The First Stars: formation under X-ray feedback

We investigate the impact of a cosmic X-ray background (CXB) on Population III stars forming in a minihalo at $z\simeq25$. Using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics code GADGET-2, we attain sufficient numerical resolution to follow gas collapsing into the centre of the minihalo from cosmological initial conditions up to densities of $10^{12}\,{\rm cm}^{-3}$, at which point we form sink particles. This allows us to study how the presence of a CXB affects the formation of H$_2$ and HD in the gas prior to becoming fully molecular. Using a suite of simulations for a range of possible CXB models, we follow each simulation for 5000\yr after the first sink particle forms. The CXB provides two competing effects, with X-rays both heating the gas and increasing the free electron fraction, allowing more H$_2$ to form. X-ray heating dominates below $n\sim1\,{\rm cm}^{-3}$, while the additional H$_2$ cooling becomes more important above $n\sim10^2\,{\rm cm}^{-3}$. The gas becomes optically thick to X-rays as it exits the quasi-hydrostatic `loitering phase,' such that the primary impact of the CXB is to cool the gas at intermediate densities, resulting in an earlier onset of baryonic collapse into the dark matter halo. At the highest densities, self-shielding results in similar thermodynamic behaviour across a wide range of CXB strengths. Consequently, we find that star formation is relatively insensitive to the presence of a CXB; both the number and the characteristic mass of the stars formed remains quite similar even as the strength of the CXB varies by several orders of magnitude.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Includes improved treatment of X-ray optical depth. 13 pages, 12 figure

Massive close binaries II

In the present review we summarize direct and indirect evidence that the massive close binary frequency is very large. We then discuss the binary evolutionary processes and we present a general massive close binary evolutionary scheme. Finally, we highlight the importance of massive close binaries for population number synthesis and the chemical evolution of galaxies.Comment: 21 pages, 6 figures, to appear in "Massive Stars: Formation, Evolution, Internal Structure and Environnement", eds. M. Heydari-Malayeri and J.-P. Zah

Effects of BBN on Population III stars

The presence (or absence) of CNO elements in the primordial gas determines different behaviours in population III stars formation and evolution: we therefore present an analysis of the main channels for the synthesis of these elements in BBN in order to understand, within a reliable interval, their abundance in the primordial material.Comment: 2 pages, Proceedings of the conference "Observing, Thinking and Mining the Universe" held in Sorrento (Italy), sept. 200

Triggered massive and clustered stars formation by together H II regions G38.91-0.44 and G39.30-1.04

We present the radio continuum, infrared, and CO molecular observations of infrared dark cloud (IRDC) G38.95-0.47 and its adjacent H II regions G38.91-0.44 (N74), G38.93-0.39 (N75), and G39.30-1.04. The Purple Mountain Observation (PMO) 13.7 m radio telescope was used to detect12CO J=1-0,13CO J=1-0 and C18O J=1-0 lines. The carbon monoxide (CO) molecular observations can ensure the real association between the ionized gas and the neutral material observed nearby. To select young stellar objects (YSOs) associated this region, we used the GLIMPSE I catalog. The13CO J=1-0 emission presents two large cloud clumps. The clump consistent with IRDC G38.95-0.47 shows a triangle- like shape, and has a steep integrated-intensity gradient toward H II regions G38.91-0.44 and G39.30-1.04, suggesting that the two H II regions have expanded into the IRDC. Four submillmeter continuum sources have been detected in the IRDC G38.95-0.47. Only the G038.95-00.47-M1 source with a mass of 117 Msun has outflow and infall motions, indicating a newly forming massive star. We detected a new collimated outflow in the clump compressed by G38.93-0.39. The derived ages of the three H II regions are 6.1*10^5yr, 2.5*10^5yr, and 9.0*10^5yr, respectively. In the IRDC G38.95-0.47, the significant enhancement of several Class I YSOs indicates the presence of some recently formed stars. Comparing the ages of these H II regions with YSOs (Class I sources and massive G038.95-00.47-M1 source), we suggest that YSOs may be triggered by G38.91-0.44 and G39.30-1.04 together, which supports the radiatively driven implosion model. It may be the first time that the triggered star formation has occurred in the IRDC compressed by two H II regions. The new detected outflow may be driven by a star cluster.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, Accepted for publication in A&

The first stars: formation of binaries and small multiple systems

We investigate the formation of metal-free, Population III (Pop III), stars within a minihalo at z ~ 20 with a smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulation, starting from cosmological initial conditions. Employing a hierarchical, zoom-in procedure, we achieve sufficient numerical resolution to follow the collapsing gas in the center of the minihalo up to number densities of 10^12 cm^-3. This allows us to study the protostellar accretion onto the initial hydrostatic core, which we represent as a growing sink particle, in improved physical detail. The accretion process, and in particular its termination, governs the final masses that were reached by the first stars. The primordial initial mass function (IMF), in turn, played an important role in determining to what extent the first stars drove early cosmic evolution. We continue our simulation for 5000 yr after the first sink particle has formed. During this time period, a disk-like configuration is assembled around the first protostar. The disk is gravitationally unstable, develops a pronounced spiral structure, and fragments into several other protostellar seeds. At the end of the simulation, a small multiple system has formed, dominated by a binary with masses ~ 40 M_Sun and ~ 10 M_Sun. If Pop III stars were to form typically in binaries or small multiples, the standard model of primordial star formation, where single, isolated stars are predicted to form in minihaloes, would have to be modified. This would have crucial consequences for the observational signature of the first stars, such as their nucleosynthetic pattern, and the gravitational-wave emission from possible Pop III black-hole binaries.Comment: Accepted to MNRAS. New section with new figure added. 18 pages, 13 figures. Supplementary material and high resolution version at http://www.as.utexas.edu/~minerva

Fundamental Parameters of Massive Stars

We discuss the determination of fundamental parameters of `normal' hot, massive OB-type stars, namely temperatures, luminosities, masses, gravities and surface abundances. We also present methods used to derive properties of stellar winds -- mass-loss rates and wind velocities from early-type stars.Comment: 21 pages, 3 figures, to appear in "Massive Stars: Formation, Evolution and Environment", eds. Heydari-Malayeri & Zahn (proceedings of 2002 Aussois summer school

Building initial models of rotating white dwarfs with SPH

A general procedure to build self-gravitational, rotating equilibrium structures with the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) technique does not exist. In particular, obtaining stable rotating configurations for white dwarf (WD) stars is currently a major drawback of many astrophysical simulations. Rotating WDs with low internal temperatures are connected with both, explosive and implosive scenarios such as type Ia supernova explosions or neutron stars formation. Simulations of these events with SPH codes demand stable enough particle configurations as initial models. In this work we have developed and tested a relaxation method to obtain equilibrium configurations of rotating WDs. This method is straightforward and takes advantage of the excellent mass and angular momentum conservation properties of the SPH technique. Although we focus on rigid rotation and its potential applications to several Type Ia supernova scenarios, we also show that our proposal is also able to provide good initial models in differential rotation, which has the potential to benefit many other types of simulations where rotation plays a capital role, like disk evolution and stellar formation.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Molecular gas and triggered star formation surrounding Wolf-Rayet stars

The environments surrounding nine Wolf-Rayet stars were studied in molecular emission. Expanding shells were detected surrounding these WR stars (see left panels of Figure 1). The average masses and radii of the molecular cores surrounding these WR stars anti-correlate with the WR stellar wind velocities (middle panels of Figure 1), indicating the WR stars has great impact on their environments. The number density of Young Stellar Objects (YSOs) is enhanced in the molecular shells at $\sim$5 arcmin from the central WR star (lower-right panel of Figure 1). Through detailed studies of the molecular shells and YSOs, we find strong evidences of triggered star formation in the fragmented molecular shells (\cite[Liu et al. 2010]{liu_etal12}Comment: 1 page, IAUS29

Dancing with the Stars: Formation of the Fomalhaut triple system and its effect on the debris disks

Fomalhaut is a triple system, with all components widely separated (~1E5 au). Such widely separated binaries are thought to form during cluster dissolution, but that process is unlikely to form such a triple system. We explore an alternative scenario, where A and C form as a tighter binary from a single molecular cloud core (with semimajor axis ~1E4 au), and B is captured during cluster dispersal. We use N-body simulations augmented with the Galactic tidal forces to show that such a system naturally evolves into a Fomalhaut-like system in about half of cases, on a timescale compatible with the age of Fomalhaut. From initial non-interacting orbits, Galactic tides drive cycles in B's eccentricity that lead to a close encounter with C. After several close encounters, typically lasting tens of millions of years, one of the stars is ejected. The Fomalhaut-like case with both components at large separations is almost invariably a precursor to the ejection of one component, most commonly Fomalhaut C. By including circumstellar debris in a subset of the simulations, we also show that such an evolution usually does not disrupt the coherently eccentric debris disk around Fomalhaut A, and in some cases can even produce such a disk. We also find that the final eccentricity of the disk around A and the disk around C are correlated, which may indicate that the dynamics of the three stars stirred C's disk, explaining its unusual brightness.Comment: Accepted to MNRA