Blue Stragglers Research Articles

A time-series VI study of the variable stars of the globular cluster NGC 6397

We present a new time-series VI CCD photometry of the globular cluster NGC 6397, from which we obtained and analysed the light curves of 35 variables carefully identified in the cluster field. We assessed the membership of the variables with an astrometric analysis based on Gaia DR2 data. The cluster colour-magnitude diagram was differentially dereddened and cleaned of non members, which allowed us to fit isochrones for [Fe/H]=−2.0 dex in the range 13.0–13.5 Gyr, for a mean reddening E(B−V)=0.19, and a distance of 2.5 kpc. This distance was confirmed using the period-luminosity relation for the cluster’s five SX Phoenicis variables (V10, V11, V15, V21, and V23) present among its blue stragglers, yielding 2.24±0.13 kpc. We also modelled the light curves of four eclipsing binaries (V4, V5, V7, and V8), and gave the parameters of the systems; the contact binaries V7 and V8 have distances consistent with that of the cluster. NGC 6397 appears to harbour no RR Lyrae stars, being its horizontal branch remarkably blue, much like that of its analogous cluster, M10. To match the blue tail of the horizontal branch population, models of 0.64–0.66 M⊙ with mass loss at the RGB are required, indicating rather thin shell masses for horizontal branch stars.

Analysis of Two Binary Stars and a Blue Straggler in Messier 67

Analysis of Two Binary Stars and a Blue Straggler in Messier 67

Astrometric and Photometric Investigation of Three Old Age Open Clusters in the Gaia Era: Berkeley 32, Berkeley 98, and King 23

Abstract Using the photometric and kinematical data from Gaia Data Release 2, three old open clusters namely Berkeley 32 (Be 32), Berkeley 98 (Be 98), and King 23 are investigated. The latter two of these clusters are poorly studied in the literature. The numbers of the most probable cluster members are 563, 260, and 114 for Be 32, Be 98, and King 23, respectively, with membership probabilities higher than 80% and lying within the clusters’ limiting radii. Mean proper motions (PMs; and μ δ ) of the clusters are determined as (−0.34 ± 0.008, −1.60 ± 0.006), (−1.34 ± 0.007, −3.22 ± 0.008), and (−0.46 ± 0.009, −0.87 ± 0.012) mas yr−1. The errors mentioned in the PMs are the Gaussian fitting errors. The blue straggler stars (BSS) in all three old clusters were found to exhibit centralized radial distribution. The clusters’ radii are determined as 94, 1295, and 66 for Be 32, Be 98, and King 23 using radial density profiles. Ages of the clusters determined by isochrone fitting are 4.90 ± 0.22, 3.23 ± 0.15, and 1.95 ± 0.22 Gyr. The errors given in the clusters’ ages are the internal errors. The mass function slopes are found to be flatter than Salpeter’s value for all three clusters. All three clusters are found to be dynamically relaxed. Galactic orbits are derived for these clusters, which demonstrate that the studied clusters follow a circular path around the Galactic center.

A Census of Blue Stragglers in Gaia DR2 Open Clusters as a Test of Population Synthesis and Mass Transfer Physics

Abstract We use photometry and proper motions from Gaia DR2 to determine the blue straggler star (BSS) populations of 16 old (1–10 Gyr), nearby (d < 3500 pc) open clusters. We find that the fractional number of BSS compared to red giant branch stars increases with age, starting near zero at 1 Gyr and flattening to ∼0.35 by 4 Gyr. Fitting stellar evolutionary tracks to these BSSs, we find that their mass distribution peaks at a few tenths of a solar mass above the main-sequence turnoff. BSSs more than 0.5 M ⊙ above the turnoff make up only ∼25% of the sample, and BSSs more than 1.0 M ⊙ above the turnoff are rare. We compare this to Compact Object Synthesis and Monte Carlo Investigation Code population synthesis models of BSSs formed via mass transfer. We find that standard population synthesis assumptions dramatically under-produce the number of BSS in old open clusters. We also find that these models overproduce high-mass BSSs relative to lower-mass BSSs. The expected number of BSSs formed through dynamics do not fully account for this discrepancy. We conclude that in order to explain the observed BSS populations from Roche lobe overflow, mass transfer from giant donors must be more stable than assumed in canonical mass-transfer prescriptions, and including nonconservative mass transfer is important in producing realistic BSS masses. Even with these modifications, it is difficult to achieve the large number of BSSs observed in the oldest open clusters. We discuss some additional physics that may explain the large number of observed blue stragglers among old stellar populations.

WOCS 5379: Detailed Analysis of the Evolution of a Post-mass-transfer Blue Straggler

Abstract The blue straggler binary WOCS 5379 is a member of the old (6–7 Gyr) open cluster NGC 188. WOCS 5379 comprises a blue straggler star with a white dwarf companion in a 120 day eccentric orbit. Combined with the orbital period, this helium white dwarf is evidence of previous mass transfer by a red giant. Detailed models of the system evolution from a progenitor main-sequence binary, including mass transfer, are made using the Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics. Both of the progenitor stars are evolved in the simulation. WOCS 5379 is well reproduced with a primary star of initial mass 1.19 M ⊙, whose core becomes the white dwarf. The secondary star initially is 1.01 M ⊙. The secondary finished receiving mass from the donor 300 Myr ago, having moved beyond the NGC 188 turnoff as a 1.20 M ⊙ blue straggler. The successful model has a mass-transfer efficiency of 22%. This nonconservative mass transfer is key to expanding the orbit fast enough to permit stable mass transfer. Even so, the mass transfer begins with a short unstable phase, during which half of the accreted mass is transferred. With increasing mass, the secondary evolves from a radiative core to a convective core. The final blue straggler interior is remarkably similar to a 2.1 Gyr old 1.21 M ⊙ main-sequence star at the same location in the H-R diagram. The white dwarf effective temperature is also reproduced, but the modeled white dwarf mass of 0.33 M ⊙ is smaller than the measured mass of 0.42 M ⊙.

UOCS – III. UVIT catalogue of open clusters with machine learning-based membership using Gaia EDR3 astrometry

ABSTRACT We present a study of six open clusters (Berkeley 67, King 2, NGC 2420, NGC 2477, NGC 2682, and NGC 6940), using the Ultra Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) aboard ASTROSAT and Gaia EDR3. We used combinations of astrometric, photometric, and systematic parameters to train and supervise a machine-learning algorithm along with a Gaussian mixture model for the determination of cluster membership. This technique is robust, reproducible, and versatile in various cluster environments. In this study, the Gaia EDR3 membership catalogues are provided along with classification of the stars as members, candidates, and field in the six clusters. We could detect 200–2500 additional members using our method with respect to previous studies, which helped estimate mean space velocities, distances, number of members and core radii. UVIT photometric catalogues, which include blue stragglers, main-sequence, and red giants are also provided. From UV–Optical colour–magnitude diagrams, we found that majority of the sources in NGC 2682 and a few in NGC 2420, NGC 2477, and NGC 6940 showed excess UV flux. NGC 2682 images have 10 white dwarf detection in far-UV. The far-UV and near-UV images of the massive cluster NGC 2477 have 92 and 576 members, respectively, which will be useful to study the UV properties of stars in the extended turn-off and in various evolutionary stages from main sequence to red clump. Future studies will carry out panchromatic and spectroscopic analysis of noteworthy members detected in this study.

WOCS 5379: Detailed Analysis of the Evolution of a Post-mass-transfer Blue Straggler

WOCS 5379: Detailed Analysis of the Evolution of a Post-mass-transfer Blue Straggler

Impact of mass transfer schemes on mass–orbital period relation

ABSTRACT Binaries that evolved from red giant (RG) binaries through stable Roche lobe overflow follow the mass–orbital period relation if the donor’s core is degenerate. This relation is important for the studies of long orbital period blue stragglers, subdwarf B stars, and millisecond pulsars. To examine the influence of mass transfer schemes on this relation, we model the evolution of RG binaries at metallicity Z = 0.02 and Z = 0.001 with two different mass transfer schemes. In one of the scheme, it is assumed that mass transfer only occurs when the donor star’s radius is just larger than its Roche lobe radius (‘classical’ scheme). In another mass transfer scheme, the mass transfer can also occur when the donor’s radius is smaller than its Roche lobe radius as proposed by Ritter (1988) and further studied by Kolb & Ritter (1990; ‘Kolb’ scheme). We find that the mass transfer scheme has a significant influence on the evolution of RG binaries. In these RG binaries initiating mass transfer on the upper part of the RG branch, the final donor masses are smaller and orbital periods are larger in the models with the ‘Kolb’ scheme, compared with the models with the ‘classical’ scheme. The difference between orbital periods (donor masses) at the end of mass transfer under two different mass transfer schemes can be up to 500 d (0.04 M⊙) for the same donor mass (orbital period). The mass–orbital period relation from these models with the ‘Kolb’ scheme is above the relation from models with the ‘classical’ scheme. Additionally, similar to previous studies, we find that the final orbital period at metallicity Z = 0.02 is larger than that at metallicity Z = 0.001 for a given donor mass.

The Blue Straggler Population of the Open Clusters Trumpler 5, Trumpler 20, and NGC 2477

Abstract We present a study based on Gaia DR2 of the population of blue straggler stars in the open clusters Trumpler 5, Trumpler 20, and NGC 2477. All candidates were selected according to their position in the color–magnitude diagram, their proper motion components, and their parallax. We also looked for yellow stragglers, i.e., possible evolved blue stragglers. We found that Trumpler 5 hosts a large blue straggler star population, which allowed us to analyze their radial distribution as a probe of the cluster’s dynamical status. The blue straggler star distribution was compared with that of red giant branch stars to evaluate mass segregation. Our results indicate that blue straggler stars are not more centrally concentrated than red giant branch stars stars in any of the clusters. The radial distribution of blue straggler stars in Trumpler 5 is flat. Additionally, using a multi-epoch radial velocity survey conducted with the high-resolution spectrograph FLAMES/GIRAFFE at the Very Large Telescope, we measured the radial velocities of a sample of stragglers to compare with the mean radial velocity and velocity dispersion of the clusters. Based on the radial velocity variations for different epochs, we roughly classified these stars as possible close or long-period binaries.

Dependence of the Old Star Clusters’ Dynamical Clock on the Host Galaxy Gravitational Field

Abstract I report outcomes of the analysis of the A + parameter, which measures the level of radial segregation of blue straggler stars in old star clusters, commonly known as the dynamical clock for the long-term internal dynamical evolution. I used A + values available in the literature for 48 Milky Way globular clusters. I found that the relationship of A + and the number of central relaxation times which have elapsed (N relax) shows a non negligible dependence on the strength of the host galaxy gravitational potential, in addition to depending on the two-body relaxation mechanism. Indeed, a measured A + value corresponds to relatively smaller or larger N relax values for star clusters located farther or closer to the galaxy center. From an observational point of view, this finding reveals the possibility of disentangling for the first time the dynamical evolutionary stage due to two-body relaxation and tidal effect, that affect the whole star clusters’ body concurrently.

UVIT/AstroSat studies of blue straggler stars and post-mass transfer systems in star clusters: detection of one more blue lurker in M67

The blue straggler stars (BSSs) are main-sequence (MS) stars, which have evaded stellar evolution by acquiring mass while on the MS. The detection of extremely low mass (ELM) white dwarf (WD) companions to two BSSs and one yellow straggler star (YSS) from our earlier study using UVIT/ASTROSAT, as well as WD companions to main-sequence stars (known as blue lurkers) suggest a good fraction of post-mass transfer binaries in M67. Using deeper UVIT observations, here we report the detection of another blue lurker in M67, with an ELM WD companion. The post-mass transfer systems with the presence of ELM WDs, including BSSs, are formed from Case A/B mass transfer and are unlikely to show any difference in surface abundances. We find a correlation between the temperature of the WD and the $v\ sin i$ of the BSSs. We also find that the progenitors of the massive WDs are likely to belong to the hot and luminous group of BSSs in M67. The only detected BSS+WD system by UVIT in the globular cluster NGC 5466, has a normal WD and suggests that open cluster like environment might be present in the outskirts of low density globular clusters.

Peculiarities in the Horizontal Branch Stars of Globular Cluster NGC 1851: Discovery of a Blue Straggler Companion to an EHB Star

Abstract We present a study of far-UV (FUV) bright horizontal branch (HB) stars to understand the peculiarities seen in the HB sequence of the globular cluster NGC 1851, using ground- and space-based multiwavelength data. Optical and UV color–magnitude diagrams are used to classify HB stars and their membership from Hubble Space Telescope and Gaia DR2 data. The spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of the hot HB stars located from the core to tidal radii are constructed. The SEDs reveal that the HB stars near the “Grundahl jump” show a decrease in the FUV flux when atmospheric models of cluster metallicity are used for fitting, but a better fit is found with higher-metallicity models, as expected due to atmospheric diffusion. We report on four particularly interesting extreme HB (EHB) stars, two each in the inner and outer regions. We detect a subluminous EHB and “blue-hook” candidates with temperatures T eff ∼ 25,000 K and 31,000 K, respectively. We found an EHB star (T eff ∼ 17,000 K) with a radius that lies between the BHB and normal EHB stars. The most peculiar of our EHB stars (T eff ∼ 28,000 K) is found to be a photometric binary to a blue straggler star (BSS; T eff ∼ 7000 K), which is an important target for spectroscopic study. This discovery of the candidate EHB+BSS binary system could help to explain the mass loss in the red giant branch phase, leading to the formation of EHB stars.

Chemical diversity among A–B stars with low rotational velocities: non-LTE abundance analysis

ABSTRACT We present accurate element abundance patterns based on the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE, NLTE) line formation for 14 chemical elements from He to Nd for a sample of nine A9 to B3-type stars with well-determined atmospheric parameters and low rotational velocities. We constructed new model atom of Zr ii–iii and updated model atoms for Sr ii and Ba ii by implementing the photoionization cross-sections from calculations with the Dirac B-spline R-matrix method. The NLTE abundances of He to Fe in the stars HD 17081, HD 32115, HD 160762, and HD 209459 are found to be consistent with the solar abundances, and HD 73666 being a Blue Straggler does not reveal deviations from chemical composition of the Praesepe cluster. Three of these stars with an effective temperature of lower than 10 500 K have supersolar abundances of Sr, Zr, Ba, and Nd, and our results suggest the presence of a positive correlation between stellar effective temperature and abundance. For each star, enhancement of Ba is higher than that for any other heavy element. We propose that the solar Ba abundance is not representative of the galactic Ba abundance at modern epoch. The status of HD 145788 was not clarified: This star has solar abundances of C to Si and enhancements of Sr to Ba similar to that for superficially normal stars of similar temperature, while Ca, Ti, and Fe are overabundant. The NLTE abundances of Vega support its status of a mild λ Bootis star.

Binary Population Synthesis

Binary interactions lead to the formation of intriguing objects, such as compact binaries, supernovae, gamma ray bursts, X-ray binaries, pulsars, novae, cataclysmic variables, hot subdwarf stars, barium stars and blue stragglers. To study the evolution of binary populations and the consequent formation of these objects, many methods have been developed over the years, for which a robust approach named binary population synthesis (BPS) warrants special attention. This approach has seen widespread application in many areas of astrophysics, including but not limited to analyses of the stellar content of galaxies, research on galactic chemical evolution and studies concerning star formation and cosmic re-ionization. In this review, we discuss the role of BPS, its general picture and the various components that comprise it. We pay special attention to the stability criteria for mass transfer in binaries, as this stability largely determines the fate of binary systems. We conclude with our perspectives regarding the future of this field.

Variable stars in the field of intermediate-age open cluster NGC 559

ABSTRACT This work presents the first long-term photometric variability survey of the intermediate-age open cluster NGC 559. Time series V-band photometric observations on 40 nights taken over more than 3 yr with three different telescopes are analysed to search for variable stars in the cluster. We investigate the data for the periodicity analysis and reveal 70 variable stars including 67 periodic variables in the target field, all of them are newly discovered. The membership analysis of the periodic variables reveals that 30 of them belong to the cluster and remaining 37 are identified as field variables. Out of the 67 periodic variables, 48 are short-period (P < 1 d) variables and 19 are long-period (P > 1 d) variables. The variable stars have periodicity between 3 h to 41 d and their brightness ranges from V = 10.9 to 19.3 mag. The periodic variables belonging to the cluster are then classified into different variability types on the basis of observational properties such as shape of the light curves, periods, amplitudes, as well as their positions in the Hertzsprung–Russell (H–R) diagram. As a result, we identify 1 Algol type eclipsing binary, 1 possible blue straggler star, 3 slowly pulsating B type stars, 5 rotational variables, 11 non-pulsating variables, 2 FKCOM variables, and remaining 7 are characterized as miscellaneous variables. We also identify three eclipsing binary stars (EBs) belonging to the field star population. The phoebe package is used to analyse the light curve of all four EBs in order to determine the parameters of the binary systems such as masses, temperatures, and radii.

WIYN Open Cluster Study. LXXXII. Radial-velocity Measurements and Spectroscopic Binary Orbits in the Open Cluster NGC 7789

Abstract We present an extensive time-series radial-velocity (RV) survey of stars in the rich open cluster NGC 7789 (1.6 Gyr, [Fe/H] = +0.02). The stellar sample lies within an 18′ circular radius from the cluster center (10 pc in projection, or about 2 core radii), and includes giants, red clump stars, blue stragglers, red stragglers, sub-subgiants, and main-sequence stars down to 1 mag below the turnoff. Our survey began in 2005 and comprises more than 9000 RV measurements from the Hydra Multi-Object Spectrograph on the WIYN 3.5 m telescope. We identify 624 likely cluster members and present the orbital solutions for 81 cluster binary stars with periods between 1.45 and 4200 days. From the main-sequence binary solutions we fit a circularization period of days. We calculate an incompleteness-corrected main-sequence binary frequency of 31% ± 4% for binaries with periods less than 104 days, similar to other WIYN Open Cluster Survey (WOCS) open clusters of all ages. We detect a blue straggler binary frequency of 33% ± 17%, consistent with the similarly aged open cluster NGC 6819. We also find one secure, rapidly rotating sub-subgiant and one red straggler candidate in our sample.

Wray 15-906: a candidate luminous blue variable discovered with WISE, Herschel, and SALT

ABSTRACT We present the results of study of the Galactic candidate luminous blue variable Wray 15-906, revealed via detection of its infrared circumstellar shell (of ≈2 pc in diameter) with the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer and the Herschel Space Observatory. Using the stellar atmosphere code cmfgen and the Gaia parallax, we found that Wray 15-906 is a relatively low-luminosity, $\log (L/\rm \, L_\odot)\approx 5.4$, star of temperature of 25 ± 2 kK, with a mass-loss rate of ${\approx}3\times 10^{-5} \, \rm \, M_\odot \, {\rm yr}^{-1}$, a wind velocity of $280\pm 50 \, {\rm \, km\, s^{-1}}$, and a surface helium abundance of 65 ± 2 per cent (by mass). In the framework of single-star evolution, the obtained results suggest that Wray 15-906 is a post-red supergiant star with initial mass of ${\approx}25 \, \rm \, M_\odot$ and that before exploding as a supernova it could transform for a short time into a WN11h star. Our spectroscopic monitoring with the Southern African Large Telescope does not reveal significant changes in the spectrum of Wray 15-906 during the last 8 yr, while the V-band light curve of this star over years 1999–2019 shows quasi-periodic variability with a period of ≈1700 d and an amplitude of ≈0.2 mag. We estimated the mass of the shell to be $2.9\pm 0.5 \, \rm \, M_\odot$ assuming the gas-to-dust mass ratio of 200. The presence of such a shell indicates that Wray 15-906 has suffered substantial mass-loss in the recent past. We found that the open star cluster C1128−631 could be the birth place of Wray 15-906 provided that this star is a rejuvenated product of binary evolution (a blue straggler).

Delayed Photons from Binary Evolution Help Reionize the Universe

Abstract High-resolution numerical simulations including feedback and aimed at calculating the escape fraction (f esc) of hydrogen-ionizing photons often assume stellar radiation based on single-stellar population synthesis models. However, strong evidence suggests the binary fraction of massive stars is ≳70%. Moreover, simulations so far have yielded values of f esc falling only on the lower end of the ∼10%–20% range, the amount presumed necessary to reionize the universe. Analyzing a high-resolution (4 pc) cosmological radiation-hydrodynamic simulation, we study how f esc changes when we include two different products of binary stellar evolution—stars stripped of their hydrogen envelopes and massive blue stragglers. Both produce significant amounts of ionizing photons 10–200 Myr after each starburst. We find the relative importance of these photons to be amplified with respect to escaped ionizing photons, because peaks in star formation rates (SFRs) and f esc are often out of phase by this 10–200 Myr. Additionally, low-mass, bursty galaxies emit Lyman continuum radiation primarily from binary products when SFRs are low. Observations of these galaxies by the James Webb Space Telescope could provide crucial information on the evolution of binary stars as a function of redshift. Overall, including stripped stars and massive blue stragglers increases our photon-weighted mean escape fraction ( ) by ∼13% and ∼10%, respectively, resulting in . Our results emphasize that using updated stellar population synthesis models with binary stellar evolution provides a more sound physical basis for stellar reionization.

Demographics of Triple Systems in Dense Star Clusters

Abstract Depending on the stellar type, more than 15% of stars in the field have at least two stellar companions. Hierarchical triple systems can be assembled dynamically in dense star clusters, as a result of few-body encounters among stars and/or compact remnants in the cluster core. In this paper, we present the demographics of stellar and compact-object triples formed via binary–binary encounters in the CMC Cluster Catalog, a suite of cluster simulations with present-day properties representative of the globular clusters (GCs) observed in the Milky Way. We show how the initial properties of the host cluster set the typical orbital parameters and formation times of the formed triples. We find that a cluster typically assembles hundreds of triples with at least one black hole (BH) in the inner binary, while only clusters with sufficiently small virial radii are efficient in producing triples with no BHs. We show that a typical GC is expected to host tens of triples with at least one luminous component at present. We discuss how the Lidov–Kozai mechanism can drive the inner binary of these dynamically formed triples to high eccentricities, whenever it takes place before the triple is dynamically reprocessed by encountering another cluster member. Some of these systems can reach sufficiently large eccentricities to form a variety of transients and merger products, such as blue stragglers, X-ray binaries, Type Ia supernovae, Thorne–Zytkow objects, and gravitational wave sources.

Taking apart the dynamical clock

Context. In globular clusters (GCs), blue straggler stars (BSS) are heavier than the average star, so dynamical friction strongly affects them. The radial distribution of BSS, normalized to a reference population, appears bimodal in a fraction of Galactic GCs, with a density peak in the core, a prominent zone of avoidance at intermediate radii, and again higher density in the outskirts. The zone of avoidance appears to be located at larger radii the more relaxed the host cluster, acting as a sort of dynamical clock. Aims. We use a new method to compute the evolution of the BSS radial distribution under dynamical friction and diffusion. Methods. We evolve our BSS in the mean cluster potential under dynamical friction plus a random fluctuating force, solving the Langevin equation with the Mannella quasi symplectic scheme. This is a new simulation method that is much faster and simpler than direct N-body codes, but retains their main feature: diffusion powered by strong, if infrequent, kicks. Results. We compute the radial distribution of initially unsegregated BSS normalized to a reference population as a function of time. We trace the evolution of its minimum, corresponding to the zone of avoidance. We compare the evolution under kicks extracted from a Gaussian distribution to that obtained using a Holtsmark distribution. The latter is a fat-tailed distribution which correctly models the effects of close gravitational encounters. We find that the zone of avoidance moves outwards over time, as expected based on observations, only when using the Holtsmark distribution. Thus, the correct representation of near encounters is crucial to reproduce the dynamics of the system. Conclusions. We confirm and extend earlier results that showed how the dynamical clock indicator depends on dynamical friction and on effective diffusion powered by dynamical encounters. We demonstrated the high sensitivity of the clock to the details of the mechanism underlying diffusion, which may explain the difficulties in reproducing the motion of the zone of avoidance across different simulation methods.