected rotational velocities <40 kms and significant nitrogen enrichments are found in both our samples and simulations imply that these cannot all be rapidly rotating objects observed near pole-on. Adopting an enhancement threshold of 0.6 dex, we observed five stars, yet stellar evolution models with rotation predict only 1.25$pm$1.11 for random stellar viewing inclinations. The excess of such objects is estimated to be 20-30% of all stars with current rotational velocities of less than 40 kms and 2-4% of the total single B-type sample. These estimates constitute lower limits for stars that appear inconsistent with current grids of stellar evolutionary models. Including targets with smaller nitrogen enhancements of greater than 0.2 dex implies larger percentages of targets that are inconsistent with current evolutionary models, viz. 70% of the stars with rotational velocities less than 40 kms and 6-8% of the total single stellar population. We consider possible explanations of which the most promising would appear to be breaking due to magnetic fields or stellar mergers with subsequent magnetic braking.
rate research
Read More
Aims: Projected rotational velocities (vsini) have been estimated for 334 targets in the VLT-FLAMES Tarantula survey that do not manifest significant radial velocity variations and are not supergiants. They have spectral types from approximately O9.5 to B3. The estimates have been analysed to infer the underlying rotational velocity distribution, which is critical for understanding the evolution of massive stars. Methods: Projected rotational velocities were deduced from the Fourier transforms of spectral lines, with upper limits also being obtained from profile fitting. For the narrower lined stars, metal and non-diffuse helium lines were adopted, and for the broader lined stars, both non-diffuse and diffuse helium lines; the estimates obtained using the different sets of lines are in good agreement. The uncertainty in the mean estimates is typically 4% for most targets. The iterative deconvolution procedure of Lucy has been used to deduce the probability density distribution of the rotational velocities. Results: Projected rotational velocities range up to approximately 450 kms and show a bi-modal structure. This is also present in the inferred rotational velocity distribution with 25% of the sample having $0leq$ve$leq$100,kms and the high velocity component having ve$sim 250$,kms. There is no evidence from the spatial and radial velocity distributions of the two components that they represent either field and cluster populations or different episodes of star formation. Be-type stars have also been identified. Conclusions: The bi-modal rotational velocity distribution in our sample resembles that found for late-B and early-A type stars. While magnetic braking appears to be a possible mechanism for producing the low-velocity component, we can not rule out alternative explanations.
We present spectral classifications for 438 B-type stars observed as part of the VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey (VFTS) in the 30 Doradus region of the Large Magellanic Cloud. Radial velocities are provided for 307 apparently single stars, and for 99 targets with radial-velocity variations which are consistent with them being spectroscopic binaries. We investigate the spatial distribution of the radial velocities across the 30 Dor region, and use the results to identify candidate runaway stars. Excluding potential runaways and members of two older clusters in the survey region (SL 639 and Hodge 301), we determine a systemic velocity for 30 Dor of 271.6 +/- 12.2 km/s from 273 presumed single stars. Employing a 3-sigma criterion we identify nine candidate runaway stars (2.9% of the single stars with radial-velocity estimates). The projected rotational velocities of the candidate runaways appear to be significantly different to those of the full B-type sample, with a strong preference for either large (>345 km/s) or small (<65 km/s) rotational velocities. Of the candidate runaways, VFTS 358 (classified B0.5: V) has the largest differential radial velocity (-106.9 +/- 16.2 km/s), and a preliminary atmospheric analysis finds a significantly enriched nitrogen abundance of 12+log(N/H) > ~8.5. Combined with a large rotational velocity (vsini = 345 +/- 22 km/s), this is suggestive of past binary interaction for this star.
Theoretically, rotation-induced chemical mixing in massive stars has far reaching evolutionary consequences, affecting the sequence of morphological phases, lifetimes, nucleosynthesis, and supernova characteristics. Using a sample of 72 presumably single O-type giants to supergiants observed in the context of the VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey (VFTS), we aim to investigate rotational mixing in evolved core-hydrogen burning stars initially more massive than $15,M_odot$ by analysing their surface nitrogen abundances. Using stellar and wind properties derived in a previous VFTS study, we constrained the nitrogen abundance by fitting the equivalent widths of relatively strong lines that are sensitive to changes in the abundance of this element. Given the quality of the data, we constrained the nitrogen abundance in 38 cases; for 34 stars only upper limits could be derived, which includes almost all stars rotating at $v_mathrm{e}sin i >200,mathrm{km s^{-1}}$. We analysed the nitrogen abundance as a function of projected rotation rate $v_mathrm{e}sin i$ and confronted it with predictions of rotational mixing. The upper limits on the nitrogen abundance of the rapidly rotating stars are not in apparent violation with theoretical expectations. However, we found a group of N-enhanced slowly-spinning stars that is not in accordance with predictions of rotational mixing in single stars. Among O-type stars with (rotation-corrected) gravities less than $log,g_c = 3.75$ this group constitutes 30$-$40 percent of the population. We found a correlation between nitrogen and helium abundance which is consistent with expectations, suggesting that, whatever the mechanism that brings N to the surface, it displays CNO-processed material.
We investigate the multiplicity properties of 408 B-type stars observed in the 30 Doradus region of the Large Magellanic Cloud with multi-epoch spectroscopy from the VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey (VFTS). We use a cross-correlation method to estimate relative radial velocities from the helium and metal absorption lines for each of our targets. Objects with significant radial-velocity variations (and with an amplitude larger than 16 km/s) are classified as spectroscopic binaries. We find an observed spectroscopic binary fraction (defined by periods of <10^3.5 d and mass ratios >0.1) for the B-type stars, f_B(obs) = 0.25 +/- 0.02, which appears constant across the field of view, except for the two older clusters (Hodge 301 and SL 639). These two clusters have significantly lower fractions of 0.08 +/- 0.08 and 0.10 +/- 0.09, respectively. Using synthetic populations and a model of our observed epochs and their potential biases, we constrain the intrinsic multiplicity properties of the dwarf and giant (i.e. relatively unevolved) B-type stars in 30 Dor. We obtain a present-day binary fraction f_B(true) = 0.58 +/- 0.11, with a flat period distribution. Within the uncertainties, the multiplicity properties of the B-type stars agree with those for the O stars in 30 Dor from the VFTS.
We present a number of notable results from the VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey (VFTS), an ESO Large Program during which we obtained multi-epoch medium-resolution optical spectroscopy of a very large sample of over 800 massive stars in the 30 Doradus region of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). This unprecedented data-set has enabled us to address some key questions regarding atmospheres and winds, as well as the evolution of (very) massive stars. Here we focus on O-type runaways, the width of the main sequence, and the mass-loss rates for (very) massive stars. We also provide indications for the presence of a top-heavy initial mass function (IMF) in 30 Dor.
Log in to be able to interact and post comments
comments
Fetching comments
Sign in to be able to follow your search criteria
