Stellar Evolution Models Research Articles

Stellar evolution models with overshooting based on 3-equation non-local theories

Context. Convective overshoot mixing is a critical ingredient of stellar structure models but is treated in most cases by ad hoc extensions of the mixing-length theory for convection. Advanced theories that are both more physical and numerically treatable are needed. Aims. Convective flows in stellar interiors are highly turbulent. This poses a number of numerical challenges for the modelling of convection in stellar interiors. We included an effective turbulence model in a 1D stellar evolution code in order to treat non-local effects within the same theory. Methods. We used a turbulent convection model that relies on the solution of second order moment equations. We implemented this into a state-of-the-art 1D stellar evolution code. To overcome a deficit in the original form of the model, we took the dissipation due to buoyancy waves in the overshooting zone into account. Results. We compute stellar models of intermediate mass main-sequence stars of between 1.5 and 8 M⊙. Overshoot mixing from the convective core and modified temperature gradients within and above it emerge naturally as a solution of the turbulent convection model equations. Conclusions. For a given set of model parameters, the overshooting extent determined from the turbulent convection model is comparable to other overshooting descriptions, the free parameters of which had been adjusted to match observations. The relative size of the mixed cores decreases with decreasing stellar mass without additional adjustments. We find that the dissipation by buoyancy waves constitutes a necessary and relevant extension of the turbulent convection model in use.

Visual Orbits of Spectroscopic Binaries with the CHARA Array. IV. HD 61859, HD 89822, HD 109510, and HD 191692

We present the visual orbits of four spectroscopic binary stars, HD 61859, HD 89822, HD 109510, and HD 191692, using long baseline interferometry with the CHARA Array. We also obtained new radial velocities from echelle spectra using the APO 3.5 m, CTIO 1.5 m, and Fairborn Observatory 2.0 m telescopes. By combining the astrometric and spectroscopic observations, we solve for the full, three-dimensional orbits and determine the stellar masses to 1%–12% uncertainty and distances to 0.4%–6% uncertainty. We then estimate the effective temperature and radius of each component star through Doppler tomography and spectral energy distribution analyses. We found masses of 1.4–3.5 M ⊙, radii of 1.5–4.7 R ⊙, and temperatures of 6400–10,300 K. We then compare the observed stellar parameters to the predictions of the stellar evolution models, but found that only one of our systems fits well with the evolutionary models.

Peculiar hydrogen-deficient carbon stars: strontium-rich stars and the s-process

Context. R Coronae Borealis (RCB) variables and their non-variable counterparts, the dustless Hydrogen-deficient Carbon (dLHdC) stars have been known to exhibit enhanced s-processed material on their surfaces, especially Sr, Y, and Ba. No comprehensive work has been done to explore the s-process in these types of stars, however one particular RCB star, U Aqr, has been under scrutiny for its extraordinary Sr enhancement. Aims. We aim to identify RCB and dLHdC stars that have significantly enhanced Sr abundances, such as U Aqr, and use stellar evolution models to begin to estimate the type of neutron exposure that occurs in a typical HdC star. Methods. We compared the strength of the Sr II 4077 Å spectral line to Ca II H to identify the new subclass of Sr-rich HdCs. We additionally used the structural and abundance information from existing RCB MESA models to calculate the neutron exposure parameter, τ. Results. We identified six stars in the Sr-rich class. Two are RCBs, and four are dLHdCs. We additionally found that the preferred RCB MESA model has a neutron exposure τ ≃ 0.1 mb−1, which is lower than the estimated τ between 0.15 and 0.6 mb−1 for the Sr-rich star U Aqr found in the literature. We found trends in the neutron exposure corresponding to He-burning shell temperature, metallicity, and assumed s-processing site. Conclusions. We have found a sub-class of six HdCs known as the Sr-rich class, which tend to lie in the halo, outside the typical distribution of RCBs and dLHdCs. We found that dLHdC stars are more likely to be Sr-rich than RCBs, with an occurrence rate of ~13% for dLHdCs and ~2% for RCBs. This is one of the first potential spectroscopic differences between RCBs and dLHdCs, along with dLHdCs having stronger surface abundances of 18O. We additionally found neutron exposure trends in our RCB models that will aide in understanding the interplay between model parameters and surface s-process elements.

Dynamical Masses of the Primary Be Star and Secondary sdB Star in the Single-lined Binary κ Dra (B6 IIIe)

Because many classical Be stars may owe their nature to mass and angular-momentum transfer in a close binary, the present masses, temperatures, and radii of their components are of high interest for comparison to stellar evolution models. Object κ Dra is a 61.5 day single-lined binary with a B6 IIIe primary. With the CHARA Array instruments MIRC/MIRC-X and MYSTIC, we detected the secondary at (approximately photospheric) flux ratios of 1.49% ± 0.10% and 1.63% ± 0.09% in the H and K band, respectively. From a large and diverse optical spectroscopic database, only the radial velocity curve of the Be star could be extracted. However, employing the parallaxes from Hipparcos and Gaia, which agree within their nominal 1σ errors, we could derive the total mass and found component masses of 3.65 ± 0.48 and 0.426 ± 0.043 M ⊙ for the Be star and the companion, respectively. Previous cross-correlation of the observed FUV spectrum with O-type subdwarf (sdO) spectral model templates had not detected a companion belonging to the hot sdO population known from ∼20 earlier-type Be stars. Guided by our full 3D orbital solution, we found a strong cross-correlation signal for a stripped subdwarf B-type companion (FUV flux ratio of 2.3% ± 0.5%), enabling the first firm characterization of such a star and making κ Dra the first mid- to late-type Be star with a directly observed subdwarf companion.

The binary system of the spinning-top Be star Achernar

Context.Achernar, the closest and brightest classical Be star, presents rotational flattening, gravity darkening, occasional emission lines due to a gaseous disk, and an extended polar wind. It is also a member of a close binary system with an early A-type dwarf companion.Aims.We aim to determine the orbital parameters of the Achernar system and to estimate the physical properties of the components.Methods.We monitored the relative position of Achernar B using a broad range of high angular resolution instruments of the VLT/VLTI (VISIR, NACO, SPHERE, AMBER, PIONIER, GRAVITY, and MATISSE) over a period of 13 years (2006−2019). These astrometric observations are complemented with a series of ≈750 optical spectra for the period from 2003 to 2016.Results.We determine that Achernar B orbits the primary Be star on a seven-year period, eccentric orbit (e = 0.7258 ± 0.0015) which brings the two stars within 2 au at periastron. The mass of the Be star is found to bemA = 6.0 ± 0.6 M⊙for a secondary mass ofmB = 2.0 ± 0.1 M⊙(the latter was estimated from modeling). We find a good agreement of the parameters of Achernar A with the evolutionary model of a critically rotating star of 6.4 M⊙at an age of 63 Ma. The equatorial plane of the Be star and the orbital plane of the companion exhibit a relative inclination of 30°. We also identify a resolved comoving low-mass star, which leads us to propose that Achernar is a member of the Tucana-Horologium moving group.Conclusions.The proximity of Achernar makes this star a precious benchmark for stellar evolution models of fast rotators and intermediate mass binaries. Achernar A is presently in a short-lived phase of its evolution following the turn-off, during which its geometrical flattening ratio is the most extreme. Considering the orbital parameters, no significant interaction occurred between the two components, demonstrating that Be stars may form through a direct, single-star evolution path without mass transfer. Since component A will enter the instability strip in a few hundred thousand years, Achernar appears to be a promising progenitor of the Cepheid binary systems.

Angular momentum loss rates in Be stars determined by the viscous decretion disc model

ABSTRACT Circumstellar discs around Be stars are formed by the material ejected by the central star. This process removes excess angular momentum from the star as viscosity facilitates the mass and angular momentum transfer within the disc and its growth. The angular momentum loss rates (AMLR) of Be stars is a subject of debate in the literature. Through the modelling of the disc formation and dissipation phases observed from Be stars, their average AMLR can be determined and this is the goal of this work. We use the viscous decretion disc (VDD) model to provide a range of the average AMLR for Be stars and compare these rates with predicted values from the literature. We explore the reasons for discrepancies between the predicted values of average AMLR, using the VDD and Geneva stellar evolution models that were previously reported in literature and find that the largest differences occur when Be stars are rotating below their critical speeds. We show that the time over which the mass reservoir builds up is inversely proportional to the average AMLR. Also, we determine a revised value of the average AMLR for the Galactic Be star ω CMa of $4.7\times 10^{36}\, \mathrm{g\, cm^2\, s^{-2}}$, which is in better agreement with the values expected for a typical B2-type star. Finally, the effect of disc truncation due to the presence of a companion star is investigated and we find that this has a minimal effect on the average AMLR.

A massive, energetic model for the luminous transitional Type Ib/IIb SN 2020cpg

ABSTRACT Using a combined spectral and light-curve modelling approach, we fit a massive and energetic explosion model to the luminous Type Ib/IIb SN 2020cpg. This model has an ejected mass of ∼(7 ± 2) M⊙ with a final explosion energy of ∼(6 ± 1) × 1051 erg with MNi = 0.27 ± 0.05 M⊙. The early spectra are hot and blue with weak He i lines, and a complicated Hα region suggested to be a multicomponent feature. Modelling the spectra required ∼0.08 M⊙ of H at velocities >11 000 km s−1 and a total He mass of ∼1.0 M⊙ at velocities >9500 km s−1 above CO-rich ejecta. This model has a ratio of kinetic energy and ejected mass of 0.85$_{-0.3}^{+0.5}$ foe M⊙−1. The high luminosity and explosion energy results in a broadened Hα line that is blended with Si ii, C ii, and He i, which led to the initial classification of SN 2020cpg as a Type Ib. We instead classify SN 2020cpg as a bright transitional event between the Type Ib and Type IIb classes. Comparing our model parameters to stellar evolution models, a progenitor mass of 25–30 M⊙, i.e. stripped of most of the hydrogen shell and of some of the helium shell prior to collapse produces a He core of comparable mass. The excess 56Ni production in SN 2020cpg as compared to objects of similar ejected mass may suggest evidence of additional energy sources such as a failed GRB or weak magnetar energy injection, or a smaller remnant mass.

Asteroseismology of a Double-mode High-amplitude δ Scuti Star TIC 448892817

We propose that TIC 448892817 is a double-mode high-amplitude δ Scuti star. The radial modes detected in this star provide a unique opportunity to exploit asteroseismic techniques up to their limits. 30 significant frequencies are detected by frequency analysis, while two of them are independent frequencies, i.e., F0 = 13.43538(2) day−1 and F1 = 17.27007(4) day−1. The ratio of f 1/f 2 is measured to be 0.777957(2), suggesting that this target is a double-mode δ Scuti star. Nearly all the light variation is due to these two modes and their combination frequencies, but several other frequencies of very low amplitude are also present. The stellar evolutionary models were constructed with different mass M and metallicity Z using Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA). The frequency ratio f 1/f 2 obtained by the model is smaller than those obtained by observation. This might be caused by the rotation of the star pointing that rotational effects are more important than previously thought in HADS stars. This is something that deserves to be investigated in future works with models including rotational effects for moderate to intermediate rotators such as FILOU. On the other hand, the parameters obtained from MESA agree well with previous results as well as by observational spectra. The best-fitting model shows that TIC 448892817 is close to entering the first turnoff of the main sequence. In order to accurately determine the effective temperature and metallicities, thus further narrowing the parameter space of this star, we suggest high-resolution spectra is highly desired in the future.

Apsidal Motion and Physical Parameters in the Eclipsing System V490 Sct

We report long-term UBVRIR c I c photometry of the highly eccentric 12.04 day detached eclipsing binary V490 Sct (V = 13.1, B9.5+A0, e = 0.40), which we use to determine its relative and absolute parameters. The absolute masses, radii, and temperatures are M A = 2.33 ± 0.07 M⊙, R A = 1.90 ± 0.04 R ⊙, and T A = 9960 ± 60 K for the primary and M B = 2.23±0.07 M⊙, R B = 1.86 ± 0.04 R ⊙, and T B = 9700 ± 80 K for the secondary. The system displays a slow periastron advance that is dominated by General Relativity (GR). Our measurement, deg century−1, is 32% less then the expected rate, deg century−1, which has an 83% contribution from GR. A comparison with current stellar evolution models shows a good match to the measured properties at an age of about 130 Myr and Solar abundance. The photometric parallax of the system π = 0.73 ± 0.04 mas, matches the GAIA DR2 value, π = 0.76 ± 0.04 mas.

Simulations of black hole fueling in isolated and merging galaxies with an explicit, multiphase ISM

ABSTRACT We study gas inflows on to supermassive black holes using hydrodynamics simulations of isolated galaxies and idealized galaxy mergers with an explicit, multiphase interstellar medium (ISM). Our simulations use the recently developed ISM and stellar evolution model called Stars and MUltiphase Gas in GaLaxiEs (SMUGGLE). We implement a novel super-Lagrangian refinement scheme that increases the gas mass resolution in the immediate neighbourhood of the black holes (BHs) to accurately resolve gas accretion. We do not include black hole feedback in our simulations. We find that the complex and turbulent nature of the SMUGGLE ISM leads to highly variable BH accretion. BH growth in SMUGGLE converges at gas mass resolutions ≲3 × 103 M⊙. We show that the low resolution simulations combined with the super-Lagrangian refinement scheme are able to produce central gas dynamics and BH accretion rates very similar to that of the uniform high resolution simulations. We further explore BH fueling by simulating galaxy mergers. The interaction between the galaxies causes an inflow of gas towards the galactic centres and results in elevated and bursty star formation. The peak gas densities near the BHs increase by orders of magnitude resulting in enhanced accretion. Our results support the idea that galaxy mergers can trigger AGN activity, although the instantaneous accretion rate depends strongly on the local ISM. We also show that the level of merger-induced enhancement of BH fueling predicted by the SMUGGLE model is much smaller compared to the predictions by simulations using an effective equation of state model of the ISM.

Stellar wind properties of the nearly complete sample of O stars in the low metallicity young star cluster NGC 346 in the SMC galaxy

Context. Massive stars are among the main cosmic engines driving the evolution of star-forming galaxies. Their powerful ionising radiation and stellar winds inject a large amount of energy in the interstellar medium. Furthermore, mass-loss (Ṁ) through radiatively driven winds plays a key role in the evolution of massive stars. Even so, the wind mass-loss prescriptions used in stellar evolution models, population synthesis, and stellar feedback models often disagree with mass-loss rates empirically measured from the UV spectra of low metallicity massive stars. Aims. The most massive young star cluster in the low metallicity Small Magellanic Cloud galaxy is NGC 346. This cluster contains more than half of all O stars discovered in this galaxy so far. A similar age, metallicity (Z), and extinction, the O stars in the NGC 346 cluster are uniquely suited for a comparative study of stellar winds in O stars of different subtypes. We aim to use a sample of O stars within NGC 346 to study stellar winds at low metallicity. Methods. We mapped the central 1′ of NGC 346 with the long-slit UV observations performed by the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on board of the Hubble Space Telescope and complemented these new datasets with archival observations. Multi-epoch observations allowed for the detection of wind variability. The UV dataset was supplemented by optical spectroscopy and photometry. The resulting spectra were analysed using a non-local thermal equilibrium model atmosphere code (PoWR) to determine wind parameters and ionising fluxes. Results. The effective mapping technique allowed us to obtain a mosaic of almost the full extent of the cluster and resolve stars in its core. Among hundreds of extracted stellar spectra, 21 belong to O stars. Nine of them are classified as O stars for the first time. We analyse, in detail, the UV spectra of 19 O stars (with a further two needing to be analysed in a later paper due to the complexity of the wind lines as a result of multiplicity). This more than triples the number of O stars in the core of NGC 346 with constrained wind properties. We show that the most commonly used theoretical mass-loss recipes for O stars over-predict mass-loss rates. We find that the empirical scaling between mass-loss rates (Ṁ) and luminosity (L), Ṁ ∝ L2.4, is steeper than theoretically expected by the most commonly used recipes. In agreement with the most recent theoretical predictions, we find within Ṁ ∝ Zα that α is dependent upon L. Only the most luminous stars dominate the ionisation feedback, while the weak stellar winds of O stars in NGC 346 and the lack of previous supernova explosions in this cluster restrict the kinetic energy input.

Impact of Population III homogeneous stellar evolution on early cosmic reionisation

Context. Population III (Pop III) stars may be fast rotating. An expected consequence of fast rotation is strong internal mixing that deeply affects their evolutionary tracks in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram and hence their ionising power. Aims. We investigate the impact on the ionising power of Pop III stars in an extreme case of internal mixing, the one leading to chemically homogeneous evolution (CHE). In that situation, during the main sequence phase, the star keeps the same chemical composition from its centre to its surface. Homogeneous stars have larger effective temperatures and luminosities than stars evolving non-homogeneously and thus are stronger ionising sources. Methods. The stellar evolution models are based on n = 3 polytropes with a time-varying mass fraction of hydrogen. The ionisation model employs the self-similar champagne flow solution from Shu et al. (2002, ApJ, 580, 969) and numerical simulations for the stochastic treatment of star clusters over a grid of redshifts and halo masses. Results. We find that haloes containing chemically homogeneous stars have an escape fraction of ionising photons up to twice that of haloes containing classical Pop III stars. By extrapolating the high-z ionisation history powered by Pop III stars (at z ≳ 15) to the post-reionisation epoch, we derived the Thomson scattering optical depth τ, which is compared with the value measured by Planck. We find that τ is overproduced by ∼1.5 − 5σ when all Pop III stars evolve homogeneously. This indicates that CHE is unlikely to be realised in the majority of Pop III stars, although the present study cannot exclude that a fraction of them undergo CHE. Conclusions. Fast rotation might have a significant impact on the ionising budget of Pop III stars and thus on early cosmic reionisation. The impact is stronger for less top-heavy initial mass functions of Pop III stars.

Updated orbital monitoring and dynamical masses for nearby M-dwarf binaries

Young M-type binaries are particularly useful for precise isochronal dating by taking advantage of their extended pre-main sequence evolution. Orbital monitoring of these low-mass objects becomes essential in constraining their fundamental properties, as dynamical masses can be extracted from their Keplerian motion. Here, we present the combined efforts of the AstraLux Large Multiplicity Survey, together with a filler sub-programme from the SpHere INfrared Exoplanet (SHINE) project and previously unpublished data from the FastCam lucky imaging camera at the Nordical Optical Telescope (NOT) and the NaCo instrument at the Very Large Telescope (VLT). Building on previous work, we use archival and new astrometric data to constrain orbital parameters for 20 M-type binaries. We identify that eight of the binaries have strong Bayesian probabilities and belong to known young moving groups (YMGs). We provide a first attempt at constraining orbital parameters for 14 of the binaries in our sample, with the remaining six having previously fitted orbits for which we provide additional astrometric data and updated Gaia parallaxes. The substantial orbital information built up here for four of the binaries allows for direct comparison between individual dynamical masses and theoretical masses from stellar evolutionary model isochrones, with an additional three binary systems with tentative individual dynamical mass estimates likely to be improved in the near future. We attained an overall agreement between the dynamical masses and the theoretical masses from the isochrones based on the assumed YMG age of the respective binary pair. The two systems with the best orbital constrains for which we obtained individual dynamical masses, J0728 and J2317, display higher dynamical masses than predicted by evolutionary models.

Towards solar measurements of nuclear reaction rates

ABSTRACT Nuclear reaction rates are a fundamental yet uncertain ingredient in stellar evolution models. The astrophysical S-factor pertaining to the initial reaction in the proton–proton (pp) chain is uncertain at the 1 per cent level, which contributes a systematic but generally unpropagated error of similar order in the theoretical ages of stars. In this work, we study the prospect of improving the measurement of this and other reaction rates in the pp chain and CNO cycle using helioseismology and solar neutrinos. We show that when other aspects of the solar model are improved, then it shall be possible using current solar data to improve the precision of this measurement by nearly an order of magnitude and hence the corresponding uncertainty on the ages of low-mass stars by a similar amount.

A partial isotopic decomposition for the sculptor dSph

Abstract All stellar evolution models require an initial isotopic abundance set as input, but these abundances are well known only for the Sun. Yet, input compositions can be estimated by scaling solar abundances using a previously constructed isotopic history model based on astrophysical processes in the Milky Way (MW). This method, however, may not work for obtaining inputs for compositions that have distinct chemical histories from the MW. We thus present a partial isotopic history model for the Sculptor dwarf spheroidal galaxy based on astrophysical processes, which can be used to estimate input isotopic abundances in future nucleosynthesis studies. The model is fitted to observational data, and follows the methodology of the previously constructed MW isotopic history model. First, we estimate the isotopic composition of Sculptor’s late-stage evolution (LSE) using the OMEGA chemical evolution code, and then decompose that composition into contributions from various astrophysical sources. Each contribution is then assumed to scale as a function of metallicity. The isotopic abundances are summed into elemental abundances and fit to available observational elemental abundance data to tune the model’s free parameters. The result is an average isotopic history model of Sculptor for massive star, Type Ia SNe, s-process, and r-process contributions that uses elemental data to constrain the isotopic abundances. As an example, our model finds that Type Ia SNe contribute ≈ 87 percent to the LSE Fe abundance, and neutron star mergers contribute ≈ 36 percent to the LSE Eu abundance, in agreement with previous studies.

The imprint of star formation on stellar pulsations

In the earliest phases of their evolution, stars gain mass through the acquisition of matter from their birth clouds. The widely accepted classical concept of early stellar evolution neglects the details of this accretion phase and assumes the formation of stars with large initial radii that contract gravitationally. In this picture, the common idea is that once the stars begin their fusion processes, they have forgotten their past. By analysing stellar oscillations in recently born stars, we show that the accretion history leaves a potentially detectable imprint on the stars’ interior structures. Currently available data from space would allow discriminating between these more realistic accretion scenarios and the classical early stellar evolution models. This opens a window to investigate the interior structures of young pulsating stars that will also be of relevance for related fields, such as stellar oscillations in general and exoplanet studies.

The effects of surface fossil magnetic fields on massive star evolution: IV. Grids of models at Solar, LMC, and SMC metallicities

ABSTRACT Magnetic fields can drastically change predictions of evolutionary models of massive stars via mass-loss quenching, magnetic braking, and efficient angular momentum transport, which we aim to quantify in this work. We use the mesa software instrument to compute an extensive main-sequence grid of stellar structure and evolution models, as well as isochrones, accounting for the effects attributed to a surface fossil magnetic field. The grid is densely populated in initial mass (3–60 M⊙), surface equatorial magnetic field strength (0–50 kG), and metallicity (representative of the Solar neighbourhood and the Magellanic Clouds). We use two magnetic braking and two chemical mixing schemes and compare the model predictions for slowly rotating, nitrogen-enriched (‘Group 2’) stars with observations in the Large Magellanic Cloud. We quantify a range of initial field strengths that allow for producing Group 2 stars and find that typical values (up to a few kG) lead to solutions. Between the subgrids, we find notable departures in surface abundances and evolutionary paths. In our magnetic models, chemical mixing is always less efficient compared to non-magnetic models due to the rapid spin-down. We identify that quasi-chemically homogeneous main sequence evolution by efficient mixing could be prevented by fossil magnetic fields. We recommend comparing this grid of evolutionary models with spectropolarimetric and spectroscopic observations with the goals of (i) revisiting the derived stellar parameters of known magnetic stars, and (ii) observationally constraining the uncertain magnetic braking and chemical mixing schemes.

The EBLM project – IX. Five fully convective M-dwarfs, precisely measured with CHEOPS and TESS light curves

ABSTRACT Eclipsing binaries are important benchmark objects to test and calibrate stellar structure and evolution models. This is especially true for binaries with a fully convective M-dwarf component for which direct measurements of these stars’ masses and radii are difficult using other techniques. Within the potential of M-dwarfs to be exoplanet host stars, the accuracy of theoretical predictions of their radius and effective temperature as a function of their mass is an active topic of discussion. Not only the parameters of transiting exoplanets but also the success of future atmospheric characterization relies on accurate theoretical predictions. We present the analysis of five eclipsing binaries with low-mass stellar companions out of a subsample of 23, for which we obtained ultra-high-precision light curves using the CHEOPS satellite. The observation of their primary and secondary eclipses are combined with spectroscopic measurements to precisely model the primary parameters and derive the M-dwarfs mass, radius, surface gravity, and effective temperature estimates using the PYCHEOPS data analysis software. Combining these results to the same set of parameters derived from TESS light curves, we find very good agreement (better than 1 per cent for radius and better than 0.2 per cent for surface gravity). We also analyse the importance of precise orbits from radial velocity measurements and find them to be crucial to derive M-dwarf radii in a regime below 5 per cent accuracy. These results add five valuable data points to the mass–radius diagram of fully convective M-dwarfs.

Do All Low-Mass Stars Undergo Extra Mixing Processes?

Standard stellar evolution models that only consider convection as a physical process to mix material inside of stars predict the production of significant amounts of 3He in low-mass stars (M < 2 M ⊙), with peak abundances of 3He/H ∼ few × 10−3 by number. Over the lifetime of the Galaxy, this ought to produce 3He/H abundances that diminish with increasing Galactocentric radius. Observations of 3He+ in H ii regions throughout the Galactic disk, however, reveal very little variation in the 3He abundance with values of 3He/H similar to the primordial abundance, . This discrepancy, known as the “3He problem,” can be resolved by invoking in stellar evolution models an extra mixing mechanism due to the thermohaline instability. Here we observe 3He+ in the planetary nebula (PN) J320 (G190.3–17.7) with the Jansky Very Large Array to confirm a previous 3He+ detection made with the Very Large Array that supports standard stellar yields. This measurement alone indicates that not all stars undergo extra mixing. Our more sensitive observations do not detect 3He+ emission from J320 with an rms noise of 58.8 μJy beam−1 after smoothing the data to a velocity resolution of 11.4 km s−1. We estimate an abundance limit of 3He/H ≤ 2.75 × 10−3 by number using the numerical radiative transfer code NEBULA. This result nullifies the last significant detection of 3He+ in a PN and allows for the possibility that all stars undergo extra mixing processes.

Characterising the orbit and circumstellar environment of the high-mass binary MWC 166 A

Context. Stellar evolution models are highly dependent on accurate mass estimates, especially for highly massive stars in the early stages of stellar evolution. The most direct method for obtaining model-independent stellar masses is derivation from the orbit of close binaries. Aims. Our aim was to derive the first astrometric plus radial velocity orbit solution for the single-lined spectroscopic binary star MWC 166 A, based on near-infrared interferometry over multiple epochs and ∼100 archival radial velocity measurements, and to derive fundamental stellar parameters from this orbit. A supplementary aim was to model the circumstellar activity in the system from K band spectral lines. Methods. The data used include interferometric observations from the VLTI instruments GRAVITY and PIONIER, as well as the MIRC-X instrument at the CHARA Array. We geometrically modelled the dust continuum to derive relative astrometry at 13 epochs, determine the orbital elements, and constrain individual stellar parameters at five different age estimates. We used the continuum models as a base to examine differential phases, visibilities, and closure phases over the Br γ and He I emission lines in order to characterise the nature of the circumstellar emission. Results. Our orbit solution suggests a period of P = 367.7 ± 0.1 d, approximately twice as long as found with previous radial velocity orbit fits. We derive a semi-major axis of 2.61 ± 0.04 au at d = 990 ± 50 pc, an eccentricity of 0.498 ± 0.001, and an orbital inclination of 53.6 ± 0.3°. This allowed the component masses to be constrained to M1 = 12.2 ± 2.2 M⊙ and M2 = 4.9 ± 0.5 M⊙. The line-emitting gas was found to be localised around the primary and is spatially resolved on scales of ∼11 stellar radii, where the spatial displacement between the line wings is consistent with a rotating disc. Conclusions. The large spatial extent and stable rotation axis orientation measured for the Br γ and He I line emission are inconsistent with an origin in magnetospheric accretion or boundary-layer accretion, but indicate an ionised inner gas disc around this Herbig Be star. We observe line variability that could be explained either with generic line variability in a Herbig star disc or V/R variations in a decretion disc scenario. We have also constrained the age of the system, with relative flux ratios suggesting an age of ∼(7 ± 2)×105 yr, consistent with the system being composed of a main-sequence primary and a secondary still contracting towards the main-sequence stage.